The Symphonic Progression of Restaurant Yuu’s Acclaimed Tasting Menu

Born and raised in Japan, Yuu graduated in 2002 from Tsuji Culinary Institute, splitting his studies between its Osaka and Lyon campuses. From there, he spent more than nine years in France honing his craft, starting at La Villa des Lys, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant previously inside the Hotel Majestic in Cannes, before a long stint in Paris under the three-Michelin-starred Guy Savoy, working as a saucier and chef de partie for meats and sauces.

That training became the foundation of the way he still cooks today. By the time he arrived at New York’s Mifune as executive chef, Japanese ingredients and ideas had begun finding their way into the French cooking that defined his career. In May 2023, he opened Restaurant Yuu, his own counter-style tasting menu restaurant, which earned a Michelin star within just six months of opening.

When developing the tasting menu, Yuu often begins with the season, looking to the farmers market, his fish and meat purveyors, and ingredients arriving from Japan. And just as important is how each dish fits into the progression of the meal. He compares the experience to a symphony, building in intensity before eventually reaching its climax.

Here, Yuu shares the stories behind four dishes that have become signatures of Restaurant Yuu, chronicled in the procession they’re served to guests.

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