GUEST PROFILE
Michelin 3 Stars
Gion Sasaki - Owner Chef
Hiroshi Sasaki
佐々木 浩
Born on December 16, 1961, he grew up in an environment with many relatives who were chefs, naturally honing his cooking skills from a young age. He began his culinary apprenticeship in 1979 and trained in Shiga, Kyoto, and other locations before establishing an independent culinary career in 1996. The diverse ideas behind his dishes, born from a never-give-up attitude amidst numerous challenges, have attracted people as he boldly interprets Kyoto cuisine. 'I dislike static Kyoto cuisine. It's no longer an era where fresh fish is hard to come by; there are no constraints on Kyoto cuisine anymore. With the changing culinary landscape, why not embrace the concept of 'cook today, serve today'!' He continuously breaks the old traditions of Japanese cuisine.
Since the "Michelin Guide Kyoto Osaka 2020," he has consistently maintained a Michelin three-star rating, earning the reputation as 'the most difficult restaurant to book in Kyoto,' with full reservations daily for 16 years. Chef Hiroshi Sasaki's menus, which pursue enjoyable and delicious 'Raku-mi' (pleasurable taste), combined with a dynamic cooking style served from a 10-meter-long counter, make the entire restaurant a stage for Sasaki, captivating diners and earning the moniker 'Sasaki Theater'.
Owner of 1-Michelin Star Yakitori Ayamuya
Fukushima, Osaka
TAKUMI NAGANUMA
永沼 巧
Born in 1966 at Sapporo City, Hokkaido. Joined a trading company as an adult and relocated to Osaka.
With a passion for both food and drink, Naganuma found himself constantly thinking about how he would improve the countless restaurants he would visit and also awakened to the profound depth of the yakitori cuisine.
He quit his company job and after 2 years of learning how to run a restaurant business and studying the skills of a yakitori craftsman, opened Yakitori Ayamuya in Fukushima, Osaka.
Regardless of how busy it is, Chef Naganuma makes it his personal mission to serve "semi-tailormade" yakitori to each of his guests and emphasizes that this ability to personalize his food for each person is the best aspect of Yakitori cuisine.
These high standards he holds for himself has made the yakitori he makes an instant classic among his peers and culminated in Ayamuya becoming the first yakitori restaurant in Osaka to receive a Michelin star.
Even with such accomplishments, Chef Naganuma continues to think of new ways to improve the value of his yakitori cuisine.