Chef
Yoshihiro Narisawa
Chef & Proprietor, Narisawa
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Tokyo, Japan
Known for
- Innovative Satoyama Cuisine
- Sustainability and seasonal Japanese ingredients
- Pioneering focus on single-country produce in Asia
i. Biography
European kitchen work gave Yoshihiro Narisawa a technical base outside Japan after he left home at 19. The later cooking did not discard that training; it put classical European technique to work against Japanese ingredients, landscape, and a sustainability brief that became central to the restaurant language. “I can’t conceive the idea of a chef separated from his own environment. I always try to build close relationships with local producers and what they produce.” Yoshihiro has said.
Formation
Restaurant-building in Odawara came first: in 1996, Yoshihiro Narisawa opened La Napoule in Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan, establishing an independent kitchen before the Tokyo years. The move to Tokyo in 2003 with Les Créations de Narisawa gave the work a larger stage and an eight-year period of refinement under that name. In 2011, the restaurant became Narisawa, tightening the identity around a modern Japanese gastronomy built from French technique, Japanese nature, and environmental practice.
Now
Satoyama cuisine is the working term Yoshihiro Narisawa uses for the cooking at Narisawa in Minato, Tokyo, where he has been chef and owner since 2011. The style joins classical French technique with the natural bounty of Japan, framing the relationship between humans and nature as a practical culinary structure rather than decoration. Dishes such as Essence of The Forest and Satoyama Scenery state that position directly through landscape imagery on the plate, local ingredient selection, and close relationships with local producers.
Signature
Signature dishes include Soil Soup and Water Salad.
Awards and Standing
Recognition has followed both the restaurant’s technical standard and its environmental stance. In 2013, Yoshihiro Narisawa received the Number One spot on the Inaugural List of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. His restaurant has been awarded Two Michelin Stars. In 2010, he was named the Most Influential Chef. The Sustainable Restaurant Award further marked the sustainability work as part of the restaurant’s public identity, not a side note.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Yoshihiro
What is Yoshihiro Narisawa's present role?
Yoshihiro Narisawa is chef at Narisawa.
Where did Yoshihiro Narisawa work before?
Earlier in their career, Yoshihiro Narisawa worked at La Napoule and Les Créations de Narisawa.
What recognition has Yoshihiro Narisawa received?
Number One on the Inaugural List of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants (2013).
