A month has passed since Joel sadly passed away. He was known as one of the greatest Michelin chefs in the world. He won 3 Michelin stars back to back quicker than any other chef. During his life, he gained 31 stars which is more Michelin stars than any other chefs have gained. He left at the top of his game.
Chef of the century Joël Robuchon modernised traditional French dishes and was also heavily influenced by Asian cuisine, particularly Japanese. Joel visited Japan for the first time in 1976. He was invited as a guest chef to high-class restaurants where he would learn the secrets of Japanese flavour and presentation. He was surprised by the delicate flavours and the simplicity of the presentation. He cherished Japanese ingredients and their subtle ability to add flavour to many dishes of the world.
"Food is more special when it is simple and simpler."
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Tokyo inspired by a sushi restaurant
He opened his first restaurant in Japan in 1994. After only 2 years of producing quality dishes, Joel decided to take a step back from being a chef but he kept working closely with the managers. In 2003 he opened an open countered French restaurant. He was inspired by the many open countered style sushi restaurants across Japan. Joel started working as a chef again in 2004 before opening a cafe in Tokyo.
At the time, Japanese food was not recognised worldwide. It wasn't until November 2007 - with the help of Joel, that Tokyo overtook Paris for having more Michelin starred restaurants. This elevated Japanese food and ingredients to a worldwide audience. Joel has always known the beauty of Japanese cuisine.
Not only was he a great chef, but he also helped ingredient manufacturers to boost flavour and create new products. He worked closely with Yamasa to make a fruity soy sauce with apple, pomegranate and red wine.
His last challenge was the restaurant he opened in Paris which was corroborated with Dassai earlier this year. The Dassai restaurant was also a tea and cakes salon with a bar for tasting sake. He loved Japan and Japanese cuisine, and he dedicated his life to spreading Japanese cuisine to Europe and the world.