New horizons from
Gucci Osteria Tokyo

Featured in the latest issue of Esquire – The Big Black Book magazine, Chef Antonio Iacoviello recounts finding inspiration and a peculiar local fish in Tsushima. 

Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura Tokyo is approaching its first anniversary this October. Leading the team in the kitchen is Head Chef Antonio Iacoviello, who creates contemporary dishes that combine traditional Italian cuisine and Japanese seasonal ingredients and two countries’ cultures. His respect for local producers led him to Tsushima in Nagasaki Prefecture, where he found the natural habitat of the rabbitfish.

In Tsushima, where the fishing industry is thriving, seaweed has been drastically reduced over the last 20 years. On the contrary, the number of seaweed-eating fish, such as rabbitfish has increased, resulting in a loss of seaweed beds called ‘Isoyake’ and a change in the ecosystem of the area. Learning of this problem, Chef Antonio came up with a dish using rabbitfish. The amuse bouche named ‘Rabbitfish Mantecato’ is a sophisticated interpretation of the Venetian dish ‘Baccala Mantecato’ which is usually made of creamed codfish. It is served with a gold leaf garnish, sandwiched between crackers derived from a slice of bread.

The trip also inspired the creation of “Rabbitfish and Chips”, a culinary portrayal of Tsushima's future where rich seaweed and rabbitfish coexist after recovering from Isoyake.

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From Esquire – The Big Black Book Japan, Fall/Winter 2022
©Shin Igarashi