![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kib.png\")
Chef Ugo\u00a0Perret-gallix<\/p>\nIn the recently released\u00a0Michelin Guide Tokyo 2026, one familiar name popped up in the list of new one-star restaurants\u2014and I nearly jumped out of my chair in delight.<\/p>\n
It was\u00a0Kibun, a discreet modern restaurant tucked away in Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo. The exterior is so unassuming that I almost arrived late searching for the entrance, yet once inside, the space opened up like a hidden sanctuary. Behind the white wood counter stood\u00a0Ugo, Chef of Kibun.
\nBefore its Michelin recognition, I had always believed Kibun to be one of Tokyo\u2019s most underrated restaurants.<\/p>\nChef Ugo\u00a0Perret-gallix<\/p>\n
The\u00a0menu of that day started with spear\u00a0squid\u00a0\u201cpasta\u201d\u00a0intertwined with strands of pumpkin somen, coated by\u00a0emulsified sauce of\u00a0passion fruit\u00a0that resembled a carbonara. The natural sweetness of the squid melded perfectly with the tropical tang of the fruit, and the lively fragrance of pepper added a playful accent.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kib1.png\")
Squid, Pumpkin Somen, Passion Fruit<\/p>\n
I first discovered Kibun because of Chef Ugo\u2019s signature dish:\u00a0b\u014dzushi (roll sushi).\u00a0For\u00a0me it\u2019s literally a work of art: extremely neat layers of ingredients and when cut into pieces, the mesmerizing cross-section always\u00a0reminds me of the textbook-perfect\u00a0P\u00e2t\u00e9\u00a0en Cro\u00fbte\u00a0by Chef\u00a0Karen Torosyan, the 2-Michelin-star chef of Bozar in Brussels, who is best known for his puff pastry dishes.<\/p>\n
Besides being\u00a0Kibun\u2019s signature dish, the\u00a0b\u014dzushi\u00a0also reflects the seasons. The ingredients change with time, and on my visit, it featured\u00a0takabe fish. Caught from June to September, opaque fat gradually transitioned to blushing pink flesh, with the translucent rice grain glistening under the light, all neatly rolled in kombu. The fragrance of ginger, vinegar, and sansho pepper lifted the flavor elegantly, while the refined fattiness lingered delicately on the tongue\u2014no less indulgent than the much-hyped sanma of the same season.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kib2.png\")
Takabe B\u014dzushi<\/p>\n
Still savoring the\u00a0b\u014dzushi,\u00a0I suddenly heard the rhythmic sound of a knife at work. Looking up, it was Chef Ugo expertly handling a\u00a0hamo (pike conger)\u2014a prized summer fish in Japan\u2014performing the\u00a0honegiri\u00a0(bone-cutting) technique with precision. Traditionally, it takes years of training at a traditional Japanese restaurant to master this. Yet here was this young French chef, confident and poised, slicing like a Kyoto veteran\u2014and indeed, he once trained at the three-star kaiseki restaurant\u00a0Kikunoi Honten.
\nThe hamo\u00a0was poached then layered with fig oil, salt, and yuzu zest. Beneath it was grilled eggplant, chosen specifically for its dense texture and low moisture content, creating a clear contrast in mouthfeel. The accompanying\u00a0tade\u00a0sauce\u2014made with figs simmered in white wine, mixed with vinegar\u2014added a plum-like tartness that deepened the fish's subtle aroma.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kib3.png\")
Hamo, Fig, Eggplant<\/p>\n
Have you had a cold\u00a0wanmono\u00a0before?\u00a0In order to evoke the refreshing coolness of summer, Ugo created a version without the use of traditional dashi ingredients like kelp or bonito flakes. Instead, he drew out umami purely from vegetables. The star was starchy dark-skinned pumpkin from Chiba with remarkable sweetness.\u00a0After salting and steaming, the pumpkin was peeled and deseeded, where the\u00a0skin\u00a0and\u00a0seeds\u00a0were used to make a clear broth together with some herbs. Finished only with traditional Japanese seasonings and topped with\u00a0jun-sai\u00a0(water shield) from Akita, the soup was pristine and soothing.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kib4.png\")
Pumpkin Wanmono<\/p>\n
The following\u00a0zucchini dish\u00a0carried a Middle Eastern twist. Beautifully caramelized on the outside yet juicy inside, it was seasoned with za'atar, the spice blend centered on sumac, and paired with\u00a0burrata cheese,\u00a0house-made karasumi, and seaweed powder. The harmony of za\u2019atar\u2019s aromatic tang, olive oil\u2019s fruitiness, and burrata\u2019s milky richness created a sauce that is complex yet beautifully balanced.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kib5.png\")
Zucchini, Burrata, Za'atar<\/p>\n
