Chef Name: Tohru Nakamura
Age: 35
Title: Head Chef
Awards:
2005 & 2006: First place cooking city championship (Munich, 2005), state championship (Bavaria, 2005) & champion of the country (Germany, 2006) during chef training
2006: First place in a competition for the “best fish recipe wanted“, run by food magazine Der Feinschmecker and liquor brand Linie Aqavit2011: International Eckart Witzigmann rookie award
2013: Promoted Chef of the Year, Rolling Pin Awards
2014: Discovery of the Year, Gault & Millau
2014: First Michelin star awarded
2015: Chef of the Year Feinschmecker (German magazine)
2016: Second Michelin star awarded
2017: Top 50 Chef, Schlemmer Atlas
2017: 8th place in Germany’s 50 Best Chefs by Rolling Pin magazine
2017: Chef of the Year, Rolling Pin Awards)
2018: 6th place in Germany’s 50 Best Chefs by Rolling Pin magazine
Currently hold: 18 Gault Millau points, 4.5 F rating, Der Feinschmecker, 2 Michelin Stars
How old were you when you started cooking professionally?
I was21 when I graduated from high school and started training to become a chef.
What’s your earliest and fondest first memory of food?
The beautiful set up of our family meals at home, when I was a young child.
Which chefs inspire you most and why?
There is not just one chef… Sergio Herman for his natural individual passion; Joachim Wissler for his discipline and structure; chefs like Alain Ducasse for their entrepreneurship; Jonnie Boer for running a 3-star restaurant and a hotel, etc. Every great chef has an aspect to be admired for!
What are your two favourite cookbooks and why?
Desire by Sergio Herman – because of the personal connection.
Ma cuisine française by Yannick Alleno – wonderful dishes with the main ingredient in focus, and beautiful images.
Which two ingredients could you not live without?
Kombu Seaweed
Bonito flakes
What is your favourite comfort food to cook at home?
White rice with Mabo Tofu
If you could eat at any Michelin star restaurant in the world today, where would it be and why?
Restaurant Frantzen in Stockholm, Sweden – I’ve heard so many positive reviews by colleagues, and now that I have had the chance to meet him, I am even more excited to visit his restaurant.
And who would you take as your guest?
Of course my family 😉 (my wife and two children)
What do you look for in a good chef?
Honest passion and the will for perfection
What advice would you give to chefs starting their career paths now?
Aim for where you want to be! That keeps you motivated in difficult situations. Don´t try to be a head chef too soon. A step like this must be well planned.
Tohru Nakamura is the Head Chef at Salon Rouge by Tohru Nakamura
Website: www.salonrouge-muc.de
Address: Burgstrabe 5, Munich, Germany
Telephone: +49 (0)89-215 291 72
Instagram: @tohrunakamura & @salonrouge_muc