JADE on 36 restaurant at the Pudong Shangri-La East Shanghai hotel has changed its concept, turning itself into a casual brasserie featuring European fusion cuisine.

Newly appointed Michelin starred French chef Jeremy Biasiol expresses European fusion food with an Asian twist in his distinctively fun and creative way.

“Jade has been here for eight years and we want to bring local diners freshness. People only choose fine dining for particular occasions. We want to see our customers more often,” says Magali Navarro, restaurant manager of Jade on 36.

There’s a big change in ambience. The original fine linen damask tablecloths are replaced with wood tops. The background music, originally le chanson, features dynamic pop. Seating capacity has been doubled from 50 to 100. A tapas dining area is newly added to highlight a relaxed atmosphere.

The new menu is designed like colorful playing cards, with humorous quotes printed on the back. Some of the most popular quotes among diners include: “I’ve been on a diet for two weeks and all I’ve lost is two weeks,” by Oscar Wilde and “My mother’s menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it,” by the late American comedian Buddy Hackett.

The restaurant, to encourage diners to order different plates for sharing, categorizes all its foods into order by piece (small portion) and order by plate (bigger portion).

The wine list seems more readable and affordable than before.

“Wines are categorized by grapes to make diners understand easily. Also, we have increased the options of wine by the glass to 22, ranging from 58 yuan (US$9.36) to 120 yuan,” Navarro adds.

Most importantly, the new average check at Jade makes sumptuous European fusion fare more accessible to the public.

The only thing that hasn’t changed is the restaurant’s fine dining level service, complemented by the 180-degree breathtaking view of the historic Bund and Huangpu River.

The new dining concept of European fusion comes from Chef Biasiol’s international background. He worked for celebrity chef Alain Ducasse, the only chef in the world overseeing three Michelin three-star restaurants, for 17 years. During those years, Biasiol worked for Ducasse’s restaurants in Monte Carlo, Paris and New York, successively.

Adding some Asian twist comes from his last six years in Hong Kong, where he opened his own restaurant, Mirror, awarded one Michelin star.

He closed it due to Hong Kong’s high rents.

“It was a tough decision because I had already been awarded one star. I hope to make my name in Shanghai,” says the chef.

He integrates Asian techniques into his steamed fish to create a tender texture. And he replaces cream with coconut milk to cook salmon to better cater to Asian palates.

“People here are not used to too many dairy products,” Biasiol explains.

The chef’s appetizers are innovative. For example, his signature salad named “Jade on 36 Garden” is presented like a flower pot and tastes like a savory tiramisu. A layer of shredded onion at the bottom is alternated with a layer of cream and a layer of porcini. Around the mouth of the pot is a layer of bread powder topped with fresh vegetables. Diners dig inside the pot to get diverse flavors and textures in one bite.

His “Oyster Surprise” is surprising. The oyster meat is coated with champagne and yuzu jelly to give the taste vibrance and sophistication.

His ball-shaped foie gras coated with strawberry and pop rocks is served like a lollipop. The strawberry acidity cuts through the fatty taste of the foie gras.

Biasiol’s main courses are more classical to highlight his French origin. Recommended orders include lobster pasta and beef wellington with red wine sauce.

But the chef’s most impressive dish is his “Lyon King” — chicken liver cake with foie gras and crayfish, which is inspired by his mother’s recipe.

In terms of technology, Biasiol is deeply influenced by Ducasse, skilled at turning food back to its nature. He’s also a lover of cream.

“I love cooking creamy dishes, for example mushroom risotto and shepherd’s pie,” says the chef.

Furthermore, he distinguishes himself through his encouraging diners to be involved in food creation.

Use his signature “do it yourself” soup as an example. He prepares crab consommé in advance. When serving, the waiter gives the diner an injector filled with tofu paste. Then diners inject tofu into their bowls to make their own noodles.

His “do it yourself fish tartar” also highlights the interaction between food and diner. When serving, the waiter presents salmon, tuna and sea bass and a selection of seven seasonings including sesame paste, shallot, parsley, soy sauce, chili powder, lemon juice and olive oil. Customers then choose seasonings they want to blend their own sauces.

Knowing the off-the-menu dishes distinguishes connoisseurs from normal diners. Biasiol is a chef never says no; he’ll cook anything you want off the menu.

“Don’t be afraid to bring me a challenge,” he says.

His biggest challenge in life is that a customer asks him to make a dish from salmon, orange and white chocolate. “I did it, making them into salmon soup with funnel, orange confit and white chocolate emulsion!” the chef says proudly.

He believes that the new Jade on 36 leads a dining trend with its premium ingredients, fine culinary technique but friendlier ambience.

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