She entered the world of cuisine due to the influence of her husband, a Chinese chef.

She was born in Taiwan. She came to Japan with her husband, also a chef, and opened Yokohama Chinatown Shumien. While her husband managed the restaurant, she got the idea to serve Taiwanese food, and began to study Taiwanese cooking. From 1990 onward she proudly added Taiwanese dishes to the menu and took over the management, serving as the smiling public face of the establishment.

An encounter with a chef of French cuisine opened him up to the world of French food.

Toru Totoki was born in 1956 in Fukushima prefecture. When he was 20-years old, at a time that few people were familiar with French cuisine, he happened to meet the head chef of a French restaurant. Thanks to this chef's introduction, Totoki trained for 2 years at Regence Shibuya, then the famous French restaurant Ginza Lecrin, before going to Europe. He worked for 11 years as the head chef of Ginza Lecrin, from 1992 to 2003, then he opened Les Dix Temps, The Totoki. In 2013, the restaurant was updated and re-opened as Ginza Totoki.

Offers up big portions made with top quality ingredients.

He was born March 8th, 1972, in Osaka Prefecture. Wanting to become a cook, after finishing high school, he began apprenticing at Tori Ryori after a friend introduced him. After that, he continued working at the same restaurant as a cook. Tondabayashi, Osaka is a place blessed with tranquil nature; a place where people go to get directly-sourced, fresh ingredients to create delicious meals.

A veteran chef who is particular about how to heat all the iingredients meat, fish and vegetables

Born in 1967, in Tokyo. He chose to become a professional cook because he likes to see faces delighted by delicious food. Since 1987, he has been engaged in cooking French cuisine in the main dining room of various hotels within Tokyo. In 2005, he went independent and opened Chez Hiro in Nezu. In 2008, he turned to Spanish cuisine and joined Spain Club Co. After serving as head chef of Kioi-cho Spain Bar and Shimokitazawa Spain Bar, he took over as head chef of Tsukishima Spain Club in 2010.

The authentic Chinese chef.

Chef Ko was using his skill as a Chinese chef in China. He came to Japan in 2005 and became the chef of this restaurant. The renowned mabodofu (spicy dish with tofu and ground meat) featured on the radio is his creation.

The local flavor and cooking philosophy learned at a small restaurant in northern Italy

He was born in Kanagawa prefecture in 1974. He chose to take on Italian cooking under the influence of his brother, Munetaka, who entered the culinary world before him. He underwent training at a famous restaurant in Tokyo before going to Italy in 1999. He perfected his skills there for seven years, with a focus on the northernmost region of Trentino-Alto Adige. While he was there, he ventured into choosing a small restaurant so as to personally experience life in Italy at the location itself. The skills that he learned there, together with the cooking philosophy prized in the area, also show themselves in "ICARO", which he opened with his brother after returning to Japan.

A upandcoming chef of both skill and originality, blowing a fresh breeze into tradition

Born in 1975 in Kanazawa, he joined Jukei restaurants as an employee after graduating high school, was head chef at "Jukei Sanro" main branch from 2010 to 2011, and has been head chef of Jukei Yokohama Chinatown Shinkan since 2012. He took the Grand Prix "Bishokusetsu" award in the new menu exhibition at the 5th Bishokusetsu and top prize in the Peking duck category at the 6th Bishokusetsu. He exercises his ambitiousness to create original Chinese fusion dishes, adding new ingredients like "kadaif" to traditional techniques.

Protecting traditions by utilizing skills learned from previous generations and polishing them further.

Yamamoto is a chef from Hyogo Prefecture. His parents ran this restaurant before him, so he was familiar with this cuisine from a young age and naturally wanted to impart its sense and taste with customers and everyone he came in contact with. As he grew up he came to inherit this restaurant that his parents poured so much love into, and wanted to make even more of it. When he graduated from school he entered the culinary world without hesitation. He has come to be where he is now as the result of the guidance and support of his parents and the training he undertook at this restaurant.

A childhood spent watching the backs of mum and dad that naturally lead to following this path.

Having helped out at her family home and restaurant since childhood, the world of food was always close to her. She was taught the joy of participating in a meal by her parents, and it was natural that she should set out to be a chef. At present, as the proprietress-to-be, she helps with the flavors and service of the Motsunabe Mizudaki Yombankan, and with a warm smile and attentiveness, she makes food to delight the taste buds and hearts of the people who visit each day.

This chef decided to devote his life to cooking after meeting the president of the company.

After meeting the president of Sanin Sakaba Kamiari, Chef Inoue was startled by the extent to which they shared the same thinking and decided to move from an unrelated industry to become a chef. His eyes shine as he tells us how fun it is for him to receive direct, positive feedback from customers. He also feels that this work, where he gives shape to his own ideas with the design of the menu and flavoring of the food, has real meaning. Each day he works to continue to produce delicious food.

