He started in the world of yakiniku (grilled meat) through a meeting with a friend

Chef Fujimoto, from Yokohama City, is a long serving veteran-this year is his 37th. He found employment in the yakiniku business partially through the invitation of a friend. He has devoted himself to this business ever since. Although he temporarily left Yakiniku Restaurant Konandai Kannaien, this year will mark about 13 years since his return. With yakiniku, it is hard to choose ingredients because the taste of the ingredients directly comes through. Also, everyone has different preferences, so it is extremely difficult to flavor things that suit everyone. Successfully facing this difficulty, he is building a thriving restaurant.

In contrast with his beloved father, a sushi chef, he's challenging himself in the world of French cuisine!

Born in 1971 to a sushi chef father. After honing his skills at famous hotel restaurants in Fukuoka and Kobe, he set off for France. After learning about authentic French cuisine, he came back to Japan and set up his own restaurant. His restaurant, which used to be solely a French restaurant, has now expanded its offerings, developing into a "Western food and wine restaurant."

Formerly the manager of a club, she started anew and now manages a popular Okinawa soba shop.

Ms. Yonezo managed a club in Okinawa for a long time. As the regulars retired one after another, she decided to make a fresh start in cooking. To create a place of employment for the staffs of the club, together with the owner, she visited a few hundred Okinawa soba shops and came to establish four of her own shops.

Seeing the form of the maker in the made is the charm of "vin naturel"

Born 1974 and coming from Gunma, he went on to a culinary college after graduating high school, aiming to be a chef. Graduating from there, he spent some time in another line of work before working a chef for about twelve years at an Italian restaurant in Hachioji. BIANCARA's owner, Mr. Kodaira, was in the same year as him in middle school, and from 2012 he has been chef here. Though coming from an background in Italian, and the closeness to wine that brings, he says that he first drank natural wine coming to BIANCARA. At current, he's tending and bringing to fruition wine conversation with guests daily.

A fateful encounter during a five-year stay in Madrid…

He was born in Kochi prefecture in 1981. After graduating from culinary school, he started his career with a role in a Japanese restaurant. He decided to shift his focus after motivation from a special feature on Spain that he read in a magazine, and went to Spain when he was 22. He trained at various places such as Castile and Leon, and spent five years at the Arroceria "Mano a Mano" in Madrid. He returned to Japan when he was 29. In September 2012, he opened "Arroceria Sal y Amor" together with Mr. Victor Garcia, whom he met in Madrid, as a co-owner.

With his career spanning nearly half a century, his role in developing French cuisine in Japan has been pivotal

He was born in 1951 in Fukuoka prefecture. He started his culinary career when he was 18, after entering "Royal" in Fukuoka. He was deeply impressed by the dessert buffets at "Regence" in Roppongi, which were still rare at that time, and he also trained as a patisserie. He went to France in 1977, and studied for five years at restaurants such as "Troisgros", and "Georges Blanc", being impressed once again by the culture of French cuisine that he experienced in the country itself. After returning to Japan, he held successive posts as a chef in "De Roanne" in Kyobashi, and "Pantagruel" in Akasaka. He opened "Kitajimatei" in 1990.

Staying close to our roots is our motto. We aim to create food and an atmosphere that you'll love.

Born in October 1970 on Himakajima Island in Aichi. Because of his love of cooking, he immediately began his training at a Japanese-style restaurant after he graduated from high school. At age 30, he began working in product development for restaurants in Nagoya and after that, he studied restaurant management. At age 35, he opened his own shop, Oyaji Dining Shobu. Always putting his customers first, he strives to create a place that the locals will keep coming back to.

I want to cook delicious food for others to enjoy.

Having a great love for cooking since childhood, he entered the world of cuisine, and after twelve years of experience at a soba restaurant, came to Rikyu. The grilling of beef tongue may be simple but it also has depth. To serve it in its finest form, everyday he centers himself and grills for a delicate perfection.

Influenced by his relatives who cooked for a living, he chose the same path

Born July 9th, 1958, he's a native of Miyagi Prefecture's Higashimatsushima City. Influenced by his relatives who cooked for a living, he too chose the same path. After graduating from the Musashino School of Culinary Arts in Tokyo, he trained for three years at a Japanese restaurant in the city before moving on to the high class Sendai restaurant Gin Tanabe. He plied his skills there for roughly 30 years before coming to Sumibi Wabo Hesoya (now: Wasyoku to Tempura Zehu) to cap off his career.

