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.

A veteran shop loved by the locals for many years. The unchanged taste of the yakitori goes to show they are particular about good flavor.

There was a time when I walked around and ate at all the yakitori shops in the city, tells Mr. Shigeyama. His love for yakitori lead him to open his "Yakitori House Nonchan" in 1984. You can take the finest quality ingredients for granted, and every skewer is carefully prepared by hand in-house. There is no end to the regulars who make their way in for a taste of Mr. Shigeyama's carefully crafted yakitori.

Following in the Footsteps of His French Chef Father

Born in 1978 in Osaka city. Influenced by his father who was working as a chef at a French restaurant at the time of his birth, he grew up surrounded by the chefs' aprons. After graduating from high school, he completed his training at a French restaurant in Kobe. In 1998 he took over the position of head chef at the "Bon Village Sennan" main branch. In January of 2005 he opened "Bon Village Oser" in Kishiwada city. At the young age of 26 he was entrusted with the unification and care of both Bon Village locations,where he has remained acting as executive chef of both until the present day.

My career started when I met my mentor, chef Masayuki Okuda at a job interview for a hotel.

Born in 1975, in Yamagata. It was only natural for him, as a food-lover since childhood, to enter the restaurant industry after high school. Based on a newspaper ad, he applied for a position at the Tsuruoka Washington Hotel, where he met his mentor, chef Masayuki Okuda. After working in a restaurant in Akita, he received an offer from Mr. Okuda to work for "Al Checciano", which he accepted. He moved to Tokyo in 2010, and after participating in the opening of several restaurants, he became the chef at"YAMAGATA San-Dan-Delo".

A chef who layers the flavors of the four seasons and the encounters between people

Kojiro Kashiwada is a native of Miyazaki Prefecture in Kyushu. Because he had a dining hall for a home, he naturally chose the path of the chef. After training at a ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurant) in Osaka that specialized in catering, he worked for five years at Gyozantei in Miyazaki before moving to Tokyo in order to establish the second branch of that restaurant in the Akasaka neighborhood. He worked for about seven years at the Akasaka store before setting out on his own. It has been 16 years since he first opened Kasane.

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.

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.

Based on Italian cuisine, the chef also tries creativestyle cuisine proactively.

Born in Osaka in 1979, he has always enjoyed eating since his childhood. He started to learn cooking at a vocational school for becoming a licensed cook. He also started working part-time around then in order to enter the restaurant business. After his graduation, he worked cooking French cuisine at a hotel in Kobe and then in cooking creative-style cuisince in Tokyo. In 2012, he opened trattria e bar Buono!. Based on Italian cuisine, he is an inquirying cook who also cooks Spanish cuisine, rice omelets, and other creative-style cuisine in a proactive manner.

Bringing out the full flavor of beef tongue

Our chef entered into the world of cuisine having fallen in love with cooking as a child. After gaining experience at other beef-tongue restaurants, he came to Rikyu having been drawn to the idea of creative new tastes in beef-tongue cuisine. He spends each day at the grill with the aim of sharing with the world the full depth of flavor that is possible with beef tongue.

A chef who creates a refined flavor by using the knowledge and techniques he has built up over the years.

He was born in Miyagi Prefecture on March 7, 1959. After graduating high school, he learned the basics of Chinese cuisine at a hotel in Sendai City, as well as in a Chinese restaurant in Gifu. Afterwards, he was made the Assistant Head Chef at a rather famous hotel's Chinese restaurant. Intending to set out on his own, he then furthered his craft in Yokohama's Chinatown area and finally in 1989, he opened [Chinese Restaurant Taigen] in Hakone. As a result of feeling a bit cramped there, he reopened the shop in 2000 in Sengokubara. From there, he gained popularity thanks to word of mouth from my regular customers.

Treating customers to carefully prepared dishes that follow in the traditional spirit of this long-established restaurant.

