“Gault&Millau 2026,” the milestone 10th issue, goes on sale March 17!

The restaurant guide “Gault & Millau” was founded in Paris, France, in 1972. Currently published and distributed in 20 countries worldwide, it is more than just a rating guide; it delves into each country’s culinary culture and highlights the unique regional characteristics (terroir) of each area to convey the “current state” of gastronomy. Its approach of providing comprehensive evaluations that focus not only on restaurants and chefs but also on food producers has earned the publication a high level of trust. In particular, it is renowned for its foresight in “discovering new talent,” having been among the first to identify up-and-coming chefs.

First published in Japan in 2017, “Gault & Millau” has identified outstanding restaurants and emerging talent by evaluating every aspect of the dining experience—from the reservation process to the final farewell—based on its globally standardized criteria, while also highlighting the professionals who support the restaurant as a stage. In 2023, it became the first nationwide restaurant guide to cover all 47 prefectures, introducing and evaluating establishments using the same standards. The 2026 edition features 581 restaurants and dining spots from across the 47 prefectures that are “must-visit” right now.
At the awards ceremony, 10 awards—including the highly anticipated “Chef of the Year” award—were presented to 13 recipients, including chefs, sommeliers, pastry chefs, and producers expected to achieve even greater success in the future.

[Chef of the Year Award]　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Kanji Kobayashi (Wakayama / Villa Aida / Garden Gastronomy)

This award is presented to a chef who fully harnesses their talent to create the most innovative, refined, and impactful dishes.

Born in 1973 to a farming family in Iwade City, Wakayama Prefecture, Mr. Kobayashi trained in various regions of Italy. In 1998, he opened a restaurant on his family’s farmland. He gradually refined his approach, using vegetables from his own farm and ingredients from neighboring prefectures. Together with his wife, Arimi, he has earned high acclaim for his “vegetable-centric” cuisine, serving only one party per day. In July 2025, he announced that his entire course menu would consist of “all-vegetable” dishes. By creating a diverse range of dishes using vegetables he has personally cultivated through every stage of growth, his exceptional technical skill and culinary philosophy are once again drawing significant attention. Although the number of days his restaurant is open is limited, he engages in collaborations across culinary genres both domestically and internationally. As a “traveling chef,” he continues to hone his craft while inspiring chefs and culinary professionals across the country, making a significant contribution to the evolution of the culinary world.

[Tomorrow’s Grand Chef Award]

Masaki Kuzuhara (Aichi / Restaurant Reminiscence / French cuisine)
Toshiharu Sunayama (Nara / SÉN / River Basin cuisine)

This award is presented to chefs who, building upon solid foundational techniques, have established their own unique culinary worlds and are expected to lead Japan’s culinary scene as outstanding talents.

Born in Aichi Prefecture in 1985, Mr. Kuzuhara trained at renowned restaurants in both eastern and western Japan—including “Quintessance” in Tokyo and “Hajime” in Osaka—before opening his own restaurant at the age of 30. In 2023, he built a new restaurant from the ground up to “Grand Maison” standards and relocated there. He continues to enhance his reputation by crafting delicate and elegant French cuisine centered on ingredients from the Tokai region. His goal is “to make Aichi Prefecture one of Japan’s leading tourist destinations.” To achieve this, he believes it is essential for his own restaurant to be among the very best in Japan. He has been recognized for refining his cuisine, service, and dining environment to create a restaurant that embodies a holistic experience of “beauty, food, and leisure.” At the age of 33, he received this magazine’s 2019 “Young Talent Award.” Taking steady steps forward, he is forging a path toward becoming one of Japan’s leading chefs.

Mr. Sunayama was born in London in 1987. After graduating from a culinary school, he trained at a hotel in Tokyo. He then moved to France, where he served as sous chef at the renowned restaurant “La Grenouillère.” Upon returning to Japan, he was involved as the founding chef at “Les Tonnelles” in Kanazawa, where he earned high acclaim. He subsequently moved to Amagawa Village in Nara Prefecture, where his wife’s family lives, and opened “SÉN” in 2025. He advocates “watershed cuisine,” which brings ingredients and culture from the headwaters to the mouth of the Kumano River to life on the plate. Combining a fresh perspective—viewing rivers that flow across prefectural borders as pathways for cultural exchange—with his advanced technical skills rooted in French cuisine, he has developed a unique culinary world within the realm of local gastronomy.

