Requinquer

Delicious food shouldn’t come at the cost of the environment. At least, that’s the philosophy of Requinquer’s owner and head chef Souichi Furuya. First inspired to pursue French cuisine after a life-changing experience with a French meal in elementary school, he trained at a French restaurant in Tokyo after graduating from vocational school, before deciding to continue training in France at the age of 26. His prodigious skill led him to the kitchens of Le Clos des Gourmets and Lucas Carton in Paris, and later the Hotel de la Tour in the Colette region, before he returned to Japan to work in the Bistro de la Cite for five more years. In 2009, he put this experience to use in his founding of Requinquer. Meaning “to perk up” in French, Requinquer is Chef Furuya’s vision of using time-honored French technique to transform high-quality Japanese ingredients. Japan’s land and climate are key to producing ingredients that can be found nowhere else, he explains, from the seafood to the vegetables. As such, 90 percent of the ingredients that go into his dishes are sourced domestically. In order to let these natural flavors shine through as much as possible, Requinquer’s dishes use a minimal amount of butter, cream and other fats and oils. Furthermore, as a commitment to sustainability, Requinquer specifically uses vegetables that are too small or not visually appealing enough to be sold commercially. The Sustainable Galette, the restaurant’s signature dish, was actually born out of Chef Furuya’s desire to reduce food loss by discarding unused vegetable parts — and ended up being one of the most popular dishes at his restaurant. Michelin Guide: 2015-2023 - 1 Michelin Star