Japanese Chefs in Paris: A New Era of Culinary Dialogue

In Paris, a true culinary revolution is taking place, where a new generation of Japanese chefs is making its mark by bringing respect for French culinary techniques, ingredients, and the creative freedom that this cuisine offers. This process began back in 1868 when French chef Louis Béguet became the first foreign chef in Japan, initiating a Franco-Japanese culinary dialogue that continues to this day.

This dialogue deepened a century later when prominent French chefs such as Paul Bocuse and the Troisgros brothers visited Japan. They returned to France with a new understanding of kaiseki—a Japanese tradition of multi-course dining that has become an essential element in the evolution of culinary art. As noted by The World 50 Best, modern high French cuisine resonates with the ultra-precision of kaiseki, but a new chapter began in the last decade: Japanese chefs are now leading French kitchens in the heart of Paris.

The opening of the Magma restaurant in 2022 in the 11th arrondissement of Paris is another testament to this trend. Chef Ryuya Ono joined the growing wave of Japanese talents, which includes names like Kei Kobayashi (Kei), Sota Atsumi (Maison), Atsushi Tanaka (Restaurant A.T), Shunto Suzuki (Les Enfants du Marché), Ryuji Teshima (Restaurant Pages), and Masahide Ikuta (Masaikuta). This exchange of cultural traditions is becoming increasingly evident: French chefs have long borrowed from Japanese cuisine, while Japanese chefs, in turn, are learning French techniques, bringing unique experiences and approaches to ingredients, dish presentation, and the overall dining experience.

For many Japanese chefs, the attraction to French cuisine reaches deep into the past. For instance, Sota Atsumi recalls trying foie gras for the first time at the age of nine in a department store with his grandfather, while Kei Kobayashi shares his fascination that arose while watching a television documentary about the renowned chef Alain Chapel. "I was struck by his presence, the simplicity and strength of his attire, his posture. At that moment, I realized I wanted to become a chef. Specifically, a chef of French cuisine," he shares.

The Tsuji Culinary Institute, founded in Osaka in 1960, often serves as the first place where Japanese chefs are introduced to classic French dishes taught by professors. Kei Kobayashi became the first Japanese chef to open a restaurant in Paris when he established Kei in 2011. He describes this as a creative tension between the two cultures. "French cuisine is a cuisine of construction, building depth through sauces and technique," he explains. "Japanese cuisine, on the other hand, strives for clarity and purity of taste, often through removal rather than addition." Atsumi adds that Japanese cuisine works like sake, conveying flavor through water and moisture in a process reminiscent of infusion, while French cuisine acts like wine, extracting the essence of its ingredients.

According to Ono from Magma, there are some fundamental similarities between Japanese and French cuisines. "They converge on what is most important," he says, "respect for the ingredient, for seasonality, and a great demand for precision. In both cases, every detail matters." At the same time, Atsumi notes that he tries to strip Japanese elements from his dishes at the restaurant, as people may sense how his culture influences his cooking. "I believe that the Japanese elements that remain are what I need. I try to subtract as much as possible, rather than add, and I aim to make the food deep while avoiding superficial layering," he reflects.

The reasons why French cuisine attracts Japanese chefs may lie in the opportunity to take this sensitivity and give it individuality. Ryuya Ono finds Japanese cuisine too contextual and repetitive, while French cuisine is more open to evolution. "It leaves room for interpretation and for the chef's personality," he believes. "This is a cuisine that you can study your whole life and continue to evolve in. This freedom, combined with a high level of demand, allows me to create my own cuisine." Kobayashi feels the same way: "French cuisine has given me very strict frameworks within which I could build my own expression," he explains.

Kobayashi is also aware of how his heritage shapes his French culinary approach. "I do not seek to add Japanese elements in a visible way," he notes. Instead, the chef brings a sensitivity to balance, harmony, and "the knowledge of when to stop." While minimalism would be the wrong word to describe a dish at Restaurant Kei, traces of this approach are clearly evident throughout the menu, such as an appetizer of smoked yogurt and sardine pie, or a main course of aged Galician beef served only with its fat and parsley béarnaise sabayon.

At Magma, Ono's Japanese identity manifests even more distinctly—even in a menu that clearly adheres to French architecture. "I pay close attention to detail, balance, and the rhythm of the dish," he emphasizes. "I always try to remain precise, not doing too much. There is also the idea that intuition should be supported by technique. A dish may seem simple, but it must be fully mastered. This is a very Japanese approach," the chef explains.