Chef and owner of Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, Hiroshi Sasaki has transformed kaiseki into a theatrical experience, earning three Michelin stars in 2019 and maintaining them to this day.
Born on 16 December 1961 in Nara Prefecture, Hiroshi Sasaki grew up in a family with ties to the restaurant business: his uncles and cousins ran restaurants, sushi bars and ryokans, instilling in him a passion for cooking from an early age. After graduating from high school at the age of 18, he began working in various restaurants, training mainly in Kyoto. At the age of 27, he became a manager and chef, and in 1997 he opened his first restaurant in Gion, the historic heart of Kyoto.
In 2006, he moved the restaurant to its current location, a renovated historic building, also in Gion. It was here that he developed the formula that made him famous: an open kitchen like a stage, where every dish is prepared in front of the guests. This performative approach earned him the nickname “Sasaki Theatre”.
The Gion Sasaki restaurant was awarded its second Michelin star in 2009 (2010 Guide), retained the award in subsequent years and earned its third star in 2019. Since then, the three stars have been confirmed every year. With a crowded counter and reservations sold out for over 16 years, it is now one of the most sought-after restaurants in Kyoto.
Sasaki's style combines respect for the kaiseki tradition with a dynamic and engaging presentation, also giving space to young collaborators, in a cuisine that is at once art, technique and spectacle.
