TEAM
Executive Chef
Born in Nara Prefecture, Chef Takuya Yamashita’s close proximity to lush forests and mountains ignited his passion for nature from a young age. Plans to study forestry, however, gave way to a greater love for the culinary arts.
He pursued his career in his first French restaurant, Aux Provençaux Tokyo. And during his off days, he works in a patisserie. He then moved to France in 2015 to work in Restaurant Etude in Paris (One Michelin-Star) and one of the best bistros, Les Enfants Rouges. After that, he went back to Tokyo and was mentored by acclaimed Chef Kazunori Otowa at the One Michelin-starred Ciel et Sol, which he eventually became the Head Chef.
Creatively introducing a fresh concept of French-Japanese cuisine to Singapore, he loves to share moments with the dining guests not just through the food but also by meeting and explaining about his nature-inspired cuisine and the food stories, making it extra memorable for them.
General Manager
Vincent Tan is a well-known figure in the wine circles, a certified sommelier accredited by the Court of Master Sommeliers, and holds an Advanced Certificate from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. He brings a wealth of experience from working across major cities in Asia including Taiwan and Shanghai in crafting wine and beverage programmes.
He was with The Ritz-Carlton Millenia, Les Amis, Golden Pyramid Gourmet Services, Napa Wine Bar & Kitchen, Tung Lok Group, VLV Restaurant & Club, JW Marriot Hotel and JQ Concept just to name a few before joining Whitegrass.
Under his helm, Chef Takuya’s vision for the restaurant has brought to life with his unique insight into the pairing approach and backed with the impeccable service level of his front-of-house team. Prioritizing quality and sustainability over variety, Vincent showcases makers who share Whitegrass' respect for their produce through the cuisine. Experience nothing short of magical with the complementing food and a list of wine & beverage that Vincent has delicately put together.
Sous Chef
Chef Kohei Nawata was once a classmate in the same culinary school as Chef Takuya, and now became the best kitchen partner in Whitegrass. They both made a pact that they will eventually work together in a restaurant and now their promise has come to a full circle. Chef Kohei worked as a former dim sum chef at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo and is an expert hand at creating delicately detailed dim sum. Backed with this knowledge and skill, expect a subtle hint of Chinese cuisine that adds special flavours and aesthetics to the food, making Whitegrass distinctively unique.
Restaurant Manager
Wendy Lim, our Restaurant Manager is a connoisseur of fine wines. Allow her to recommend a suitable pairing that can help to elevate your celebration, be it birthdays, holidays, or special events that call for toasting.