i. Biography
In Tokyo, Tatsuhiro Koga works in yoshoku as a practical grammar of Western-influenced Japanese cooking: memory carried through sauce, heat and technique. At Mejiro Shunkotei, that shows up as dishes that stay legible while being tightened in finish. Hamburger steak with demi-glace, bechamel gratin and decompression-prepared salad hold to the old outlines of comfort food, but they arrive with more texture, concentration and control.
The Path
Today, Tatsuhiro Koga is chef of Mejiro Shunkotei.
The Work Today
At the Tokyo restaurant, Tatsuhiro Koga is described as working in novel yet nostalgic Western food. The point is not to replace the category, but to keep its familiar forms under active revision. Yoshoku remains the frame; the work is in how cleanly the frame is executed, and how much clarity it can carry without losing recognition. Bechamel gratin is a useful marker of that approach. It sits in the same yoshoku line as hamburger steak, built on comfort and familiarity, but Koga’s handling gives the dish a firmer outline. The result is not comfort diluted by refinement, but a familiar preparation made more exact. The decompression-prepared salad points to the same discipline from another angle. Salad is a plain category, but here it is treated as a site for altered texture and concentrated flavour. The tradition is still visible; the method simply pushes it into sharper focus.
Signature
Tatsuhiro's signature dishes include hamburger steak, bechamel gratin, and decompression-prepared salad.
Acclaim
Recognition for Koga’s work follows the clarity of his yoshoku: Western-influenced Japanese classics handled with advanced technique at Mejiro Shunkotei in Tokyo. The signature dishes map that work plainly — hamburger steak with demi-glace for discipline, bechamel gratin for continuity, and decompression-prepared salad for texture and concentration. What separates the cooking is precision rather than display. The forms remain familiar and easy to read, but they are sharpened by attention. Koga’s food treats yoshoku as something to be clarified, not merely repeated, and that is where its strength lies.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Tatsuhiro
What is Tatsuhiro Koga's current role?
As of 2026, Tatsuhiro Koga is chef.
What is Tatsuhiro Koga known for?
Yoshoku.
