Palace Hotel Tokyo Debuts New Culinary Team at Michelin-Starred Esterre
A budding, young talent is paired with a seasoned star to take the upscale restaurant to new heights
TOKYO (May 2, 2023) – As international travelers flock to Japan following its re-opening, Michelinstarred Esterre continues to refine its culinary appeal in the star-studded Michelin capital of the world
with the appointments of Kei Kojima as chef de cuisine and Normand Jubin as chef pâtissier.
Esterre, which was launched in partnership with DUCASSE Paris in late 2019, is rooted in the flavorsof Japan’s terroir – taking a contemporary approach to French haute cuisine that aims to showcase theoriginal flavors of the highest-quality local ingredients using French culinary techniques.
Having spent over two decades under the tutelage of Alain
Ducasse’s right-hand, Frank Cerutti, Kei Kojima is the perfect
fit as chef de cuisine at what is his fourth eatery by Ducasse.
Prior to taking the helm at Esterre, Kojima spent five years
honing his skills at the Michelin three-starred Le Louis XV at
Monte Carlo’s famed Hôtel de Paris, including three as its souschef. In 2006, he returned to Japan to teach at Le Centre deFormation d'Alain Ducasse in Tokyo, a culinary school forprofessionals, and had a stint at Benoit bistro before segueing
to Beige, a restaurant born from a collaboration between DUCASSE Paris and Chanel’s flagshipboutique in Tokyo’s glitzy Ginza district. He played an instrumental role in elevating Beige to its
two-Michelin-star status during the more than a dozen years he spent there.
Based in Kamakura – the zen-imbued, beachside town on the outskirts of Tokyo where he continues
to reside – Kojima visits the local market every morning to select the freshest ingredients for Esterre
before commuting into the city. Having long embraced the concept of drawing from the naturalflavors of land and sea by sourcing sustainable, organic ingredients and highlighting the purity andelegant simplicity of their natural flavors, he has been described by Ducasse as “the Japanese chef
who understands and practices my culinary philosophy more than any other in the world.”
Just like the town he hails from, Kojima
exudes a calmness and a reverence fornature that comes through in his cooking– a notion that is also woven into Esterre’s
interiordesign.
Designstudio
SIMPLICITY, founded by award-winning
Japanese interior designer Shinichiro
Ogata, originally conceived the space as atribute to nature.

An earthy color palette and such tactile materials as washi (traditional Japanese paper), textile andwood were chosen to create an ambiance that evokes a sense of harmony between people and nature.
Also key to the design concept was an elegant simplicity that would allow patrons to dine, converseand soak in the expansive views of the surrounding Imperial Palace gardens without distraction.
Esterre has consistently achieved a one-star standing ever since
it drew the attention of Michelin Guide. Like Kojima, 26-yearold Chef Pâtissier Normand Jubin brings with him notable
Michelin experience, having previously acted as chef de partie
at the renowned, three-star Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville inCrissier, Switzerland and, most recently, as pastry chef at theone-star Pelagos at Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens inGreece.
A Swiss native, Jubin is the third generation in a family ofconfectioners behind Jubin Confiseur, a boulangerie-patisserie-confiserie-in-one with a trio oflocations throughout Switzerland. It was there, in his grandfather’s and father’s kitchen, where as achild, Jubin began cultivating his passion and know-how for baking, pastry-making and the art ofconfectionery.
New to Japan, Jubin is embracing the country’s
distinct seasons with his dessert presentations andendeavoring to bring more depth and art to what ispresented, whether it brings guests back to thefamiliar flavors and textures of their childhood orstirs up more recent memories of their time in Japan.
His spring dessert of ‘crispy and iced buckwheat, torrefied
vanilla and anise’, for example, takes inspiration fromthe three-swirl mitsudomoe symbol that has caught hiseye while visiting shrines.
As Esterre’s menu changes with the seasons, Palace HotelTokyo’s award-winning Chef Sommelier Takamasa Satometiculously studies the flavors of every dish before deciding
on which pairings to recommend for each course – whether
guests prefer alcoholic or non-alcoholic options. With a winecellar that boasts some 4,800 bottles and encompasses over 500
vintages - of which French labels dominate - there’s no shortageof options to choose from, including a selection of organic,natural and bio-wines.

For Chef Kojima’s vibrant and flavorful ‘roasted
sujiara with winter gourd, courgette and black olive
marmalade’ that’s on the summer signature prixfixe menu, Sato suggests a pairing with Château
Jun’s Koshu, a domestically produced whitewine made with koshu grapes, a varietal that has
been grown in Japan for more than 1,000 years.
And for the dish’s non-alcoholic pairing, aseasonal mocktail featuring a blend of whitegrape juice with the umami-rich flavors ofpremium Royal Blue Tea is suggested.
For Jubin’s refreshing summer dessert of ‘kiwiand tarragon delight with ginger and goat milkemulsion’, Sato recommends a pairing with theAlain Ducasse Sparkling Sake conceived by
DUCASSE Paris Chef Sommelier Gerard
Margeon and Ryogo Kitahara, master brewer at
Maison Shichiken in Yamanashi prefecture.
Alternatively, Belgium’s Duc de Montagne nonalcoholic sparkling wine presents an equallyrefreshing and sophisticated alternative.
As Japan experiences a travel renaissance, Esterre's team plans to continue heightening the dining
experience and playing their part in ensuring Tokyo keeps its crown as the Michelin capital of theworld.
Esterre’s prix-fixe lunch options start from JPY 12,000 and prix-fixe dinners from JPY 22,000 perperson. Wine pairings start at JPY 6,000 for two glasses.
For more information, please visit: www.en.palacehoteltokyo.com/restaurant/esterre-restaurant/

ABOUT PALACE HOTEL TOKYOAs the anchor to a billion dollar, mixed-use development that debuted in 2012 to much acclaim, theForbes Five-Star Palace Hotel Tokyo commands some of the city’s most exclusive real estate andincomparable views of the much-loved Imperial Palace gardens and the surrounding skyline.
Located in the capital’s prestigious Marunouchi district, the property features 284 rooms & suites,
an evian SPA, and 10 distinctive restaurants and bars presenting an impressive array of dining
experiences – including exquisite Japanese and Michelin-starred contemporary French haute cuisine.

As heir to a legacy going back more than half a century as one of the city’s most iconic properties,
the hotel remains firmly rooted in its commitment to offering Japanese hospitality at its finest.
Drawing deeply from the country’s history, culture and art, the award-winning hotel continues toredefine luxury in Japan with sophistication and authenticity.
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ABOUT DUCASSE PARIS
With thirty restaurants in seven countries – from authentic bistros and casual brasseries to three
Michelin-starred restaurants – a network of more than 500 addresses selected by les Collectionneurs
in Europe, an international education division in culinary and pastry arts, handmade bean-to-bar
chocolate shops and handmade coffee-tree-to-cup coffee shops, Alain Ducasse has developed, overthirty years, a different vision of the food service and hospitality industry re-grouped under Ducasse
Paris, which he founded in 1999.
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