La Maison de la Natura Goh, a hugely popular restaurant that has been on the "Asia's 50 Best Restaurants" list a total of six times, closed its doors in 2022. Its owner, Goh Fukuyama, embarked on a new challenge when he opened a new restaurant at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this newly-opened restaurant is ranked 45th again. Customers come to Fukuoka from all over the country, and even all over the world, to enjoy Chef Fukuyama's cuisine—a cuisine which has been transformed by his friendship with Indian chef Gaggan Anand. From their new home in the 010 Building, together they are creating a new food and entertainment culture in Fukuoka.

An end…and a beginning

In October 2022, I had the pleasure of visiting La Maison de la Nature Goh, a quaint French restaurant in Fukuoka run by world-renowned owner-chef Goh Fukuyama. I had heard much about him and his friendship with top Asia chef Gaggan Anand, and this day, I was lucky enough to meet both of them. Their close friendship was evident to everyone around them. While neither of them spoke the other’s language perfectly, they both spoke the language of delicious food and of friendship, and that was more than enough to stoke the explosive partnership that was to come.

I visited Chef Fukuyama’s restaurant for a farewell party to La Maison de la Nature Goh, which was shutting its doors after 20 years as one of the best restaurants in Fukuoka. But this was not a sad day, because Fukuyama was shutting down his restaurant to embark on a new and even greater challenge—teaming up with his best mate Gaggan to open up two unique restaurants in one space in the 010 Building located along the Nakagawa River in Hakata. Fukuyama’s signature restaurant, Goh, is located on the third floor, and their joint restaurant GohGan is located on the first floor of this uniquely-designed building. I visited both restaurants to check out what was sure to be a truly original culinary experience.

I can say without a doubt that most of the foods at experienced at both restaurants were exquisite culinary creations that I had never seen or tasted before.

Time to go to Goh!!

My first stop was a Goh, and Chef Fukuyama himself was there to greet the guests, help with the preparation of the food, and mingle with the guests during their dining experience. I was surprised upon entering the restaurant that there were not any individual tables, but rather one long table in the center of the restaurant at which all the guests sat and dined together. The kitchen area was open as well, and the dishes were prepared in sight of the guests. It was a very intimate, visually-pleasing dining space with a spectacular view of the city.

Staff preparing of the courses within view of the guests under the supervision of Chef Fukuyama (right)

The entire ten-course meal was spectacular. As someone who hasn’t eaten much French food, I felt like each bite took me on a new culinary adventure. Two things struck me in particular. First, the portion size for each course was perfect--not too much, and not too little, but just enough to satisfy and make you start wondering what the next course would be. And the presentation was superb. The design, arrangement and colors of each course made me feel like I was not only eating dinner but also looking at wonderfully-designed works of art. In other words, this 10-course meal satisfied both my eyes and my taste buds. In addition, each course was brought out with a wine or champagne chosen by the staff to match perfectly with it.

The menu changes with the seasons. Chef Fukuyama uses fresh local ingredients from various locations in Kyushu for his original French dishes.

Next stop…GohGan

On the 1st floor of the same 010 Building, you will find GohGan, a wonderful fusion restaurant operated by Fukuyama and his best mate, Gaggan Anand. Unlike Goh, which offers only a set course and has one large table where all customers dine together, GohGan offers both course meals and a la carte items. It has a chic counter area, several individual tables, outdoor seating, and a private room for those who want a more intimate dining experience.

The prices at GohGan are a bit cheaper than at Goh. I ordered the 10-course meal for about half the price of Goh. All the dishes were amazing, but my favorites were the spicy crab curry and the unbelievable chocolate tart for dessert. I am a spicy curry lover, but it was the first time in my life to try a crab curry. The flavor was unbelievable, and the portion size was perfect. And the chocolate tart for dessert…OMG. We Americans love our chocolate, but I can honestly say that this was better than anything I have ever eaten in the U.S. It was a perfect way to end the meal. Here are some pictures of the amazing food I got to eat at GohGan.

Goh Fukuyama--Changing the food culture of Fukuoka

Goh Fukuyama, together with his best mate, world-class chef, Gaggan Anand, has created an innovative fusion of French, Japanese, and Indian cuisines to create a one-of-a-kind dining experience, but his quest for great ingredients never stops. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic he continued his quest to find the best ingredients, personally visiting food experts of various cuisines in an effort to provide an even better dining experience for his customers. Listed below are some programs that were aired in Taiwan that document that journey. In these videos, Chef Fukuyama teams up with food specialists in northern Kyushu in search of that area`s finest ingredients. Through watching this travel food documentary, called GohGan's Gourmet Road Trip, you will understand why his unique establishment was chosen as one of the 50 best restaurants in Asia.

YouTube Links

• GohGan‘s Gourmet Road Trip in Kitakyushu
• GohGan‘s Gourmet Road Trip in Karatsu
• GohGan‘s Gourmet Road Trip in Fukutsu

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