ABOUT US

​

Our journey starts being a child surrounded by the smell of freshly baked bread and pastries with a swirl of home-made chocolate in France in my family's bakery founded by my grandfather in 1933. At the age of 11, passionate about shrimp and crabs, I wanted to be a chef, but my very dear and sweet mother, whom I love very much, decided that I should study mathematics and physics.........

 

Much later, my life changed as a student and engineer in Aeronautics in beautiful California where seafood is bountiful, and with the influence of Chief Fumito Nagasu of South Pasadena. Through many ups and down I discovered more local seafood species in New York City and New Orleans, and tasted my very first zip of junmai daiginjo sake. The return to Europe was not easy but was the prelude to a more rewarding self-teaching about Japanese food with local seafood, and especially the trampoline to a new life in Asia.

​

Singapore made me meet chef Chong Yoong Kiong who is one of the most talented chef in Japanese cuisine I have met. He happily taught me, and my friend Sascha, about so many kind of Japanese cooking styles, the versatile and subtle use of knifes and delicate raw ingredients directly imported from Japan.

​

It is only in 2006 that I set foot for the first time in Japan with the revelation of the Tsukiji Market…

I returned to Japan in 2010 to organize a unique voyage for chefs Jacques Le Divellec and Christophe Moret, who are family to me. Their generosity, friendliness and flair are limitless. It is there also that  I found  about Ikejime with other related secret technics to handle fish, and met the kind Hayama-san, at the time president of the Tsukiji Bluefin tuna auction market. Many more trips to Japan came along then...

​

During that time, without understanding what impact it would have on my present life, I met the geniusly controversial Toshiro Kuroda. Through his teaching in a more than perfect French, intelligence, generosity and eagerness to share his passion for life I found a friend, a business partner and a spiritual father. I could write books about how he changed the life of so many: Anne, Aya, Christian, David, Gérard, Laurent, Louis .... many more, and his impact on promoting Japanese traditional culture. He was the first one over 15 years ago to promote genuine sake in Europe, which is so popular now. Unfortunately in February 2017, he left us with so many unfinished conversations and projects, and from that point I made my mission and duty to carry on his spirit and legacy through my work..... to share to the many "Bons Vivants" and crazy talented passioned chefs around the world and to always drink a good sake in his  memory!        

     

   Kanpai my dear Toshiro!