Nihonryori RyuGin
Fine dining restaurant · Chiyoda ·
Modern kaiseki with molecular gastronomy, inventive presentations
Modern kaiseki with molecular gastronomy, inventive presentations
"Serving as the formative training ground for chefs such as Ryosuke Ito of Ensui and Shingo Sakamoto of Hakuun, this restaurant’s kitchen once gathered a generation of cooks who would go on to shape fine dining across Asia, including Ryohei Hieda of Eika in Taipei, Hideaki Sato of Ta Vie in Hong Kong and Tomoya Kawada of Sazenka in Tokyo. Under owner-chef Seiji Yamamoto, the environment was demanding and opportunity-rich, with challenges like the “akamutsu test,” where perfectly grilling prized rosy seabass became a benchmark of skill. Time there instilled a mindset of constantly questioning fixed ideas, finding new ways of thinking about ingredients, and learning to turn negatives into positives. Long hours observing Yamamoto’s approach, including after-hours video shoots in which he shared his ideas and techniques with the wider world, gave the team a sense that they were part of a larger effort and still influence how they present cuisine today. Many of the chefs who passed through its kitchen now hold two or more MICHELIN Stars, and they credit their drive to catch up with and one day surpass Yamamoto as a powerful force that propelled them forward; both Ito and Sakamoto trace their philosophy, ingredient focus, resilience and deliberate thinking back to their years following in his footsteps." - Suma Wakui
"I experienced RyuGin as a three-star restaurant celebrated for its molecular kaiseki — a highly crafted, multicourse gastronomy that demands reservations and rewards serious diners." - AFAR
"A renowned kaiseki restaurant known for inventive presentations and a creative reinterpretation of traditional Japanese ingredients through modern culinary techniques." - Jessica Kozuka
"Fragrant straw smoke wreathes the blood-red meat, transforming the iron in the duck into a soup stock -like aroma. A little salt draws out the flavour imparted by the flawlessly-kindled straw. Tenderloin is served with sieve-pureed liver and chopped ginger." - The MICHELIN Guide
"Seiji Yamamoto charts the vastness of Japanese cuisine. He handles his knives and tends his charcoal grill with relentlessly honed technique. He elucidates the properties of each ingredient and the best ways to prepare it with a scientific eye, displaying unwavering resolve. His winter menu is replete with fugu items, products of years of experience and passion for Japanese cuisine. Disarming frankness shines in Yamamoto’s favourite expression: ‘I’m a chef because I love cooking.’" - Michelin Inspector