After finishing school in China, I started working at a restaurant.

From the age of 20, I trained at Chinese restaurants and worked for 20 years in China. At the time it was tough, but I started with the fundamentals of Chinese cuisine. After this, I came to Japan and worked at a restaurant in Yokohama Chinatown where I offered up Chinese food to Japanese customers. In 2012, I achieved my dream of opening my own restaurant, Kokien, right here in Yokohama Chinatown. I would love for you to come and try my authentic Chinese dishes.

I entered the food world after a chance encounter with the boss.

Originally, Mr. Ikeda said he enjoyed customer service. While he was doing some other job, he met the boss of "Sumibi Yakitori Kirishima" and became interested in the food world. After that, he was invited by the boss to manage the restuarant together.

Enlightened by the natural wines at Uguisu, known for their "Vin Naturel"

Born in Yamagata prefecture in 1980, he started his culinary career when he was 22. After training at hotels and Italian restaurants in Yokohama, at 27 he made a career change to concentrate on service while he was working at the French restaurant La Butte Boisee in Jiyugaoka. He learned about wine made from famous wineries in France, and subsequently encountered natural wines while working at Uguisu in Sangenjaya, which left a deep impression on him. He came to Beau Temps when he was 31, and is currently spreading the charm and depth of natural wine as the restaurant's second generation owner.

A chef who continues to demonstrate the wonderful techniques and spirit of a sushi master.

Born in 1957 in Miyagi. When he was a high school student, his father took him to a sushi restaurant, where he was moved by both the techniques of the chefs and the welcome he received. Because of this experience, he set his heart on becoming a sushi chef. He trained at Ota Sushi at Iizaka hot spring for five years. After that, he worked at a Japanese restaurant in Sendai under master chef Hiroshi Atami, learning Japanese cuisine, how to handle himself in the kitchen, and the art of hospitality. At the age of 29 he became a chef at a Japanese restaurant, and after three years, he became the acting manager at the Sendai branch of Ginza sushi dono. At the age of 40 he opened Sushidokoro koya. There are presently eight branches, and he also runs the store in Kokubun.

After all, the love of cooking lead to this profession.

Living with Japanese cuisine for 25 years. Good food backed up by experience and sense.

Born in Hyogo prefecture in 1966. When he was a student, he was looking for work and became a chef. That's when he came into contact with the deliciousness and delicacy of Japanese Cuisine. He stayed with it for 25 straight years. He has very strict judgement concerning fish and takes taste very seriously. He is aiming for food that will make the customer happy with its taste and appearance, so he continues to hone his skills day and night.

A diehard chef, straight along this road from his middleschool longing

Born August 19, 1968, in Yokosuka, Kanazawa, during his middle school days he always gazed upon the neighborhood Chinese restaurant, impressed with the smells and the sounds he heard from its kitchen. He was inspired when a person from the restaurant noticed this and made him fried rice. While working as a part-timer at that restaurant, learning many things from the owner, he started on the chef's path. He built up experience at many different Chinese restaurants, most notable The Westin Tokyo's Ryutemmon. He has been working at China Room since 2003.

Making a fine collaboration of teppanyaki chicken, a cultural dish of the Imaharu region, and Hiroshimastyle okonomiyaki

Keita Kihara was born on the 14th of April, 1985, and is a native of Imaharu in Ehime prefecture. He has loved eating since he was a child and, interested in things such as television cooking shows, he yearned to be a chef. After graduating from high school, he spent a year studying at culinary school. After this, he accumulated experience training for 6 years at a Japanese restaurant in a hotel. Due to its connection with teppanyaki, which is a specialty of his hometown, Imaharu, he decided he wanted to study the teppan cooking of Hiroshima, and spent 4 years there working at Denko Sekka. February 2014 marked the opening of its sister restaurant in Imaharu, as well as Chef Kihara's homecoming. Every day, he pours his passion into teppanyaki.

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.

Who knew that the Sichuan cuisine that his seniors first recommended to him to would turn out to guide him down his life?

Born in Tochigi prefecture in 1979, he entered the culinary world when he was 18. He started training in a Cantonese restaurant in Yokohama's Chinatown, and entered "Choyo" when he was 20. After that, he studied under the guidance of Mr. Zhao Yang, and played an active role as the head chef of its Ginza branch. He set out on his own when he was 31 and opened "Shushanshan."

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.