Dubbed the "chef of the century" by his peers, Joël Robuchon retired in 1996 after handing over his eponymous restaurant to Générale des eaux. But this workaholic found it hard to stay still. He escapes from his Iberian retreat every three months or so to preside over culinary competitions and visit his Tokyo restaurant, in a copy of a Loire chateau completely built by the Sapporo brewery.

Built in harmony with the architectural traditions of the 18th century, the Château Restaurant Joël Robuchon is the epitome of French elegance in Tokyo. Tastefully renovated in contemporary style by a Japanese interior designer, the setting successfully marries past and present. An exceptional, friendly and sophisticated setting to enjoy a truly unique culinary experience and taste the renowned "caviar jelly with cauliflower cream"… You'll find classics on the table, as well as the fruit of nine years of travel, as regards both products and presentation. The latter is meticulous and shows a markedly Japanese influence - as for example in the crisp and soft chocolate on candied apricot marmalade with yuzu ice cream.

"I have learned truth from my ingredients," says Joël Robuchon. "A truth which has since influenced my cooking and grounded it in a certain reality. I will never combine fish and meat jus, for example, even if it's stylish. Neither will I ever adopt an overly intellectualized cooking that would take me too far away from that reality. The pairing of flavors is not inconsequential. Today in many dishes, diners look for flavor without finding it; they no longer know what they're eating. "