Yoshitaka Mitsue

The Climb

In Kobe, Japan, Suzaku gave Yoshitaka Mitsue a first long run as owner and operator (2007–2014), and that period established the working habits that would carry through the rest of the career: precision, discipline, and responsibility at the plate. The next stage moved that same standard into a more formal setting, where he served as Head Chef at Official Residence of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations in New York City, United States (2014–2020). That role required technical command and composure, the kind of steadiness that keeps tradition legible without excess. He then worked as chef at Official Residence of the Consul General of Japan in Strasbourg, France (2020–2023), refining a style that could function across borders without losing its footing. Since 2023, Yoshitaka has been chef of UKA, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles. There, the work sits in a contemporary frame, but the priorities remain the same: structure, seasonal attention, and fidelity to Japanese culinary tradition.

Today

Mitsue continues to work in kaiseki cuisine and washoku, using the course format to keep tradition active rather than ornamental. The emphasis is on form held through practice, with each element carrying its weight and earning its place. His description of the work is direct: “I use the basics of Japanese cuisine, dashi, to preserve the tradition of washoku while incorporating French techniques, which are also part of my background, to create the Uka course.” That gives the framework plainly. Dashi anchors the menu, washoku supplies the lineage, French techniques are part of the working vocabulary, and the course is where those elements are brought together.

Signature

Yoshitaka Mitsue is known for UKA's omakase kaiseki prix fixe menus. The format matches the work: a sequence built with deliberation, paced with restraint, and structured so the technique can be read cleanly.

In Their Words “I use the basics of Japanese cuisine, dashi, to preserve the tradition of washoku while incorporating French techniques, which are also part of my background, to create the Uka course.” “I want to make use of the Japanese culinary techniques I have to the fullest in the course I create.”

Recognition

Yoshitaka's honors include Minister of Foreign Affairs Award — Outstanding Chef of the Official Residence (2017).