Chef of the Week: Chef Yuu Shimano of Restaurant Yuu, New York
A master of French cuisine with Japanese precision, Chef Yuu Shimano has crafted a culinary journey that bridges two of the world’s most refined gastronomic traditions. Trained at the prestigious Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka and France, and later honing his skills in some of Paris’s most celebrated kitchens, including Guy Savoy, Chef Yuu has built a reputation for elegance, discipline, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence. His story is one of dedication to craft — and a belief that balance, harmony, and respect for tradition can coexist with bold creativity.
In 2023, Chef Yuu opened Restaurant Yuu in Brooklyn — a symbolic new chapter launched on his own birthday. Within just six months, the restaurant earned a Michelin star, a testament to his vision of blending French refinement with Japanese sensibility. At Restaurant Yuu, every dish reflects his dual heritage: precise, seasonal, and deeply personal. Through his work, Chef Yuu continues to redefine what it means to be a Japanese chef cooking French cuisine — proving that true mastery transcends borders.
Check out this exclusive Chef’s Pencil interview with Chef Yuu Shimano below.
Your journey began at the Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka. Looking back, how important was culinary school in shaping your career, and do you believe formal training is essential for young chefs today?
Attending the Tsuji Culinary Institute, both in Japan and in France, gave me the foundation of classic technique and discipline that still supports my cooking today. It was also the gateway that allowed me to train in France, which shaped my career profoundly. For young chefs, I believe formal training is not the only path, but having a strong foundation—whether in a school or through a structured apprenticeship—is essential for developing one’s craft and gaining respect in this profession.
What drew you from Japan to France to study and train in classic French gastronomy?
From the beginning, I wanted to pursue French cuisine at its source. France is where the classic techniques and traditions are at their most refined, and I felt that if I was going to dedicate myself to this craft, I needed to challenge myself in that environment.
You worked at some of France’s most prestigious kitchens, including Guy Savoy. What lessons from that experience still guide your cooking today?
At Guy Savoy and other French kitchens, I learned the importance of precision, discipline, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. These lessons still guide me every day—never lowering the standard, and always pushing myself and my team to refine even the smallest details.
When you opened Restaurant Yuu in Brooklyn on your birthday in 2023, it felt symbolic. What vision did you want the restaurant to represent?
Opening on my birthday was symbolic of a new chapter. My vision was to create a stage-like restaurant, where French technique and Japanese sensibility meet. I wanted it to be not only a place for dining, but also a cultural statement—that Japanese chefs can present authentic French cuisine at the highest level, and elevate the social recognition of our profession.
My vision was to create a stage-like restaurant, where French technique and Japanese sensibility meet.
Your restaurant earned a Michelin star within six months of opening. What did that recognition mean to you, and how do you maintain that standard of excellence?
Receiving a Michelin star within six months was both a great honor and a source of pressure. It meant that our philosophy resonated, but it also reminded us that we must keep raising the bar. We maintain this by treating every service as if it were being judged, constantly refining, and never becoming complacent.
Restaurant Yuu blends French refinement with Japanese precision. How do you approach creating a dish that feels balanced between two distinct traditions?
For me, balance comes from respecting both traditions without diluting either. I use classic French techniques as the backbone, and bring in Japanese precision through seasonality, ingredient choice, and presentation. The harmony is not forced—it emerges naturally when both philosophies are honored.
What cultural differences have you noticed between French, Japanese, and American diners when it comes to fine dining?
In France, I cooked primarily for French guests, and in Japan for Japanese guests. But in America, with its multicultural society and many immigrant backgrounds, diners are far more diverse. This has led me to focus less on adapting to a particular audience and more on expressing my own individuality.
In France and the U.S., it’s common to see couples or families dressing up and going out simply to enjoy a [fine dining] meal together.
In Japan, guests usually come for birthdays or anniversaries, but in France and the U.S., it’s common to see couples or families dressing up and going out simply to enjoy a [fine dining] meal together. That everyday embrace of fine dining feels very distinctive.
Are there specific Japanese techniques or ingredients that you believe harmonize beautifully with French culinary traditions but remain underexplored?
Right now, what I am exploring most is how Japanese ingredients can be integrated into the French framework. When I was in France, importing Japanese fish wasn’t possible, but in New York, sushi chefs and many restaurants now use them regularly.
I actively incorporate Japanese seafood, binchotan charcoal, fruits, and seasonings, combining them with local produce. Through a distinctly Japanese sense of balance, these ingredients create a harmony with French tradition that feels both natural and exciting.
Do you have a few favorite ingredients you find yourself returning to again and again, and what makes them so special to you?
The ingredients I return to again and again are those that are seasonal and fleeting—white asparagus, winter truffles, or wild hare during game season. They remind me of the Japanese sense of wabi-sabi, like cherry blossoms that bloom and fall in just a week. When a season arrives, I instinctively get excited thinking, “What can I create this year? How will I combine it next year?”
Seasonal ingredients are not only delicious and often more affordable, but they also carry cultural significance that connects deeply with both Japanese and French traditions.
The New York dining scene is one of the toughest in the world. What excites you most about working here, and what challenges does it present?
As both a chef and a business owner, my constant challenge in New York is balancing the pursuit of excellence with making the business sustainable. In a city of immigrants, presenting French cuisine as a Japanese chef sometimes puts me in a vulnerable position. Yet it is incredibly rewarding when guests appreciate the culture I am helping to build through food.
At the same time, the simple words “It was delicious, thank you” from a guest remain the greatest motivation, no matter where in the world I am cooking.
Having experienced culinary cultures across three countries, what do you think the future of fine dining looks like?
Fine dining faces enormous challenges with rising labor, ingredient, and rent costs, making it a difficult business model. I worry that fewer chefs in the next generation will attempt it, and the trend may accelerate as AI and robotics become more common.
Still, as long as there are guests who believe “fine dining is valuable” and “it offers experiences you cannot find elsewhere,” we must continue to push forward. I feel a responsibility to experience and invest in this world myself, and to pass on its traditions and values to the next generation.
What advice would you give to young chefs who want to build their own voice while honoring their culinary heritage?
In any profession, people should be rewarded as they grow, and I believe this must be true for chefs as well. Yet cooking is an extremely tough path—only a small number can achieve stable income even after 10 or 20 years. That’s why it’s essential to keep thinking, “Today I must grow compared to yesterday.” It’s also important to place yourself in an environment where you can feel that growth, and to keep working hard there.
It’s essential to keep thinking, “Today I must grow compared to yesterday.”
Opportunities will always come, and you must be ready to seize them through constant effort. We are working to create a world where chefs are recognized for the dedication they put in, and I encourage young chefs to do the same.
When you’re not in the kitchen, where do you enjoy dining in New York City?
I truly love restaurants, so about once a month I visit French restaurants or take a short trip to dine further afield, enjoying new experiences. I also like to go to places at a similar price point to Restaurant Yuu, as it helps me understand the guest’s perspective.
At the same time, I love casual food—tacos from a food truck or chicken over rice. I often eat casually, and at home I cook Japanese meals like rice with miso soup and simmered fish in miso. From fine dining to everyday dishes, I simply love to eat.
Do you have a go-to comfort dish from your Japanese roots that always brings you back home?
One dish that always brings me back to my roots is pumpkin soup. It was a dish from my childhood, and I now serve it as a welcome soup at the beginning of our menu. It connects me to home and to the warmth of my earliest food memories.
Chef Yuu Shimano | Instagram
Restaurant Yuu | Instagram
55 Nassau Ave #1A, Brooklyn, NY 11222
