There’s a certain light that follows Chef Thierry Voisin, a sense of joy and warmth that instantly fills the room.
Born in Tours, France, his culinary journey began at the age of 14, and by 16 he was already working in the kitchen of Auberge du Lac in Moncontour. It was there, in the French countryside, that he met the chef who would forever shape his approach to leadership. Every morning, Chef Gérard (then about 60 years old) would prepare coffee for his team before the day began. It was a small act, yet one that spoke volumes. That moment stayed with him, not just as nostalgia, but also as a philosophy.
Decades later, as Chef de Cuisine at Les Saisons in the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo where he has led his team since 2005, that same spirit lives on. His kitchen runs on mutual respect, care, and genuine connection — values that also inspired him to start the Teikoku Hotel Running Club, a way to keep his team close and connected both in and out of the kitchen.
From his formative years at the legendary Les Crayères in Reims to twenty years showcasing French culinary heritage with Japanese grace, Chef Thierry has remained steadfast in his belief that cooking is an act of love, one that connects people far more deeply than words ever could.
And when he’s not orchestrating flavors in the kitchen, you might be surprised to find him behind a drum kit in Tokyo (something that delightfully surprises us too), keeping rhythm with the same joy and passion that have defined his career. We were lucky to catch him right before his dinner service to chat about his go-to spots to eat, drink, and do in Tokyo as well as the local profiles that inspire him. Here’s Thierry’s personal city guide (consider it your insider’s pass).
– Featured image credit: Imperial Hotel, Tokyo –
Get to Know Chef Thierry in His Own Words
“Hi, I’m Thierry Voisin, and I am the chef here at Les Saisons. I started working when I was 16, after finishing culinary school, which I had started at 14. My first job was in a small countryside restaurant about 100 km from Tours, called Auberge du Lac in Moncontour. That was an important moment in my life when I met the chef there, Gérard.”
“He was a very important person in my life. We all worked hard and stayed in the same house, waking up early every morning. I remember at 7 a.m., the chef himself would prepare coffee for his staff, and when your chef makes your coffee, it changes the way you work for him. I was ready to give everything for this man, you know? [laughs] Looking back, he truly shaped my career.”
“After that, I worked in a château for two years, then spent one year in the French army at 20, as it was mandatory. I returned to the château for another two years before moving to Paris to work at the restaurant of Jean-Paul Duquesnoy. He was incredible, the restaurant had two Michelin stars, and I learned so much about technique there.”
“Then, on 6 September 1988, I met one of the most important people in my life, Gérard Boyer. He was the chef and owner of Les Crayères, a three-star restaurant. I stayed there for 16 years, from age 24 to 40, and it was a fantastic time for me. When he left, I decided to come to Japan. I remember it was just two days after leaving Les Crayères that I received the opportunity to work at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo. I arrived here in 2005, and it’s been 20 years now. For me, it felt like a new love story, and when I met the team, I felt that same sense of passion again.”
“You can imagine that the feeling of love is very important to me. For the last 45 years, every morning I wake up with the same goal and that is to cook well and bring love to our customers. That’s my daily project. I work with my heart, and that’s my greatest pleasure.”
Why Tokyo Should Be on Everyone’s RADARLIST
“You know, Tokyo has over 40 million people, which was a big change for me since I was born in a small town in France. But you don’t really feel the crowd here. Everything is so neat and clean. Life is sweet. If I had to describe Japan in one word, it would be respect. Everybody respects everybody, and that makes a big difference.”
“In Tokyo, you can find every cuisine in the world – French, Italian, Chinese, Spanish, Turkish, Indian – everything! And it’s all so good. When they open a French restaurant, for example, they spend years in France learning and understanding the philosophy of the cuisine before bringing it back to Tokyo. The best bourguignon I’ve ever had is also here in Tokyo. Really, when you love to eat, Tokyo is heaven.”
Must-Dine Spots
“One of my best is a sushi restaurant called Sushi Kidoguchi. I love this place. It’s so reasonable for lunch, about 30 euros for wonderful sushi prepared fresh right in front of you. That’s really amazing.”
“I also have a favorite yakitori place,Yakitori Toriyoshi in Akasaka. One of the things I love about this restaurant is their lighting. There are two counters, one downstairs and one upstairs, but I prefer the first floor. The lighting is sweet, cozy, and warm.”
“For French food, there are two restaurants I love. One is Lugdunum Bouchon Lyonnais in Kagurazaka, owned by French chef Christophe Paucod. It’s classic French bistro cooking. The other is Bistrot Bar a vin Kodama in Shibuya. The food is incredible. It’s also very simple. The chef works alone with just one other person for service.”
“I also love a Chinese restaurant called Chinese Ramen Yoshu-Shonin Akasaka. I go there every week or every other week, and they always know what I want. The price is great too.”
“For a long time, I didn’t like pizza, but I found one place in Tokyo that changed my mind, it’s called Esse Due, a small Italian restaurant. They cook the pizzas in a wood oven right in front of you, and the taste is incredible.”
Must-Do Activities
“For must-do activities, I have a place I love to go, which is a rock bar called Rock Bar Bauhaus. I play drums, and I go there sometimes alone and sometimes with my band. We are four French guys with one Australian girl as our singer, and we play standard rock. Our band name is Camille Vacherole et Les Tracteurs à Diesel. What I love about this bar is that the person serving you beer can be on stage playing drums just ten minutes later. It’s really cool. If you go to Tokyo, you have to check out the rock bars, they’re incredible!”
“I also run a lot. During summer, I run about 30 km a week, and in winter, 40–50 km. It’s a great workout, and once you start, you can’t stop [laughs]. I also started THORC, which stands for Teikoku Hotel Running Club. Teikoku means “imperial” in Japanese, and I am the Kaicho, which means president. With my team in the kitchen and service, we run together in the morning. It reminds me of 45 years ago when I worked with my first chef, Gérard, who was 60. I’m 61 now, and, like he did, I take care of the young people in my team by running together. It changes the way we work with each other. It’s as though I’m continuing the circle Chef Gérard started with me, just in my own way.”
“Besides running and the rock band, I also love golfing. Well, I don’t just like it, I love it [laughs]. I have two favorite spots, which are Taiheiyo Club Narita Course and Katsuura Tokyu Golf Course.”
Must-Follow Profiles
“When I arrived 20 years ago, the Executive Chef was Kenichiro Tanaka, someone I have a great deal of admiration for. Now, Imperial Hotel Tokyo’s current Executive Chef, Yu Sugimoto, is also very important to me. He’s an exceptional chef. I’ve worked for 45 years and met many talented people, and I’m very impressed by Sugimoto.”
“He started at the Imperial Hotel around age 20 at Les Saisons, then worked in France and England for over ten years before returning to the Imperial. He’s incredibly talented, not just in cooking technique, but also in team management.”
“Another person to follow is Chef Giorgio Diana. [To give you a bit of backstory, we met Chef Thierry through Giorgio’s event in Bangkok, Dinner Incredible 2025.] Although he’s not in Tokyo, I highly recommend following him. He’s incredible, positive, and full of energy.”