Yoshihiro Murata

Born as the first son to a family operating the long-standing Kikunoi Restaurant in Gion, Kyoto, while still a University student Murata traveled to France to train in the techniques of French cuisine. After returning to his family home in Kyoto in 1976 he opened the Kikunoi Kiyamachi Restaurant and won critical acclaim for his own style of Kaiseki cuisine. His three restaurants now hold a total of seven Michelin stars between them. Dedicated to communicating Japanese cuisine to the world by educating the younger generations, he is also President of the Japanese Culinary Academy, a not-for profit organization. His efforts have contributed to the addition of Japanese cuisine to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Murata was awarded the Order of Culture by Japanese Emperor in 2019. He also holds the Medal of Honour with Yellow Ribbon in 2018.