Shota Itoi was born in Kyoto in 1992 and trained in France, Japan, and the United States, including at the three-Michelin-starred Auberge de l'Ill, Manresa, and The French Laundry. In 2018, he became the youngest-ever winner of RED U-35, and was later named to Forbes Asia's 30 Under 30. Today, as Chef of Auberge eaufeu in Ishikawa, he creates a cuisine deeply rooted in the character and terroir of the region.
Born in Hokkaido, Ooyama honed his skills at a Michelin-recognized Italian restaurant in Sapporo before pursuing a cuisine rooted in local produce and open-fire technique. As Chef at SONEKA — a private villa resort in Wattsu, Hokkaido — he crafts seasonal, place-driven gastronomy that captures the forests, meadows, and terroir of the land on every plate. Through fire, fermentation, and the produce of each season, his dishes reflect the very landscape of Hokkaido.