[Young Talent Award]

Masahiro Nishikino (Tokushima / Ramus / European Cuisine)
Yui Yamamoto (Tokyo / ESqUISSE / French Cuisine)

This award is presented to up-and-coming chefs whose talent, passion, and technical skills inspire great expectations for their future careers.

Mr. Nishikino was born in Tokushima Prefecture in 1994. After graduating from a culinary school in Osaka, he trained in Italy. Moved by the way regional chefs “engaged with local ingredients as if they were breathing,” he resolved to cook amidst nature himself. Upon returning to Japan, he honed his skills at “L’évo” in Toyama and “Ca sento” in Kobe, and in November 2023, he opened “Ramus”—a name meaning “branch” in Latin—in Sanagouchi Village. Valuing human connections, he expresses the natural bounty of Tokushima—handed to him directly by producers—using the techniques he learned at renowned restaurants in Italy and Japan. While his long-term goal is to create an auberge where guests can enjoy enriching experiences centered around food, inspired by his experiences in Italy, he says, “For now, I want to slowly and steadily ‘extend the branch’ while cherishing the guests right in front of me.”

Ms. Yamamoto was born in Aichi Prefecture in 1994. She trained in France while attending culinary school. After graduating, she apprenticed under Yuichiro Watanabe at “Restaurant Nabeno-Ism” in Asakusa, Tokyo. She served as sous chef there before moving to “ESqUISSE” in Ginza in 2021. In 2023, she won the Grand Prix at a competition for young chefs. In 2024, she was appointed Chef de Cuisine at “ESqUISSE,” where she supports the team in bringing Chef Lionel Beccat’s culinary vision to life. Building on the culinary techniques she learned from Mr. Watanabe at “Nabeno-Ism,” she has made a leap into a culinary world that cherishes the “stories” expressed by Mr. Beccat at “ESqUISSE.” Ms. Yamamoto has set “creating a future where female chefs are a common sight in the kitchen” as one of her goals, and expectations are high for her as one of the chefs who will lead the next generation.

[Transmission Award]  

Yoshinaru Kikuchi (Tokyo / Le Bourguignon / French Cuisine)

This award is presented to chefs recognized for their significant contributions to transmitting—that is, passing on—the knowledge and techniques they have cultivated, often across national borders and generations.

Mr. Kikuchi was born in Hakodate in 1966. After graduating from a culinary school, he trained at restaurants such as “Aux Six Arbres” in Roppongi. He moved to France in his twenties, honed his skills in various regions, and opened his own restaurant in 2000. He named his restaurant “Le Bourguignon” to express his affection for Burgundy, where he completed his final apprenticeship. For the past 25 years, he has continued to share the allure of French cuisine with the many guests who fill his restaurant. It is also worth noting that his restaurant has produced outstanding chefs such as Hiroyasu Kawate of “Florilège,” Shintaro Miyazaki of “Amaranthus,” and Shohei Shimono of “à nu.” This success stems from Mr. Kikuchi’s consistent approach: conducting thorough interviews and training during the hiring process, and then fully supporting each employee throughout their entire tenure at the restaurant. Mr. Kikuchi himself uses his annual leave to travel to France for training, where he joins the kitchen staff to experience the latest trends in French cuisine firsthand. His humble and dedicated approach to his craft as a chef continues to lead the way in Japan’s French culinary scene.

[Best Pastry Chef Award]  

Haruka Nagaya (Tokyo /La Gloire / French Cuisine)

This award is presented to a pastry chef who demonstrates exceptional creativity and originality in their desserts and serves restaurant desserts that are a fitting conclusion to a multi-course meal.

