is a Japanese chef patissier at the
pâtisserie
A (), patisserie in French or pastry shop in English, is a type of bakery that specializes in pastries and sweets. In French language, French, the word ''pâtisserie'' also denotes a pastry as well as pastry-making.
While the making and selli ...
Sadaharu Aoki in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, France. He is known for using traditional Japanese ingredients and flavors in French-style pastries. His style is defined as a combination of minimalistic aesthetics with rigorous French techniques. He is also known as a food consultant for
Yumeiro Pâtissière
is a shōjo manga and anime series by Natsumi Matsumoto. It began serialization on September 3, 2008, in the October 2008 issue of ''Ribon''. The series ended on June 3, 2011, with a total of 12 ''tankōbon'' volumes. The manga won the 56th ...
manga, as claimed by the series author Natsumi Matsumoto.
Biography
After having graduated from Machida cooking School in
Machida, Tokyo
is a Cities of Japan, city located in West Tokyo, the western portion of the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 428,851, and a population density of 6,000 persons per km2. The total area of the city was .
Due to ...
, Aoki worked at Patisserie Chandon in Tokyo. In 1991, he moved to France where he began working at Jean Millet's and Pierre Couderc's restaurants in Paris. He also worked at three
Michelin star
The ''Michelin Guides'' ( ; ) are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tyre company Michelin since 1900. The ''Guide'' awards up to three Michelin stars for excellence to a select few restaurants in certain geographic ...
chef,
Frédy Girardet
Frédy Girardet (born 17 November 1936) is a Swiss chef who cooks in the French tradition. Often considered one of the greatest chefs of the 20th Century, his self-named restaurant Chez Girardet (now Restaurant de l'Hôtel de Ville) in Crissier, ...
's restaurant in
Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
.
In 1998, Aoki opened his first atelier in the
7th arrondissement of Paris
The 7th arrondissement of Paris (''VIIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 Arrondissements of Paris, arrondissements of the capital city of France. It is known for being, along with the 16th arrondissement and the ''commune'' of Neuilly-sur-Sein ...
which, in 1999, he moved to the
13th arrondissement of Paris
The 13th arrondissement of Paris (''XIIIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 Arrondissements of Paris, arrondissements of Paris. In spoken French, the arrondissement is referred to as ''le treizième'' ("the thirteenth").
The arrondissement is ...
. In this atelier, he began to make pastries for tea rooms, restaurants, hotels and receptions. He also began delivering his pastries to fashion brands such as
Kenzo,
Yohji Yamamoto
is a Japanese fashion designer based in Tokyo and Paris. Considered a master tailor alongside those such as Madeleine Vionnet, he is known for his avant-garde tailoring featuring Japanese design aesthetics.
Yamamoto has won notable awards fo ...
,
Chanel
Chanel ( , ) is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. It is privately owned by French brothers, Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, through the holding company Chanel Limited, established in 2018 and headquarte ...
,
Ungaro Ungaro is a surname, meaning 'of Hungarian people, Hungarian descent/origin'. Notable people with the surname include:
* Emanuel Ungaro (19332019), French fashion designer
* Gaetano Ungaro (born 1987, Reggio Calabria), Italian professional football ...
, and
Christian Dior
Christian Ernest Dior (; 21 January 1905 – 24 October 1957) was a French fashion designer and founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, Dior, Christian Dior SE. His fashion house is known all around the world, having gained promi ...
during the Paris Collection. In 1999, Aoki also took responsibility of the French office in the All Japan Confectionery Associations.
In 2003, he opened his second boutique in the
5th arrondissement of Paris
The 5th arrondissement of Paris (''Ve arrondissement'') is one of the 20 Arrondissements of Paris, arrondissements of Paris, the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as ''le cinquième''.
The arrondisseme ...
and in 2004, he opened another boutique in the Lafayette Gourmet section of French
department store
A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store under one roof, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store mad ...
,
Galeries Lafayette
Galeries Lafayette () is an upmarket French department store chain, the biggest in Europe. Its flagship store is on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris but it now operates a number of locations in France and other countries ...
.
Then in 2005, he was requested by the Japanese airline
All Nippon Airways
(ANA) is a Japanese airline headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. ANA operates services to both domestic and international destinations and is Japan's largest airline, ahead of its main rival flag carrier Japan Airlines. the airline has approximate ...
to serve desserts for its business class flights departing from Paris. It was in March 2005 that he opened his first boutique in Japan in
Marunouchi
Marunouchi () is an area in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, located between Tokyo Station and the Kokyo, Imperial Palace. The name, meaning "inside the circle", derives from its location within the palace's outer moat. Marunouchi is the core ...
, Tokyo. He opened his second Tokyo boutique in 2006 at the
Isetan
( unlisted on March 26, 2008, ) is a Japanese department store. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Isetan has branches throughout Japan and South East Asia, including in Jakarta, Jinan, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Shanghai, Singapore, Surabaya and Tianjin, ...
department store in
Shinjuku, Tokyo
, officially called Shinjuku City, is a special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world ( Shinjuku Station) as well as the Tokyo Metropol ...
.
In 2011, he was nominated as the Patissier of the Year by
Gilles Pudlowski
Gilles Pudlowski (born 15 November 1950 in Metz, Moselle) is a French journalist, writer, literary and gastronomic critic of Polish descent. He writes the blog ''les Pieds dans le Plat'', writes for ''Saveurs'', ''Cuisine et Vins de France'' and ...
. In this year, Aoki also collaborated with 3 Michelin Star chef,
Anne-Sophie Pic
Anne-Sophie Pic (, born 12 July 1969) is a French chef best known for regaining three Michelin stars for her restaurant, Maison Pic, in southeast France. She is the fourth female chef to win three Michelin stars, and was named the Best Female ...
, to participate in the
Salon du Chocolat
The Salon du Chocolat (Literally, Salon (gathering), Salon of Chocolate in French, but more loosely translated Paris Chocolate Show) is a yearly trade fair for the international chocolate industry.
Begun in 1994, the event is supported by the Cab ...
. In 2013, Aoki participated again in the Salon du Chocolat and was one of the 12
chocolatier
A chocolatier ( ; ; ) is a person or company that makes and sells chocolate confections. Chocolatiers are distinct from chocolate makers, who create chocolate from cacao beans and other raw ingredients. Chocolatiers work artisanally with pre- ...
s to win the highest ratings.
Two Japanese chocolatiers win awards in Paris
/ref>
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aoki, Sadaharu
1968 births
Living people
People from Tokyo