Opening its doors on 8 May 2026, Jiin Omakase is the new Japanese restaurant by the Les Amis Group that turns an epicurean spotlight on premium seafood and human connection. The founding philosophy of the restaurant — as well as the name ‘Jiin’ — is rooted in timeless omotenashi.
‘Omotenashi’ is the quintessentially Japanese philosophy of selfless, anticipatory hospitality. It is the coming together of food; service; space; rhythm; and the interaction of chef and diner; in an immersive atmosphere that makes guests feel at ease the moment they step into the restaurant. In omotenashi, intuition and heart guide the proceedings – guests are not simply served; they are looked after.
At Jiin Omakase, this philosophy takes on a living, adaptable form, shaped by the Les Amis Group’s own ‘By Friends, For Friends’ ethos. The result is an experience that is both authentically Japanese and intuitively personal.
Helming the counter at Jiin is Head Chef Sakamoto Mitsutaka, under the mentorship and guidance of Group Head Chef Saito Makoto, who oversees the Japanese Collective within Les Amis Group. Together with Sous Chef Matsuda Koichi, this trio of Japanese chefs brings their combined expertise to every aspect of the kitchen. The ryokan tradition shaped the careers of chefs Sakamoto and Matsuda; with Sakamoto working in one of Japan’s most prestigious establishments, Kagaya, followed by 18 years at Hyakurakuso Ryokan. The detailed attentiveness and exacting skills forged in the ryokan informs Sakamoto’s approach to the counter at Jiin today.
While Chef Sakamoto commands the counter, Sous Chef Matsuda anchors the hot kitchen—overseeing the grilled dishes and the signature Ise Ebi (Japanese spiny lobster) hot pot that have become integral to the dining experience. His four decades of experience, including a Michelin starred tenure at Ryotei Wataya and leadership roles across Japan’s most prestigious luxury inns, ensure that every element from the back kitchen complements the rhythm of the counter service. Together, Sakamoto and Matsuda create a seamless dining experience — a quiet synergy where the counter and the kitchen move as one.
Group Head Chef Saito Makoto, brings his own predilections to the team, focusing on keeping the experience ‘warm’ and ‘fun’. Saito collects trinkets to decorate spaces and make them lessintimidating. Guests will feel less formal and self-conscious, and thus more comfortable. ‘Reading the room’ is key to omotenashi, it requires being genuinely present without being overbearing.
Omotenashi extends to the food. At Jiin, ingredients are treated as collaborators who should be ‘listened to.’ Under the guidance of Saito, the chefs follow nature’s calendar, allowing the peak of each season to dictate the narrative of the meal. Head Chef Sakamoto’s childhood in a premier food producing part of Japan; and his mentor chef Saito’s decades of experience in the elite kitchens of Tokyo, Nagoya and Singapore have bred in both men a reverence for seasonality.
At Jiin, premium seafood takes precedence with Sakamoto sometimes presenting five to six types of seasonal sashimi in a single course. That way, diners luxuriate in the abundance of the season; while each ingredient receives its rightful honour. When the menu changes, it is not for novelty’s sake, but because nature itself has changed — each dish is a snapshot of a specific moment in time.
At its essence, omotenashi is connection – to Mother Nature or to one’s fellowman. For Sakamoto, he feels most connected to his guests when they take their first bite. If the diner smiles, or is contentedly silent, in that instant Sakamoto knows they share the same experience.
To his team, Saito is the avuncular teacher, never forcing knowledge upon anyone but instead creating conditions for curiosity to grow. Being part of the Les Amis Group has its own distinct advantages, such as dedicated specialists who handle procurement for the restaurant, ensuring a supply of exquisite produce harvested at the peak of Japan’s micro-seasons. In addition, the guidance and mentorship of veteran professionals like Saito forges vision and direction, that is then backed by the unrivalled resources of the group. Such is the amazing synergy at Jiin Omakase, where guests savour the best of Japan’s seasonal waters; bask in the lap of omotenashi; and enjoy the delicate dance of chef, diner, and restaurateur.
