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The world's first Japanese cha-kaiseki restaurant opens in Paris

undefined undefined 17 février 2023 undefined 15h03

undefined undefined 19 décembre 2023 undefined 13h45

The Editor

© Chakaiseki Akiyoshi

The first restaurant dedicated solely to the tea ceremony has just opened its doors in Paris, in the 15th arrondissement. A popular destination for Japanese cuisine, Chakaiseki Akiyoshi is the first of its kind to open outside of Japan.

The "cha-what"? Well, we admit, we didn't know what it was either. But we searched for you! The cha-kaiseki is a typically Japanese form of meal, consisting of several small dishes served all together or in succession, before the tea ceremony. It is a cuisine that is certainly traditional, but above all, gastronomic.
A new address specializing in this culinary art has just opened its doors in the 15th arrondissement and is called Chakaiseki Akiyoshi. It is the first restaurant in the world dedicated to cha-kaiseki, outside of Japan of course. Although we are really excited to try it, the restaurant is far from accessible: €240 for the chef's menu at lunch, €360 in the evening. At a minimum, you have to budget €120 (lunch) or €180 (dinner) for the reduced menu. A Japanese tea house in the heart of Paris. On its Instagram page, the restaurant describes cha-kaiseki as "the most traditional cuisine in Japan" and "the origin of all Japanese gastronomy". . Formerly consumed by samurais and Japanese monks, cha-kaiseki is said to "heal the mind and body" and "lead to Zen and meditation".

Good for the body and soul, perhaps, but it especially makes our mouths water. The meal is organized in several stages, starting at 7pm, with the Kumidashi, a bowl of hot water that purifies the mind. Then comes a sequence of small dishes in several stages: Tsubotsubo (a dish served in a pot), Meshi (rice), Shiru (soup), Sakizuke (a light dish based on vegetables), Mukozuke (seasonal sashimi), and more. You'll even get to try some wagashi, traditional Japanese pastries made from red bean paste, for dessert.

Once the dishes are consumed, the host prepares and serves the long-awaited matcha tea in a true choreography, and in front of a very silent audience. A ceremonial atmosphere fills the restaurant as the meal comes to an end.


A refined couture ambiance 

Opened on January 24th, the restaurant is hidden behind a discreet facade on Letellier street. With no windows to the outside and entirely covered in wood, the tea house is led by chef Yuichiro Akiyoshi, who has worked in a triple-starred establishment in Japan and is a master in the art of tea, which he has studied for almost twenty years.

In short, Chakaiseki Akiyoshi is a refined and somewhat timeless place. You come here to discover an immersive experience that you can't find anywhere else.

Chakaiseki Akiyoshi
59, rue Letellier – 15th
Open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 12pm to 2pm and from 7pm to 9pm
More information on the website ..