Joël Robuchon has been called the greatest chef of the 20th century. Many of his former apprentices are grands chefs in their own right. In the eponymous château of Joël Robuchon in Tokyo’s Ebisu area, guests are treated to a luxurious dining experience. Spearheading the kitchen team is Robuchon’s favourite disciple, Kenichiro Sekiya. As the first Japanese national to be accorded the highest honour of the French culinary universe, Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (M.O.F., “one of the great craftsmen of France”), Chef Sekiya attracts the attention of admirers worldwide.
Chef Sekiya values above all things passing down the techniques and traditions he inherited over many years. One such tradition is convivialité, a word much loved by the late Joël Robuchon. In Robuchon’s context, the word means the joy and anticipation of food that comes when a chef pours his heart and soul into his art to please his guests . ‘As a cook who learned his craft directly from Mr. Robuchon, I feel duty-bound to pass on his legacy to the next generation’, Sekiya remarks. ‘What matters isn’t how many recipes I preserve but communicating Robuchon’s thoughts and philosophy about cuisine ’. His soft-spoken words carry a powerful sense of duty toward future generations.
Today, as every day, Chef Kenichiro Sekiya turns to his craft of French cuisine, the words of his iconic mentor in his heart, to rouse and inspire his team of young cooks.