Offering local cuisine made using naturally abundant Shimane ingredients

Born August 16th in Shimane Prefecture. After graduating from high school, he attended culinary school. Upon graduation he went to work for Creative Group Inc., a company that runs a number of prominent restaurants. In 2012 his first assignment was determined to be Mond Nihonbashi, so he traveled to Tokyo. Now he treats Tokyo's Nihonbashi to the nostalgic Shimane flavors of his youth.

A master craftsman of French cuisine inheriting the Grande Maison tradition

He was born in Tokyo in 1959. He was influenced by a senior in his high school field hockey club who decided to go down the path of becoming a chef, so eventually he too went to culinary school. After graduation, he worked for four years at the prestigious French restaurant called "Piaget," where he built a strong culinary foundation. In 1983, he entered Apicius, and diligently studied under the wings of Chef Tokuo Takahashi, one of the most esteemed French chefs in Japan. In 1997, he became a sous chef, and then eventually moved on to his present position as head chef in 2008.

Watching from the back as his parents ran their yakiniku shop, he resolved to follow the same path

Chef Sakai was born on June 1st, 1973, in Osaka. From a young age, he watched his parents run their yakiniku restaurant. At some point, he started to think that he also wanted to work with yakiniku and decided to become a chef. He built up his training and experience at yakiniku restaurants, and now shows off this expertise at Yakiniku Rashomon. He has spent many years in the pursuit of delicious meat, and the taste he has produced can be enjoyed by a range of ages. His restaurant is popular both with local repeat visitors, as well as with customers who come from a distance.

Always obsessive about fish.

Seafood direct from the Port of Heda, Numazu. Every morning we head to Numazu port to buy our stock. Normally the fishermen bring in their afternoon catch to the Port of Heda to put out at market the next day. But we go directly to buy our fish so by that evening we can serve it in our restaurant. Our customers get to experience a freshness they would normally not be able to do.

Working hard with the staff to create a comfortable restaurant

Born August 10, 1956 in Sapporo. After graduating from a vocational school, he worked at restaurants, hotels, and izakaya bars, serving customers. When Hokkai Shabu Shabu Kita 2 Jo opened in 2012, he was hired on as manager. Rather than "training staff by the book," he focuses on "little acts of service and hospitality," working towards creating a restaurant with a warm atmosphere along with his staff.

He continues to strive down the path of cuisine to fulfill his dream of owning his own restaurant

Born in 1959. A native of Saga Prefecture's Karatsu City. His memories of a local Japanese food restaurant led him to enter the world of cuisine, deciding to make food that could move people. After acquiring experience at Hakata hotels and Japanese restaurants, he became head chef of Japanese cuisine at the Yachiyo Royal Hotel in Kumamoto. After that, he worked as head chef of the Yamaguchi Grand Hotel's Japanese Restaurant Miyabi for 12 years. He opened WA FUKUSHIMA in September of 2009, and this is his fifth year with us. He's never satisfied with his own cooking, striving for excellence each day.

Our chef turned his passion for cooking into a career, and has experience in a wine variety of cuisines

He entered the world of the culinary arts out of a love of cooking. He learned the basic principles of cuisine at a Japanese-style restaurant. After that he strived to improve his skills, taking up a position at a cake shop making desserts. Today his specialty is creative dishes that cross the boundaries of different culinary styles.

A chef with a wealth of experience whose genius was recognised by Chef Baba

Koji Itou was born in Saitama prefecture in 1976. His part-time job at university led him into the world of cooking. In 2002, he went to Italy and honed his skills at the famous restaurants of Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont. He returned to Japan in 2005, and worked for 2 years at Taverna Messina in Jiyugaoka. After that, he worked for 4 years at an Italian restaurant in Hiroshima before coming to Tharros in 2012. In the spring of 2014, leadership of the kitchen was handed over to him by Chef Baba. Chef Itou hopes that just as before, he wants to make the unique food culture and atmosphere of Sardinia more widely known.

With food hygiene his top priority, he is a chef who appraises his fresh ingredients

Born on February 24th, 1951, he hails from Tokyo. He mastered the foundations of Japanese cuisine primarily through small restaurants. He has been involved with Yakitori Toriryori Toritatsu since 2010. Because the food he cooks is for his customers, it is understandable when he says, "More than anything else, I pay attention to my judgement of the ingredients."

Born February 23rd, 1960, a native of Hyogo Prefecture. After graduating from high school he worked at a number of restaurants, before traveling to France. He studied under Bernard Loiseau, the head chef at La Cote d'Or (now called Le Relais Bernard Loiseau), who gave rise to the Asian-inspired French fusion style, which our chef learned. He returned home to work at the Japanese chef of La Cote d'Or Kobe in 1992. As of 2000 he was promoted to the general manager and head chef of the Kitano Kobe Hotel.