02 Fire & Bluefin
Fire is a
core ingredient.
At the centre of Kokin is woodfire — primal, intimate, and rich with memory. The kitchen uses cherry and apple wood to infuse dishes with delicate, fragrant smoke, while Binchotan charcoal is employed for its clean, high heat and ability to bring out clarity and texture. Fire here is not just a technique; it is a core ingredient, a source of character and soul.
Equally central is Kokin's signature focus on sustainable bluefin tuna. Whole fish are sourced and broken down in-house with precision and reverence, ensuring that as much of the fish as possible is used with care and intention. The tuna comes from two remarkable sources: rich, fatty fish from the waters of Spain, and wild-caught, naturally sustainable bluefin from the Portuguese coast, sourced by renowned tuna fisherman Hajime Tanaka.
Every part of the fish — from melt-in-your-mouth otoro to perfectly balanced chutoro, intensely flavoured akami, and rare, lesser-known cuts — is transformed into expressive dishes. The collar (kama) is grilled slowly over woodfire. Firm, resilient cuts are made into crisp, juicy katsu. Delicately marbled se-toro and sukimi appear in nigiri and seasonal plates — a sustainable, creative expression of whole-fish cooking led by respect, not waste.
Beyond fire and tuna, Kokin showcases ingredients of extraordinary quality — from wild Japanese mountain vegetables and A5 Miyazaki Wagyu to seasonal British produce and pristine seafood.
