Dishing up a new journey

He begins with escabeche (marinated) mussels and pickled Shandong (province) baby cucumber to make a deliberately structured starter — not a raw, minimalist dish hiding behind the word "refreshing".

The acidity sharpens the mussel's natural salinity, while the cucumber brings snap and brightness. It reflects a principle Garigliano holds closely: Local produce should never be a token gesture, but treated with precision so that it can carry the dish on its own terms.

For the seafood course, he turns to Alaskan king crab with kimchi and Yunnan (province) oxheart tomato. The kimchi is no accident. During his time in Dubai, a colleague taught him how it's made and the technique stuck with him. The tomato, fleshy and sweet, anchors the spice with natural weight and balance.

The Red Devil Shrimp dish tells the story of different chapters in Garigliano's life. It begins with a reinvented curry sauce — originally from his mother's kitchen — elevated with fresh aromatics, where his passion for cooking first took hold.

A velvety parsnip veloute (roux and stock) evokes his time in France, the country where he refined his craft. Fresh bamboo, a tribute to his Chinese wife, adds a local touch and a sense of connection to his present. At its heart lies a prized Red Devil shrimp from Spain, tying the dish back to his origin.

"The dish is like a summary of my life. It's spicy, vibrant," he says.

The main course embraces reality: Wagyu beef is not light summer fare. Yet rather than mask its richness, Garigliano exercises restraint in its preparation, crafting a dish that is indulgent without feeling heavy, even in Beijing's sweltering summer heat.

"Shaoxing (Zhejiang province) huadiao wine is one of my favorite Chinese ingredients, which I discovered when I arrived in China last September," Garigliano recalls. He notes that the wine's nutty, mellow character reminds him of French yellow wine from Jura, sparking a connection to his culinary roots.

He builds a deep, layered sauce starting with caramelized shallots and enriched with huadiao wine.

"I add a bit of cognac and a touch of port, a different combination of liquids, with huadiao as the main wine," he explains. The result is bold yet disciplined: hearty, nuanced, and richly flavored, but never weighed down by excess.

Food writer Wu Xuefeng is impressed by the summer menu: "A subtle thread of spiciness runs through the whole menu, giving it cohesion. But each dish sources its heat differently, from house-made hot-and-sour sauce to fermented chili paste from Changsha to pickles."

"In Beijing's stifling summer, that spice awakens the palate, making every other flavor sharper and more vivid. It's like a spotlight on the stage, highlighting the ingredients around it," she says.

About the douzhi fish, Wu adds: "The dish preserves only the lightly fermented tang while balancing the stronger, off-putting notes. Even the tart's hint of spice offsets the douzhi's sour-bitter character perfectly."

Before the summer heat fades, Garigliano has begun planning his autumn menu. Beijing's autumn is beautiful and abundant with flavors, and is sure to bring plenty of new inspiration.