He was born in 1948 in Fukushima Prefecture. Chef Saito was born into the third generation of the family-owned Fukuzumi Ryokan, established in 1912. In in order to inherit the family business, he set his heart on becoming a chef. In 1979, he devoted himself full-time to running a restaurant specializing in yakitori (grilled chicken) while running a hotel, which he continues to do into the present. Chef Saito prizes highly the feeling of "gratitude to one's customers", and has opened three Yakitori Fukuzumi restaurants within Iwaki city. (The Hirono shop is currently closed)

Serving the specialty hamburger steak I have cooked for a long in my own restaurant

He was born in Kagoshima Prefecture in 1954. After graduating from a high school, he came to Tokyo to enter the restaurant business. Chance led him to joining "Cowbell," a restaurant whose specialty is hamburgers. He worked there as a chef for 40 years. He did not initially think of independence, but gradually became eager to have his own restaurant. He finally set up his own restaurant 24 years ago. Currently, he and his wife are working closely together to provide delicious food and hearty service.

He makes use of local ingredients from Ishikawa and hopes to demonstrate the great taste of Indian food.

Born on March 7th, 1966, in Bangalore, India, he loved making food from a young age. After thinking, "I want everyone to eat good food", at the age of 16 he started on the path to a career in cooking. For 15 years he worked at one of India's top hotels, then built up four years of experience working in a restaurant in Japan. In 2000, in the home prefecture of his wife, Ishikawa, he opened Indian Restaurant Tirupati. He offers real Indian food, making enthusiastic use of ingredients from Ishikawa, with its incredibly rich natural areas.

From boxer to owner of oden (hot pot dish) stall. And then to French cuisine, in pursuit of the world stage…

He was born in Ibaraki prefecture in 1949. When he was in college, he was selected as one of the candidates to compete in gymnastics for the Olympics, and after graduating, he became a ranked professional boxer in Japan. After wrecking his body and giving up on boxing, he made a 180 degree turn and opened an oden (hot pot dish) stall. However, he says, "That would never allow me to aim for the world stage," and entered the world of French cuisine. He underwent training at a restaurant in Tokyo before going to France. After perfecting his skills for two years in places such as restaurants with three Michelin stars, he returned to Japan, and in 1988, he opened "A Ta Goul" in Ebisu. He took the opportunity to rename his restaurant to "Ne Quittez Pas" when he moved to Gotanda.

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.

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.

By making sure ingredients change every day, there is always an eye on consistent quality.

Born in 1973, and a native of Fukuoka Prefecture, he had always loved food, but was working at a company unrelated to the culinary world. From there, he decided to change occupations and pursue the path of becoming a chef. Every day he constantly watches changes in conditions and the quality of ingredients to insure a consistent high level of quality, which means he is always studying the textures and flavors of the food he has perfected.

With a desire to let everyone know the magnificence of Italian cuisine

Born in Tokyo, 1968. Dut to his love of pasta, he worked toward becoming an Italian chef after graduating culinary school. After training at Tokyo's [Ristorante Carmine], he traveled to South Italy. He further improved his skills at Sicilia's famous [Ristorante Unico], and was appointed as chef at [Tante Grazie] after returning to Japan. He explains that he gets hints of inspiration for his creations by communicating with his customers.

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.

The cook who refined his cooking skills through endless curiosity for cooking

Born on June 5th, 1969, in Fukuoka prefecture, the chef had been a businessman at a restaurant equipment company. During this career, he slowly developed an interest for cooking. After experiencing Yakitori (skewered chicken) bars and French restaurants, he decided to work at an Izakaya (Japanese pub), Yanagi machi Ikkodo. After experiencing the depth of seafood cuisine, he refined his skills for 8 years. Later, in order to refine his connoisseurship, he worked for 2 years at Itoyoshi. In 2013, he opened up his own restaurant Torasan. The place is known for its numerous regular customers who come for the chef's delicate dishes.