The past eight months in Beijing, however, have opened an entirely new chapter. A new team, new guests, new menus to design, and a constant stream of unfamiliar Chinese ingredients have made it a journey of firsts.

For Garigliano, sourcing ingredients is a challenge that spans China, not just Beijing. He begins with the centerpiece of a dish, often a protein, and considers which seasonal ingredients best complement it.

"I explore different options and source them from the regions that best produce and harvest them. I taste everything and then decide which one suits the main ingredient I want," he says. "This, more or less, is how I create a dish."

This summer, being one of the hottest and most humid in recent years, Garigliano created a seasonal menu that is both a response to the city's climate and a reflection of his first months in Beijing.

While many Western kitchens strip down summer menus to raw vegetables and limp salads, Chinese chefs serve braised meats and rich sauces even in July. Garigliano respects this honesty but charts his own course to create dishes that balance complexity and restraint, adapting classic techniques and personal memories.