SÉZANNE

Inspector Reveals All on SÉZANNE, Tokyo’s New Three MICHELIN Stars Restaurant

"A perfect marriage of French sensibilities and Japanese influences, this dining experience reflects executive chef Daniel Calvert’s global outlook and dedication to interweaving cuisines and cultures. Located inside the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi near Tokyo Station, you pass an understated entrance, ride to the seventh floor, and step into a Champagne-hued room by designer Andre Fu—matte wooden floors, light-toned carpets and chairs, soaring glass windows filtered by lace curtains, leather-covered tables with Baccarat candles, and Christofle silverware with Raynaud white porcelain that places the cuisine on a pristine pedestal. An international team provides graceful, attentive service, and windows into the kitchen let you watch the focused cooks at work. Comté gougères—warm, intensely flavored cheese puffs—are an indispensable amuse-bouche, accompanied by a trio of round, bite-sized starters. Cross-cultural instincts shine in a foie gras terrine shaped by Chinese techniques, with Japan-raised chicken marinated in soy sauce and star anise at its center, served with fresh-baked brioche. A main of Toyohashi duck, dried for days, honey-lacquered and baked, comes with a rich duck-liver sauce and silkily emulsified Dijon; accompaniments change with the seasons—on my visit, asparagus dressed with potato and lardo—and the course is deepened by duck bone soup or a stew of the thigh, underscoring zero-waste respect for ingredients and producers. Over successive seasons, the menu increasingly embraces Japan’s high-quality ingredients and seasonality—soy sauce, miso, and more—while remaining firmly grounded in French technique. The result is delicate, narratively composed cuisine delivered by a tightly knit team whose consistency propelled a rapid ascent: a MICHELIN Star just six months after opening, a second a year later, and a third the year after." - The MICHELIN Guide