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.

Passionately dedicated to the art of the grill

When he was looking for a part-time job during his student days, Mr. Hashimoto asked to come work for us at Yakitori Fukusumi. He was so drawn by the complexities of cookery, he decided to stay on with us as a chef after graduation. He has enthusiastically dedicated himself to mastering the art since then, and these days we leave the grilling up to him.

Going forward along his dream culinary path in a truly lively bar, coupled with fresh fish

He was born in Kumamoto prefecture in 1982. He loved cooking since he was young, and has had experience working as a part-timer at a small local restaurant in high school and an izakaya (Japanese-style bar) in college. After that, he went down the path of an office worker for a time without forgetting his culinary dream, and went to Tokyo when he was 24. He found employment at companies operating French and Italian restaurants in Yokohama, and studied diligently for about six years at two restaurants. He entered "El Pulpo" in 2011. Although this is his first time at a Spanish bar, his eyes have been opened to the joy that running a bar provides as well. As the chef now, he handles delicious, fresh fish daily.

A chef who seeks out genuinely delicious food, following the concept of "the pursuit of true flavor"

After graduating from high school, he studied cooking working at a nearby French restaurant, until graduating from the Moranbong Culinary Training School, and going to France at the age of 21. While taking courses at Le Cordon Bleu there, he studied the simple perfection of the local cuisine before returning to Japan. After that, he worked at the Prince Hotel before taking part in planning the opening of the Yokohama Bay Hotel Tokyu. These days, he seeks out the origin of delicious flavor, taking advantage of nature's bounty, to bring out the inherent flavors of his ingredients and fashion a simple cooking method to create cuisine that defies categorization by country or genre.

Realizing his childhood dream, he stands in the kichen.

He was born in Hong Kong in April 1960. He had admired chefs who displayed brilliant skills at restaurants since he was young, and so he chose to be a cook with the desire to become a chef able to make many people happy. He works hard every day to bridge the gap between Japanese and Chinese food cultures.

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.

Took the path to become a chef naturally.

The chef loved to cook since he was young. Naturally, he chose the path of becoming a chef.

Learning the joy of cooking from a Chinese chef, and its depth from a Japanese master.

Born in 1973 in Chiba Prefecture, his inspiration for pursuing this path was a Chinese chef who showed him the joy of cooking at the restaurant where he worked part-time as a high school freshman. He later became the apprentice of a Japanese chef while working at another restaurant. Although the chef was a well-rounded master who had studied abroad, he still said "Nothing beats Japanese beef." Those words made a deep impression on Mr. Ogura.

Brings delicious tastes to life with his cooking experience that can't be confined to one culinary style

Born in 1981 in Hida, Gifu Prefecture. Aspiring to become a chef, he trained at the Japanese food restaurant "Izakaya Fumi" in Nagoya city's Chikusa district and "Karatoya" in the Sakae district from the age of 18 on. After that, he returned to Takayama and opened this restaurant in 2012, turning his dream into a reality.

After 40 years at Dojo Iidaya, he knows everything there is to know about dojo (pond loaches)

Born in Miyagi prefecture in 1951, he went to Tokyo to find a job that was different from that of everyone else. He became an apprentice at Dojo Iidaya after learning that it was a restaurant that served dojo (pond loaches), something he rarely ate back home. He has worked and studied the foundations of cooking for over 40 solid years at Dojo Iidaya, and now that he is the head chef, he supports the kitchen with his discerning taste buds, as well as techniques backed by his experience.

A Young, Talented Chef Trained in Kaiseki Takes on a New Challenge With Yakitori

Chef Tatemori was born in 1978 and grew up in Tokyo. He started to master Japanese cuisine at "Yamazato", a kaiseki (multi-course meal) restaurant in Hotel Okura. At the famous "Hatsu Hana" in Chicago and at "TOKYO TOKYO" in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hawaii, he also served as head chef. Upon returning to Japan, he worked in the Department of Gourmet Development at Suntory before opening a yakitori (grilled chicken) restaurant with a desire to "master the techniques of 'grilling', the oldest known cooking method." He is widely promoting the appeal of the method through a commonly known Japanese food, yakitori.

A chef with a passion for serving delicious meat

Born in Kagoshima prefecture on July 19, 1982, this chef has a passion for serving the ultimate delicious meat prepared seared, rare, or roasted on one side. He spends his days at Yakiniku no Ryuen honing his cooking skills.

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.

Demonstrating the knowledge and techniques built up over three generations

Mr. Yakou's grandfather was a maker of tempura who opened an establishment in Ginza named "Naruto", this name being linked to his birthplace, Awaji Island. His father, Yoshio Yakou, struck out on his own, leaving "Naruto" and establishing in 1962 his own restaurant named "Akashi". This name was a reference to being on the opposite side of the Naruto Strait. Having grown up watching this family, Mr. Yakou felt he wanted to become a chef, so he trained with his father to develop his skills. He has reached such a high level of mastery in the preparation of pufferfish that he currently serves as an examiner for the licensing of pufferfish chefs.

Serious about his cooking, he was born to be a chef

This chef was born on January 30th, 1972 in Hyogo Prefecture. Originally, he simply had an affinity for service, and wound up heading down the path to becoming a chef. He worked at various pubs and restaurants all over, and gradually came to realize the importance of making meals. Then he grew to find joy in delighting people with his cooking, and got serious about it as a career. When Kitsetsu Ryori Sakura opened in 2013, he took the opportunity to apply here, and he works here still.

Made to be a meal to remember

My parents ran a teppanyaki and okonomiyaki store from their home, so it was there I learned how to think about the food and beverage industry and how to run a business. This is a favorite place for lovers of internal organ meats. The chef prepares everything in advance, so by learning through imitation, in my own way through self-study and through trial and error, I became a master at making delicious food. With my pet name of Okaasan (mother) and good manners, there are many fans of my character which is overflowing with kindness.

It all started back when I used to help my mother in the kitchen.

He started training in traditional Japanese cuisine at age 18. He endeavors to ascertain exactly what his guests want by chatting with them as he prepares their delicious meals.

Dishes created from the heart by a chef who has always loved to "create things."

Born in January 1958 in Gunma Prefecture. The chef, who says he has always liked to "create and complete things", began cooking through a part-time job. After seeing the depth of the art of cooking, he began to seriously pursue becoming a chef. Each dish is carefully prepared from the heart with the thought that "customers will sincerely say that it is delicious."

After his father's retirement, he succeeded the family business spanning 3 generations and 50 years

He was born in Aichi Prefecture in 1968. He first thought of running a Korean barbecue shop when he was 40. When his father, the previous head, retired, he felt that someone had to continue the store that his grandfather had started, so he quit his construction job and entered the world of Korean barbecue.

Home cooking for city folk, with a down-to-earth hostess.

She was born in Tokyo in 1970. She was raised by parents who were both gourmands, and in elementary school she was determined to learn cooking. After becoming independent, she began inviting friends to her house to eat her home cooking, and this inspired her to start "Iemeshi Shushu" in 2004, specializing in home-style cooking difficult to come upon for the modern city dweller. Modest and unpretentious, she has earned the trust of the world-weary through her fine cooking.