Chef's Universe

Le mot basque signifiant "mémoire" est le nom du restaurant où Kawashima, qui a eu une révélation sur ce que signifie servir de la nourriture pendant sa formation à Mugaritz, poursuit son exploration de la cuisine qui accompagne avec amour les ingrédients locaux dans l'ancienne capitale japonaise de Nara, et de l'expérience gastronomique qui les place au cœur de cette cuisine. Le "principe de plaisir", qu'il poursuit malgré ses deux étoiles Michelin et son titre de chef de l'année décerné par le Gault et Millau. Les plats, dont même ses anciens collègues espagnols disent qu'ils ne sont plus des plats espagnols modernes, ont une touche de Yamato qui évoque des souvenirs inattendus à ceux qui les mangent.

Le chef Dai Shinozuka a travaillé pendant six ans comme sous-chef sous la direction d'Yves Camdeborde au Comptoir du Relais, un bistrot très populaire de Saint-Germain-des-Prés, avant de s'installer à son compte. Il a créé son propre restaurant en face du restaurant Les Enfants Rouge, vieux de 400 ans, et y a servi une cuisine de bistrot superbement classique et savoureuse, ce qui en a fait un lieu de prédilection pour les gourmets du monde entier. Le New York Times a classé Les Enfants Rouge parmi les 100 meilleurs bistrots de Paris, et Figaro, Le Monde et d'autres l'ont qualifié de meilleur bistrot de tous les bistrots. Le restaurant a une ambiance formidable et est un exemple parfait du quartier gastronomique "fun" qui s'étend autour des Marches dans la région.

Japan, of course, is not only a country of sushi and sashimi.　Being an island nation in a long archipelago, ocean currents are diverse, therefore just like the underwater environment, and has nurtured many different kinds of seafood. This has given rise to a variety of ways of cooking fish in each region, and the history of consumers valuing the individuality of the fish has provided the background for the development of high-tech distribution over the past several decades, supporting an environment in which fish in excellent condition can be found on the cutting boards of urban chefs.

Chef Shinobu Namaie's restaurant, L'Effervescence, is a Michelin 3 star and a regular recipient of the Asian best 50's, and in 2023, Chef Namae himself was selected for its Icon Award. He has spoken at the United Nations about seaweed, which plays an important role in the regeneration of the oceans, and has lobbied governments by working with producers on food loss and food safety, and is recognized worldwide as a chef who proves that the gastronomy industry can do a lot for society and the planet.

Chef Kitamura's collaboration with Michel BRAS channel dates back to 2022, when he was chef at ERH in Paris. The chef, who skillfully uses exotic spices and herbs, also known as Cuisine de voyage, tried something new with Le Moulin.

Chef Tadataka Toeda is known as the chef who won the first prize in Japan, which qualifies him to compete in the Bocuse d'Or, the Olympics of gastronomy chefs. He sources most of his ingredients from his home base in Shinshu, Japan, and his unique cuisine attracts his fans.

They grow the vegetables and herbs of the day in their own vegetable gardens, exploring their individuality and changes to deepen their own cuisine. Many chefs around the world have now adopted this approach, giving us a taste of their creations with the dynamic of life. It's a wonderful thing. Michel Bras is one of the pioneers who has been practising it for nearly half a century and is still a great inspiration to the world's culinary community, foodies and people aiming for quality, natural well being.