The food at Jiin Omakase follows nature’s calendar; with the peak of each season dictating the narrative of the meal. Spring brings sakura bream, summer brings ayu (sweetfish), autumn brings persimmons and wild mushrooms, and winter brings Matsuba crab, with the wild-caught bounty of Japan’s waters being the showpiece.
Jiin Omakase offers three tantalising menu options that allow guests to experience this seasonality in varying depths. Lunch menus are available at $138++, $188++, $288++ and $388++; while dinner menus are offered at $288++ and $388++. For those seeking an elevated experience, the Chef’s Menu, available from $488++, curates a showcase of rare, peak-of-the season ingredients, often centred on live seafood sourced from Japan.
This spring, available within the $288++ menu, diners can look forward to an Appetiser of Kegani (Japanese Hairy Crab) from Hokkaido and Hotaru Ika (Firefly Squid) topped with Tosazu Jelly. The Sashimi course is a showcase of six seasonal fish on a platter — Japanese Seabream, Kinmedai, Belt Fish, Shima Aji, Barracuda, and Japanese Maguro Tuna, allowing diners to experience the full diversity of Japan’s waters.
Another enticement is Monaka, a delicate wafer shell filled with Ankimo Paste (Monkfish Liver) and topped with Caviar, Botan Ebi (Peony Shrimp), Uni and Truffle. Each Monaka is served on a board sourced by Group Head Chef Saito Makoto, adorned with his collection of trinkets adding warmth and personality to the counter.
The progression then moves into the warm dishes, shaped in the hot kitchen by Sous Chef Matsuda Koichi. In the Grilled course, A5 Kagoshima Wagyu is seasoned with mountain pepper and sancho pepper, then grilled to medium rare to let the natural beef flavours shine. Among the favourite is the Hot Pot course, featuring Ise Ebi (Japanese spiny lobster) and Sakura Ebi Rice. The lobster is gently grilled then finished in the hot pot at the table, bringing depth and comfort to the progression of the meal.
The Refreshment course brings a combination of seasonal vegetables — Soy Bean, Amela Tomato, Bonito Jelly, Yuzu, Nano, and Green Bean; while the Don takes exquisite Bluefin Tuna to centrestage. Rounding off the meal is a Dessert of seasonal fruits, daifuku, and hojicha ice cream.
Available exclusively within the $388++ menu, one of Head Chef Sakamoto Mitsutaka’s personal highlights is a seasonal Soup of Amadai (tilefish) and nanohana, served in a gently savoury broth layered with seafood essence and white miso. Quietly expressive and deeply comforting, the dish reflects Chef Sakamoto’s ryokan-honed sensibility — where warmth, balance, and restraint come together in a single bowl.
Guests are immersed in quintessential Japanese craftsmanship and attention to detail. The restaurant seats 32, including a 12-seat counter and three private rooms that accommodate 6 to 8 guests each. Jiin Omakase is a space designed to encourage a sense of ease and unhurried exchange.
A palette of warm earthy tones and the natural finish reflects the restaurant’s profound affinity with the seasons. Bathed in atmospheric lighting, the feeling is one of connection — with the chefs at the counter; and with one’s dining companions in the private rooms. Combined with the anticipatory service, and the rhythms of the meal, each moment is awash in the spirit of omotenashi.
Under the guidance of Group Head Chef Saito, whose extensive experience in kaiseki and kappo brings a quiet mastery to Jiin, every detail is considered. From the trinkets that warm the space to the personal touches — a house-made chilli offered to those who drink, a subtle adjustment when a guest reaches for wasabi — his philosophy of intuitive hospitality shapes the experience. It is this unwavering commitment to omotenashi, passed down to Head Chef Sakamoto Mitsutaka, Chef Matsuda Koichi, and the team, that ensures each guest leaves feeling not just served, but truly looked after.
