【profile】
Born in Mashike, Hokkaido in 1954. At the age of 15, he decided to become a chef and trained at the Sapporo Grand Hotel and the Imperial Hotel. In 1974, he became head chef at the Japanese Embassy in Switzerland. While working at the embassy, he studied under Freddy Girardet. He continued to train at three-star restaurants such as Troisgros, Auberge de l'Ile, L'Oasis, and Alain Chapelle. In 1985, he opened Hôtel de Mikuni in Yotsuya, Tokyo. In 2013, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of François Rabelais in recognition of his contributions to French food culture. In 2015, he was awarded the Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur by the Republic of France. This is France's highest order, established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, and is the first time it has been awarded to a Japanese chef. In 2019, he published "JAPONISÉE Kiyomi Mikuni." He was the only winner of the Hall of Fame category of the 2020 Gourmand World Cuisine Awards, which is praised as the "Oscar" of film, and is considered a masterpiece that will become a model for future generations. In 2022, he published "Third-Rate Chef" through Gentosha, which became a bestseller. In November 2023, he opened his own restaurant, Azabudai Hills Dining 33. He currently posts on YouTube about food education activities for children and easy recipes that can be made at home.