Chef Nojima

The Climb

Chef Nojima’s career shows how repeat standards shape a pastry hand. At First restaurant in Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo (until 2011), he worked in a setting where timing, finish, and consistency carried the weight of the whole service. That early stretch established the discipline that later roles would continue to demand. The two posts require different registers of control: one grounded in kitchen leadership, the other in pastry, where texture, balance, and presentation have to arrive together. Chef Nojima’s progression reflects that range without breaking from it. The line from Nishi-Azabu to Ginza 7-chome area and then to JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo reads as continuity rather than reset. Each role extends the same working method: precision first, then refinement, with enough room for the kind of finish that makes a plate or pastry hold together.

Today

He now serves as Executive Pastry Chef at JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo, Japan. In that role, the work sits between structure and decoration, where restraint and polish have to stay in balance. Chef Nojima’s title reflects both the scope of the position and the level of control the medium requires.

Career - Chef — Restaurant moved to Ginza 7-chome area, Ginza 7-chome, Tokyo (2011–present) - Executive Pastry Chef — JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo, Japan - Chef — First restaurant, Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo (until 2011)

Recognition

A croissant reworked in pure chocolate form defines his most distinctive pastry. Chef Nojima shapes it with precision and fills it with a praliné heart, keeping the structure tight while pushing the format into new territory. The shell carries the clean line of careful execution; the filling gives the piece its weight and contrast. It is a clear read on his style: classical form, controlled finish, and detail used as the main event.

FAQ What is Chef Nojima's current role? As of 2026, Chef Nojima is Executive Pastry Chef. Where did Chef Nojima work before? Chef Nojima's earlier career included First restaurant.