Natural delights of vegetarian cuisine allowed to shine through by chef who knows the roots of success, Li Yingxue reports.

Health, nature and sustainability are three concepts that find tangible expression through the art of cuisine in a courtyard nestled in Beijing's vibrant Sanlitun area.

Lamdre, a vegetarian fine dining restaurant, turns fresh, seasonal ingredients into an art form, aligning the healthy, culinary experience with the natural environments from which these ingredients are sourced. The eatery, which only opened in late 2022, has risen to prominence both at home and abroad for its delectable offerings and innovative philosophy.

According to owner Zhao Jia, its philosophy lies in "advocating a lifestyle that aims to infuse the beauty of nature into the lives of those who embrace mindfulness".

In October, Lamdre earned a star in this year's Beijing Michelin Guide. Then in January, it received a diamond rating in the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide, making it one of the few restaurants in Beijing to achieve recognition from both prestigious lists.

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Adding to the accolades, Lamdre's star also shone at the recent awards ceremony for Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, clinching this year's American Express One to Watch Award.

"The dining experience at Lamdre is exquisite — from the serene ambience to the refined dishes that pay homage to nature's abundance. Chef Dai Jun and owner Zhao have introduced a concept that is refreshingly distinct and this accolade is well-deserved," said William Drew, director of content for Asia's 50 Best Restaurants.

Food blogger Li Xiaonan, who has 734,000 followers on micro-blogging platform Sina Weibo, commented that the restaurant is a pioneer for its lifestyle philosophy, and focuses on selecting the finest seasonal vegetables. "By skillfully cooking these ingredients to highlight their natural flavors, the restaurant offers … an experience of nature's true essence," he says.

Two years ago, Zhao started planning for the restaurant, watching it grow from an idea to reality. During the setup and design process, her vision became clear: to create a restaurant focused on healthy, natural and sustainable plant-based cuisine.

"Our plant-based cuisine goes beyond traditional Chinese vegetarian food, focusing on the pure flavors of ingredients and capturing the essence of the seasons," Zhao says, adding that other than boasting a fixed culinary style, the dishes reflect their "deep concern for the connection between humans, the environment, and nature".

Food is presented with simplicity."Some ingredients may not look perfect, but I find nature's offerings already beautiful, so we present ingredients in their natural state, without fancy packaging," Zhao says.

The eggplant dish on its opening menu, created by chef Dai, is an example of preserving the natural shape of the vegetable in an artistic fashion. It featured thumb-sized eggplants, marinated and topped with ground black sesame for flavor. The addition of homemade Sichuan pepper and black sesame paste enhanced the aroma, capturing the essence of Beijing's autumn and winter, a simple and rustic approach that vividly conveyed the natural terroir.

"Food awakens our memories. Take the tofu on our seasonal menu. It tastes like the tofu my grandmother made when I was young, instantly bringing those memories back,"Zhao says.

"It's not about intricate techniques, but about the care we put into our dishes. All our sauces are homemade. This approach has made the tofu a favorite among our guests."

Zhao designed her restaurant around the principle of sustainability, as is shown in many objects from the menu to the furniture. She uses digital menus and cloth napkins to minimize paper use, and any paper that is used is recyclable.

She chooses local, seasonal and organic ingredients to reduce transportation and packaging. She also employs energy-efficient cooking methods and aims to minimize emissions. The menu is thoughtfully designed to use ingredients completely and avoid waste, even repurposing fruit peels into appetizers.

The eatery has become a popular destination for tourists visiting Beijing and a favorite spot for residents celebrating special occasions. Zhao has noticed that it's not just about being a vegetarian restaurant for young guests; many come to celebrate events with friends, such as after finishing exams. "We see a lot of young people, and for them, coming here is about trying out a new restaurant," she says.

Having received multiple honors in a row, Zhao feels thankful. "While we value these accolades, our guests remain our top priority. However, these honors have boosted our confidence and improved the team's morale," she says.

Zhao mentions that the restaurant might introduce afternoon tea, especially Chinese tea, to more guests.

She says that Dai, who has over 30 years experience, including more than a decade specializing in vegetarian cuisine, is passionate about crafting new dishes, and is a chef with the creativity and skill to realize her vision.

Dai says: "Before, when I cooked Cantonese cuisine, it was about mastering handed-down techniques. But with vegetarian dishes, it's about starting from scratch. It's incredibly rewarding to create something from nothing."

Dai believes that creating vegetarian dishes is much more challenging than meat-based ones, as they require not only understanding techniques for cooking meat, but also ways to innovate upon them. He explains that some ingredients, like the vegetables used as garnishes, are often overlooked in meat-based cuisine. But now, he not only needs to understand their characteristics but also fully comprehend their nuances.

"The taste of radishes, for example, varies between the parts exposed to sunlight and those underground due to differences in sunlight, soil, temperature and humidity," he says.

Changing the menu every three months can be stressful for many chefs, but Dai finds joy in it. Since his previous restaurant job, he's been creating new menus each season. Even if some dishes receive great feedback, he is always ready to move on. After several seasons of menus, he sees them as a record of his culinary style.

"To stay fresh, you have to reset, learn new things, and create something new," he says.

Many diners have followed Dai's menus over the seasons. They often share long feedback, which the chef takes seriously and finds inspiring."It's because of them that I keep going," he says.

Looking back on the past decade, he sees three distinct phases of change in his approach to cooking. At first, he began adapting meat-based dishes to vegetarian versions. For example, he turned Kungpao chicken into vegetarian versions by using similar seasonings, but tofu or mushrooms in place of the chicken. He remained in this phase for many years.

Later, he began refining vegetarian dishes, making them more intricate and complex. "I wanted to create things others couldn't," he says.

After being hired by Zhao for her new restaurant, Dai catered to her demands by adopting simplicity as a new approach, removing elaborate decorations and focusing on the essence of the ingredients.

Now, he uses no more than three ingredients per dish, and although they look simple, there's a lot of effort behind the scenes to bring out the rich flavors, he says.

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"The concept of plant-based cuisine took shape in my mind, and I developed my own style," Dai says."Without the experiences of the past, today's dishes wouldn't have their current style."

The chef finds vegetarian cooking intriguing because it's not bound by culinary traditions. With good ingredients and creative ideas, anything is possible.

"Plant-based cuisine may sound limiting, but it's actually vast, with endless possibilities," he says.

Contact the writer at liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn