Page 81 - CWA MAY-JUNE 2020-v2

“In 130 years of history, our main dining concept 1. Japanese langoustine from Suruga Bay, caviar GO + JAPAN
has been to serve French cuisine as this is our image, circled 2. black truffle
core and tradition” said Chef Yu Sugimoto, 14 th
Executive Chef of Imperial Hotel Tokyo. During
the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, 11th executive chef,
Nobuo Murakami led a team of 300 cooks to
prepare dishes for the Olympic game athletes.
The hotel has a strong relationship with Hôtel Ritz
Paris, and the 8th executive chef, Bunjiro Ishiwatari
was taught directly from Chef Auguste Escoffier,
and the kitchen continues to use his recipe.

Last year, 38-year-old chef Yu Sugimoto succeeded
the position. After spending 5 years in the kitchen of
Imperial Hotel, he moved to France and worked as
chef de cuisine at Le Meurice under two maestros,
Chef Yannick Alleno and Chef Alain Ducasse, before
returning to Imperial Hotel. The hotel preserves the
traditional recipe and successive chefs continue to
use it in “The Brasserie”. Diners of all generations
still enjoy the decade-old signature dishes. Their
main dining destination is “Les Saisons”, and was
led by French chef Thierry Voisin for almost 15
years. This April, they started a new private dining
concept Le Salon ”Intimité” that allows guests
to enjoy the 7 special course by Chef Sugimoto.
“The style of two chefs are similar to each other,
but both still have its differences. Chef Alleno is “Tokyo Olympic was postponed, but the importance of the
focused more on the original expression of using vegetarian, vegan would be increase in the future,” Chef
that ingredient, while Chef Ducasse believes in Sugimoto shares. I would like to follow the season. I don’t use
maximizing the flavor of the ingredient”. After
spending 12 years in France, he found his own the ingredients which is not on season.”
style of dedication to the ingredients, and that
is by adding minimal ingredients to the plate. *Photography courtesy of various restaurants
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