chef
RYOTAKATSUKA, CHEF DE CUISINE
It was from his childhood home in Toyama, a coastal city along the Sea of Japan, that Chef Ryo Takatsuka found fascination in the culinary arts and a curious draw to the kitchen.
Shortly after high school, a young, passionate Takatsuka’s love for Italian food propelled a bold move to Tuscany, straight into the kitchens of Pistoia and Siena, where the local dishes instructed his learning of the Italian language.
The young chef spent the next ten years in Italy, mastering the heart and essence of Italian cuisine at restaurants including the acclaimed Ristorante Il Sogno di Angelo in La Spezia and Hotel Eden La Terrazza in Rome. He found his mentor in Chef Giancarlo Perbellini in Verona, working his way up to Sous Chef and earning the restaurant two Michelin stars.
In 2008, Chef Ryo returned to his native Japan to assume his first Chef de Cuisine position as Head Chef for the highly acclaimed Ristorante YAMAZAKI in Tokyo, where he created an award-winning reputation for authentic Italian cuisine.