Ms. Nagaya was born in Aichi Prefecture in 1989. After graduating from a pastry arts vocational school, she spent a year studying in France. While working as a pastry chef at a cake shop in Kanagawa Prefecture, she became drawn to the role of a restaurant pastry chef and changed careers. She honed her skills at renowned restaurants in Tokyo, becoming the head pastry chef at “le sputnik” in Roppongi in 2023 and assuming the same role at “La Groire,” which opened in 2024. Ms. Nagaya’s elegant and flavorful desserts complement the chef’s course meals, transforming everyday ingredients into something special while evoking a sense of memorability and novelty. “In an era that prioritizes efficiency, I want to convey the joy and value of taking the time to create something, as well as the wonders of being a restaurant pastry chef,” says Ms. Nagaya.

[Best Sommelier Award]  

Motohiro Okoshi (Tokyo /Ăn Đi / Modern Vietnamese)

This award is presented to a sommelier who not only possesses extensive knowledge of wine and expertise in curating wine lists, but also demonstrates exceptional customer service skills and consistently prioritizes the guest experience.

Mr. Okoshi was born in Sapporo in 1976. After systematically studying viticulture and oenology in France, he became the head sommelier at “Ginza L'écrin” in 2009, where he showcased his extensive knowledge and elegant service. He struck out on his own in 2013 and is currently involved in a wide range of activities, including tastings, overseeing food and wine pairings, consulting, and restaurant management, embodying how the role of a sommelier extends beyond the confines of a restaurant to encompass diverse and creative responsibilities. Mr. Okoshi is passionate about food and wine pairings and says his greatest joy is when guests tell him, “That pairing really reflected your unique perspective.” He also serves as the owner of the modern Vietnamese restaurants “Ăn Đi” and “Ăn Cơm.” In an era of diversifying values, he considers it his mission to understand the cultures and individualities of different countries and regions and to continue carefully conveying the “power of beverages” to foster human connections.

[Best Service and Hospitality Award]  

Chez Inno (Tokyo / French Cuisine)

This award is presented to those who provide service that leaves guests with a sense of relaxation and deeply moving memories—as the final point of contact that accurately conveys the restaurant’s unique atmosphere.

“Chez Inno” is a renowned restaurant founded by the late Chef Noboru Inoue. The graceful movements of the service staff, which resonate with the Art Deco-style dining room, embody Mr. Inoue’s philosophy: “Only when service becomes one with a space that embodies French restaurant culture can a restaurant be considered truly complete.” At the heart of the service, bridging the kitchen and the guests, is Kenji Ito, one of Japan’s leading sommeliers and the restaurant’s President and CEO. Mr. Ito states, “Service is an intangible product. Because it is a product that leaves a lasting impression on the heart, it cannot be returned.” With all staff members sharing the restaurant’s philosophy, they strive to deliver smiles and happiness to guests, enriching both mind and body, and continue to pursue even better service with the goal of “enhancing corporate value born from the happiness of our guests and employees.”

[Tradition Award]  

Akihiro Iio (Kyoto / Iio Jozo)

This award is presented to artisans or chefs who preserve the traditional culture nurtured by their region, occasionally take on new challenges, and continue to refine the knowledge and skills they will pass on to the next generation through tireless effort.

Mr. Iio was born in Kyoto Prefecture in 1975. In 2000, he completed his graduate studies in Brewing Science at Tokyo University of Agriculture. After working for a major beverage manufacturer, he joined Iio Jozo. He is currently the fifth-generation head of “Fuji-su Vinegar,” a brewery founded in 1893 (Meiji 26). Believing that tradition is built through a series of innovations, Mr. Iio inherited the mission from his father—the previous head of the family—to “improve the aroma of Fuji-su Vinegar,” and achieved that goal with “Fuji-su Vinegar Premium.” Today, it is highly acclaimed not only in Japan but also by chefs overseas who seek “umami” within its acidity. Furthermore, in 2005, he sought to foster co-creation with customers through rice-planting and rice-harvesting experiences, and in 2015, he launched a project aimed at “making Tango the San Sebastián of Japan.” He has carried out various initiatives, including hosting the “World Shari Summit” in 2018. While striving to raise awareness and enhance the value of traditional vinegar-making methods based on koji production—a cornerstone of Japanese food culture—Mr. Iio upholds the management philosophy of “A Popular Vinegar Shop” and practices business operations that are valued not only by customers but also by contracted farmers and the local community.

