Ryuji Senda’s parents ran an eel restaurant in Fukui. Having helped with the family business from a young age, the path of a chef came naturally to him, and he made his way to Kyoto as his father and elder brother had apprenticed there. At dinner the pièce de resistance is the elegant appetiser. Senda learned from his mentors such points as how to use fresh ingredients in season and the origins and meanings of arrangements. The eel kabayaki, basted with sauce from the family recipe before broiling, is not to be missed.