i. Biography
Koji Shimomura’s work is built on French technique learned in France in 1990 and carried into Edition Koji Shimomura in Tokyo, where Light French cuisine is the operating language. The line from training to restaurant is clear: rigor first, then restraint, with technique used to keep the plate precise rather than dense.
The Climb
Training in France in 1990 gave Koji Shimomura the base for a kitchen defined by discipline and exacting standards. That early formation shows in the way the food is composed: controlled, measured, and kept free of excess so the structure of the dish stays legible. Today, Koji is owner-chef and head chef of Edition Koji Shimomura.
Today
At Edition Koji Shimomura in Tokyo, Shimomura holds both the ownership and the head chef role, so the kitchen’s direction and execution sit under one decision-maker. That arrangement gives the restaurant a single hand on the tiller, with technique and daily service aligned to the same standard. The cooking is anchored in French technique, but the finish is kept light. Butter and cream are minimized so the ingredients can carry their own aromas and flavors, and that restraint defines the restaurant’s identity. The point is not to strip the food down, but to let each component register cleanly. Two dishes make that approach visible. Chilled oysters with seawater and citrus jelly emphasizes salinity, temperature, and brightness rather than heavy sauce. Kadaif-wrapped john dory adds texture to a fish course while staying within the restaurant’s Light French frame.
Signature
Koji's signature dishes include Chilled oysters with seawater and citrus jelly and Kadaif-wrapped john dory. Together, they show a kitchen working with precision and restraint, and with close attention to the ingredient rather than to ornament.
Recognition
Michelin has described both chilled oysters with seawater and citrus jelly and kadaif-wrapped john dory as signature dishes by the chef. The recognition lands on the details of the plates themselves: oysters sharpened by seawater and citrus jelly, john dory wrapped in kadaif, both pointing to Shimomura’s lighter French register. For Shimomura, the publicly stated markers are the 1990 training in France, the current owner-chef and head chef roles in Tokyo, and the Michelin-noted signatures that define how that technique appears on the plate.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Koji
What is Koji Shimomura's current role?
Koji Shimomura is Owner-chef.
What is Koji Shimomura known for?
Light French cuisine.
