The Luxury Travel Magazine
The Luxury Travel Magazine
A name that stands alone against Japan’s mostly male-dominated culinary scene is Natsuko Shoji, the furiously determined pastry chef and owner of Été. Since she opened her restaurant to the public in 2019, Shoji has managed to maintain a full restaurant every night of the week. Albeit, the restaurant only seats six, but the effort it takes to secure one of those seats seems to only add to the eatery’s coveted character.
Natsuko Shoji rose to fame when word got out about her mastery over fashion-inspired cakes. Her couture-creations eventually earned her the impressive title of ‘Asia’s best pastry chef’ in 2020, but Shoji’s rampage of prowess wasn’t about to let her stop there. In 2022, she was named ‘Asia’s best female chef’, a title that paired nicely alongside Été’s spot the same year on the ‘50 best’ restaurant list for Asia. Although Shoji has recently opened her services up to the general public, a reservation is still no easy feat, which is unsurprising considering Shoji’s clientele. A spot at Été’s countertop might sit you next to some of the world’s most a-list celebrities, David Beckham included.
Shoji’s first step into the world of fine dining came straight after high school, when she earned an entry level position at Florilege, a two-Michelin starred counter restaurant in Tokyo’s lively Shibuya ward. Before long, Shoji was promoted to sous chef, and it was only a little while after that Été came into existence. When Shoji opened Été, it was a one-table, pocket-sized establishment in which she only served invited acquaintances to come and dine- needless to say she had curated the most exclusive dining establishment in all of Tokyo. It wasn’t long before word had gotten out about the twenty-something, female culinary-pioneer, and Shoji’s name loitered in the mouths of Tokyo’s food lovers desperate to sample the product of the rumors. In December of 2019, Shoji relocated her coveted eatery a little closer to the greenery of Yoyogi Park, into a space more suitable to host guests.
Été’s unmarked entrance hidden in one of Tokyo’s quintessential, unassuming alleyways sends the unexpecting tourist elsewhere. Diners lucky enough to have a reservation, however, will be met by Shoji herself, who plays chef as well as server. The intimacy this promises is tempting to any admirer of Shoji’s impressive status within Tokyo’s restaurant scene. This gives guests the chance to discuss the intricacies of Shoji’s ever-changing menu with the curator herself, and receive recommendations from a small yet exciting wine selection full of hand-picked natural wines.
A reservation at Été will buy diners an omakase experience of ten set courses. Shijo changes her menu with the season, sticking with the dishes for long enough for her to ‘get to know them’ better, before moving on. Much like the falling leaves that indicate a migration from summer to autumn, Shoji’s regulation with the seasons allows her to ensure the best produce reaches her counter-top each time she invites guests inside to eat. No matter when a reservation comes around, expect to find Japanese-French dishes, with delicacies like Hokkaido sea urchin, Akagyo beef and kegani crab meat amongst other locally sourced treats. Shoji’s suppliers remain within a tight circle, and much of her sea-sourced ingredients come from entrusted friends at the local Tsukiji fish market.
Although Shijo has technically opened her doors to the likes of the average joe, obtaining a reservation at Été might still be off the cards for most- and here’s why. To gain access to Été’s reservation calendar, you must first purchase one of Shijo’s culinary works of art- her cakes. In the past, shoji’s creations were built in privacy, however her relocation has allowed her access to what she describes as a ‘cake lab’. This allows admiring customers to watch as she decorates her unique creations; half food, half artwork, embellished with everything from Nagano grapes to Okayama peaches. A cake by the hands of Tokyo’s best pastry chef will set you back; but it’s worth it for a seat at her coveted table.
Shijo’s desire was to create a n environment that- in its heart- feels like eating in the home of a French chef. For that reason, there is no wine list offered to diners. Instead, guests are offered the chance to venture into Été’s wine cellar, wherein reside an assortment of natural wines, mostly acquired from domains of French regions. This approach to wine-serving only deepens the intimacy of a dinner at Été, and a glance into the cellar of a culinary pioneer is nothing short of a priceless experience.
Whether its to sample some world-class catering, nosey around a wine cellar, or grill a pioneering female on her life in a male-dominated environment, Été is a restaurant not to be missed for anybody lucky enough to find themselves wandering the streets of Tokyo. Though attaining a reservation is not for the faint-hearted, this could be a restaurant you find yourself bragging about to foodies for years to come.