But my favorite dish of the evening was the\u00a0ainame (fat greenling)\u00a0from Aomori. Not to mention its incredibly juicy, fatty flesh and\u00a0gelatinous\u00a0skin, what truly elevated the dish, however, was the sauce\u2014a delicate fusion of fish stock,\u00a0tomatillo, and\u00a0bergamot. The brightness of the citrus softened the acidity of the tomatillo, while the umami-rich broth lent depth and roundness, reminiscent of South American style of cooking. I mopped up every last drop with the accompanying bread.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kib6.png\")
Ainame, Tomatillo<\/p>\n
Next came\u00a0homemade pasta, perfectly al dente, with confit kumquats accentuating the briny sweetness of clams and squid. The\u00a0veal main course\u00a0that followed was impeccably cooked\u2014tender and pink\u2014with anchovies and\u00a0tomato\u00a0ragu enriched with capers, fennel, and mint, evoking the breezy freshness of the Mediterranean coast.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kib7.png\")
Clam Pasta, Veal with anchovies<\/p>\n
I noticed the word 'paprika'\u00a0on the dessert menu,\u00a0and blinked twice to make\u00a0sure\u00a0I wasn\u2018t misreading. After all, paprika is rare to see in desserts.<\/p>\n
But the dish exceeded every expectation. A\u00a0warm chocolate ganache\u00a0topped with\u00a0hazelnut sponge cake\u00a0soaked in saffron syrup, a\u00a0paprika and shiso sorbet, and a\u00a0saffron sabayon\u00a0accented with white miso and elderflower vinegar. The Colombian chocolate carried both floral and nutty notes, harmonizing beautifully with rest of the elements, while the airy sabayon tied everything together. Warm and cold, sweet and\u00a0tart, savory\u00a0and\u00a0bitter\u2014all blending seamlessly in one astonishing mouthful.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kib8.png\")
Saffron, Chocolate, Paprika<\/p>\n
Out of curiousity, I asked Chef Ugo how he thought of pairing chocolate and paprika. He shrugged and replied casually,\u201cYou know\u00a0chili\u00a0and\u00a0chocolate\u00a0works, right? Since paprika and chili are from the same\u00a0big family\u2014I just thought it should work too.\u201d\u00a0I couldn\u2019t help but smile. What seemed whimsical was actually rooted in logic\u2014creativity anchored by intuition.<\/p>\n
In fact, this\u00a0might\u00a0define Ugo\u2019s\u00a0style of cooking: unexpected, yet undeniably makes perfect sense.<\/p>\n
At just 35, Chef Ugo has trained at multiple Michelin two- and three-star restaurants across France, Kyoto, and Tokyo. After two formative years at Kyoto\u2019s three-star\u00a0Kikunoi Honten, he joined\u00a0ESqUISSE\u00a0in Tokyo\u00a0and became the head chef in 2020.\u00a0Kibun, which opened in 2024, was selected\u00a0by the\u00a0Michelin Guide\u00a0within six months after its opening\u2014and now, it has officially earned its first star.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kib9.png\")
Chef Ugo\u00a0Perret-gallix<\/p>\n
If you ask me how to categorize Kibun, I\u2019d say that simply\u00a0\u201cfrench-japanese fusion\u201d\u00a0does not do it justice. Perhaps\u00a0\u201cBorderless\u201d\u00a0would be more accurate.<\/p>\n
Somehow\u201cNext Gen Chef\u201d, a\u00a0recent\u00a0Netflix\u00a0culinary competition show also popped up in my mind. One contestant\u00a0\u2014\u00a0a sous-chef at Per Se\u2014was highly skilled and technically flawless, yet often received the same critique:\u00a0\u201c10\/10 delicious, but we couldn\u2019t tell it's you\u00a0.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ugo, on the other hand, besides making food that is delicious, always shows his own identity\u00a0in every single dish and you can immediately tell.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kib10.png\")
Chef Ugo\u00a0Perret-gallix<\/p>\n
In fact, a few days after my meal, I happened to run into Chef Ugo again. When I earnestly told him how deeply his cooking moved me, he smiled shyly and said,\u201cMany guests ask how I define my cuisine\u2026\u00a0but honestly, I don\u2019t know.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
But so what?\u00a0As I\u00a0was writing this article,\u00a0Kibun\u00a0had just officially earned its first Michelin star. With a team of only four, the restaurant has quietly refined its craft, dish by dish\u2014and today, their perseverance has finally been rewarded. Seeing Chef Ugo\u2019s tearful eyes on stage, I was overwhelmed with emotion.
\nAfter all, cuisine like his transcends definition\u2014because true artistry, just like\u00a0Kibun, knows no borders.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kibun.png\")
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