[Innovation Award]  

Date-mae Sushi Project (Miyagi)

This award is presented to chefs, artisans, and producers who have chosen to take on challenges in their careers, culinary philosophies, or concepts, and who approach their work from a fresh perspective.

With the goal of making Miyagi synonymous with sushi, sushi artisans and chefs from across Miyagi Prefecture have come together under the leadership of Kei Omori, creator of the “Omori-style Distribution” system for nerve-stunned fish. Participants include Mitsuhiro Ujiie of “Ujikin Sushi,” Yutaka Fushimi of “Sushi Yutaka,” Tokutaro Iwanuma of “Sushi Toku,” Takayuki Iwai of “Sushi Iwaki,” Shota Kasahara of “Ryusei,” and Tsuyoshi Sato of “Nagomidokoro Otokoyama.” This initiative brings together master artisans who have dedicated themselves to honing their skills locally and young chefs who trained at renowned Tokyo restaurants before returning home to open their own shops. By preparing the finest sushi ingredients—which were previously shipped to Tokyo’s markets—right here in Miyagi, they aim to attract people from Tokyo to visit the prefecture. They are revitalizing the ingredients and techniques cultivated by Miyagi’s coastal waters and local producers, and through sushi, they are crafting the region’s story.”

[Terroir Award]

Takayuki Hagiwara (Nagano / Japanese Cuisine Yukimoto / Japanese Cuisine)
Naoki Matsuo (Tokyo / L’Arbre / French Cuisine)

This award is presented to producers or chefs who, while respecting the local climate, ingredients, and culture that have been nurtured over time, are undertaking unique challenges through their ingredients or cuisine.

Mr. Hagiwara was born in Iida City, Nagano Prefecture, in 1978. After graduating from university, he joined the renowned Shiga restaurant “Shoufukuro” with the intention of eventually taking over the restaurant founded by his father. He trained there, receiving two pieces of advice from the president at the time: “When you return to Iida, create local cuisine,” and “Hone your sensibilities at ‘Shoufukuro.’” In 2005, he returned to his family home and continued to hone his skills at his father’s restaurant, “Japanese Cuisine Yukimoto,” before assuming the role of representative in 2008. Since then, he has cherished the ingredients and culture of Southern Shinshu, dedicating himself to “delivering an experience that can only be savored here,” and has built the restaurant into a renowned establishment that attracts food connoisseurs from across the country. Mr. Hagiwara believes his role is to provide guests with an experience that encompasses not only the meal but also the region’s charm and human connections, and he continues to promote the terroir of Southern Shinshu.

Mr. Matsuo was born in 1982 in Mizuho Town, Nishitama District, Tokyo. After graduating from Futaba Nutrition College, he joined the Imperial Hotel. From 2018 until his departure in 2022, he served as sous chef at “Les Saisons.” While still employed there, he learned vegetable farming from locals in Okutama; through that connection, he discovered Meiji-era pseudo-Western architecture and opened a restaurant here in 2023. Wondering why cuisine that makes the most of “terroir” found in other regions is absent from Tokyo, he advocates for “Tokyo Gastronomy” by utilizing ingredients born from Tokyo’s diverse climate—from Okutama to the Ogasawara Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Rather than focusing on modern Tokyo, Mr. Matsuo aims to convey the region’s time-honored craftsmanship and food culture through the lens of “L’Arbre,” with the goal of “providing inspiration and learning through the restaurant, and becoming a presence that is valued by this region and by Tokyo as a whole.”

It also includes 10 awards and interviews with 13 award recipients.

[Publication Details]
[Title]: Gault&Millau 2026
[Release Date]: March 17, 2026
[Price]: 3,400 yen (tax included)
【Number of Pages】：352 pages
【ISBN】：978-4-344-95515-8
【Publisher】：ONODERA GROUP Co., Ltd.
【Distributor】：Gentosha Co., Ltd.
【Number of Listed Stores】：581
【Covered Areas】：All 47 prefectures