Soiree Restaurant

Internationally renowned for his artistic, innovative cuisine, Kenzo Takahasi is one of the world’s leading chefs. Acclaimed by critics as “formidably gifted,” his culinary vision has consistently set new standards for today’s best chefs.

Chef Takahasi was born and raised in Kyoto, Japan. From a very young age, he was fascinated with the seemingly endless variety of foods around the world, and he dreamed of learning as much as he could about combining flavors to make new, spectacular combinations. Hailed as a child prodigy, he began his formal culinary training at age fourteen with an intensive apprenticeship at a Kyoto restaurant specializing in innovative Japanese cuisine. He later studied at the renowned Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, where his dedication and passion earned him positions in several of France’s finest kitchens.

After developing his talents in France for six years, Chef Takahasi returned to Kyoto to open his first restaurant, Epitomé, which showcased his now signature fusion of French and Japanese flavors. His creative cooking quickly earned the attention of gourmands the world over; within a year, Epitomé was named one of the top ten French-inspired restaurants in Japan. With this initial success under his belt, Chef Takahasi opened three new restaurants in Asia within the next five years, including the wildly successful Fusion in Tokyo’s fashionable Shibuya district and a second Epitomé in Bangkok, Thailand.

In 1989, he expanded his culinary empire to the United States, opening the legendary Vigne in Beverly Hills. Vigne was an instant success and became a magnet for wine connoisseurs, foodies, and celebrities alike. Vigne earned a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 1990 and a place on the New York Times’ Top Ten Restaurant Destinations in the world in 1991. That same year, he launched Kenzo in Manhattan, which once again won him numerous accolades. Kenzo is credited with redefining Asian haute cuisine on the East Coast and inspiring a sushi craze in Manhattan that still rages to this day. He penned two bestselling cookbooks: Kenzo: The Cookbook (1995) and Takahasi Fusion: Classic French Cuisine with Japanese Flair (1998).

In 2000, he ducked out of the spotlight, selling his restaurant empire for a record-setting $215 million so he could spend more time exploring new culinary techniques. He continued serving the global restaurant scene as a behind-the-scenes menu consultant, creating some of the decade’s most innovative and well-received menus for restaurateurs the world over. In 2004, he returned to the kitchen, launching the glitzy Saketini Lounge in Philadelphia’s trendy Old City neighborhood, and this September saw the opening of his true post-retirement coming out party with the new Bryn Mawr hot spot, Soirée.

Chef Takahasi resides outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with his wife and daughter.