Tragic promise drove world's first Michelin-starred woman sushi chef

By AFP/Marine DO-VALE

Chizuko Kimura has become the first female sushi chef in the world to win a Michelin star, fulfilling a promise she made to her dying husband to continue his legacy.

The 54-year-old Japanese chef regained the Michelin star her late husband Shunei Kimura won three years ago for their Sushi Shunei restaurant in Paris.

For Shunei, the star was a dream come true. However, the joy was shortlived. He died from cancer just three months later in June 2022 aged 65. The following year, the restaurant in the heart of Montmartre lost its star.

Kimura insisted that the new star is still down to her husband. "If Shunei had never received a star, I wouldn't have been particularly attached to obtaining one myself," she told AFP.

"But he was proud that his restaurant was recognised. So this star has become very important to me," she said in her tiny traditional "sushiya", which only seats nine.

The Michelin was glowing in its praise, saying a "sensorial journey is guaranteed thanks to the dexterity with which the nigiri are made, the use and working of superb fish and the subtle seasoning."

But Chizuko Kimura never set out to be a top chef, only falling into the business when her husband, who had worked in France for decades, decided to open his own restaurant.

"He was already ill at that time, and that's when I started helping him. I was working as a tour guide and lost my job due to Covid," she said.

She learned at his side how to cut the fish, cook the rice and how to run the restaurant while caring for him as he grew iller.

"I got better day by day and I still train on my days off. I am always studying," she said, travelling back to Japan when she can to continue her training there.

After her husband's passing, Kimura took over the reins of the restaurant. She strengthened her team by hiring master sushi chef Takeshi Morooka, refined the dining experience by adding "tsumamis" (small appetisers typically served with sake) to the menu, modified the rice recipe, and updated the cooking equipment.

Three years later, Sushi Shunei regained its Michelin star. "My first goal is to maintain this star," Kimura said, "and to keep it, we must strive to offer even better service and ensure impeccable quality."

Traditionally, becoming a master sushi chef requires at least a 10-year apprenticeship. Kimura got her star in just five.

"If this recognition can inspire or encourage other women, I will be very happy," she said.

And she's not stopping there. Her goal now is to surpass her husband's achievements as a tribute to his work and his memory.