Our Favourite Chefs To Look Out For In 2019, With A Total Of 15 Michelin Stars

Savour (SVR) BlackBookAsia’s carefully curated list of our favourite Michelin chefs from around the globe. Each with their own distinct personalities yet all with an unyielding passion for cooking. Here are our specially selected individuals we admire behind the scenes.   Jeong Ho Kim, 26th in World’s 50 Best and 2 Michelin Stars, Jungsik Restaurant Seoul Representing the Korean Peninsula is Executive Chef Jeong Ho Kim from Jungsik Restaurant who, along with the restaurant’s chef-owner, Jungsik Yim, brought molecular mastery […]

Bernard Bach, 2 Michelin Stars, Le Puits Saint-Jacques France

The son and grandson of restaurateurs, Bernard grew up among the pots, pans and mixed aromas of kitchens. At 13 he began to earn his crust as a waiter and later set off on a tour of France which ultimately led to his first Michelin star in 1997. He returned home in 1999, settling with his family in Pujaudran, close to Toulouse. His approach to cooking is celebrated for its simplicity, focusing on a respect for the seasons and the […]

Shinji Ishida, 1 Michelin Star, Nogizaka Shin Japan

From 1996, Ishida started training in numerous traditional Japanese restaurants in Tokushima, many of which were considered to be the finest purveyors of Japanese cuisine in the country. In 2011, he joined the three Michelinstarred restaurants Ginza Koju as Chef de Cuisine and two years later, travelled to Paris to launch an international outpost of Ginza Koju, gaining a Michelin star shortly after. He returned to Japan in 2015 to resume his role and one year later, with the help […]

Ryohei Hieda, 2 Michelin Stars, Shoun RyuGin Taiwan

Born in 1981 in Nagasaki, Ryohei Hieda began his professional career in 2000 at the age of 19 by apprenticing at the prestigious Kyoto restaurant Gion Nakagawa. During his training, he acquired fundamental knowledge and techniques of traditional Japanese cuisine. In 2005, chef Hieda returned to Kyushu to work at the famed restaurant Itaru where he learned to make artisanal salt and the expert use of it in the seasoning of dishes. He also gained deep appreciation of using the […]

Yoshio Sakuta, 2 Michelin Stars, Shoukouwa

Born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan, Chef Yoshio Sakuta has accumulated over 20 years of premium sushi experience. At19, Chef Sakuta formally began his career as a Sushi Chef with Ganko Sushi at their Atsubetsu branch, honing his skills there for the next three years. With the enormous interest and rise of popularity of Japanese restaurants in US then, Chef Sakuta joined Hotaru in San Francisco as its Sushi Chef, where he remained for four years. He returned to Japan […]

Jeong Ho Kim, 26th in World’s 50 Best and 2 Michelin Stars, Jungsik Restaurant Seoul

Representing the Korean Peninsula is Executive Chef Jeong Ho Kim from Jungsik Restaurant who, along with the restaurant’s chef-owner, Jungsik Yim, brought molecular mastery to South Korea’s capital – the restaurant reinvented Korean cuisine using traditional and familiar ingredients to create a new genre of food, New Korean Fine Dining. Jeong Ho Kim joined the opening team of Jungsik restaurant in Seoul in 2009 as Sous Chef and 2011 moved to the United States where he played an integral role […]

Paul Longworth, 1 Michelin Star, Rhubarb Le Restaurant

Paul started his career after being enrolled at the Butler’s Wharf Chef School in London. As it was an inititive set up by Conran Restaurants, after completion he was was offered a job & mentorship at the Blue Print Café under head chef Jeremy Lee. It was here that Paul started to learn about ingredients, farm to fork produce and a cuisine style that was very modern European. After a few years Paul had the opportunity to go and work […]

Taro Takayama, Takayama, Singapore

Chef Taro Takayama’s passion for Japanese cuisine carved out for him a career in the culinary industry that started with three-star Michelin restaurants in Osaka such as Kashiwaya in Senriyama and Koryu in Kitashinchi. It did not take long for Chef Taro to rise through the ranks and by 2013, a mere eight years since he began developing his new-found craft, he was appointed Master Chef at the residence of the Japanese Ambassador to Singapore. It was a coveted assignment […]

Emmanuel Stroobant, 2 Michelin Stars and Relais & Châteaux, Saint Pierre

Chef Emmanuel Stroobant has indeed come a long way! Hailing from Belgium, his career began at a tender age of 16 with the cleaning of dishes in one of his country’s best restaurants. He had oped that this part time job would help pay his way through university as his first ambition was to be a lawyer. Whilst finishing high school and juggling between academics and his night job, Stroobant took an affinity to his working environment, and was soon on his way to […]

Luu Meng, Malis, Siem Reap

The chef whose name has become synonymous with the research and revival of Cambodian Cuisine, Luu Meng is one of the founders of Malis restaurant in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, together with numerous other enterprises. Meng started his career at a hotel school in Thailand, before building on his training across the region. He returned to Cambodia to take up a position with the Sofitel Cambodiana in Phnom Penh, before moving to Siem Reap in 2002 as part of […]