Gucci Osteria Tokyo Receives First Michelin Star
STARRY COURSE: Gucci has secured one more win in the fashion hospitality game that is increasingly heating up.
After Florence, Italy, and Beverly Hills, California, the Gucci Osteria in Tokyo, Japan has also turned into a one-Michelin-star culinary destination. The restaurant, which opened last year on the fourth level of the Gucci Namiki building in Ginza, has been acknowledged in the 2023 edition of the renowned Michelin Guide Tokyo.
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Under the leadership of head chef Antonio Iacoviello, Gucci Osteria Tokyo explores a contemporary cuisine bringing together Italian gastronomic traditions with local Japanese ingredients and techniques. A traveler and explorer himself, Iacoviello inventively reimagined dishes combining both cultures, as seen for example in the evocative “The Parmigiana that wants to become a Ramen” and “Babà in Okinawa” delicacies.
The menu also includes signature Gucci Osteria dishes, such as the Emilia burger and the tortellini with Parmigiano Reggiano cream.
Iacoviello’s approach is his unique interpretation of the philosophy of Gucci Osteria, a format conceived and curated by star chef Massimo Bottura, who is also a childhood friend of Gucci president and chief executive officer Marco Bizzarri.
“Since I arrived in Japan, I have never missed an opportunity to travel, explore and taste, trying to combine new experiences and new products with my Italian memory,” said Iacoviello, who defined the acknowledgement “a dream come true.” He additionally thanked Bottura for entrusting him with the project and credited his team for the “courage, patience and sacrifice.”
The fine-dining experience offered by Iacoviello is enhanced by the sophisticated interiors of the restaurant, which evoke the design of the seminal Gucci Osteria in Florence. Key elements marking the space include its hand-painted wood flooring, vibrant green wood paneling and plush, peacock blue velvet chairs.
Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura launched at the Gucci Garden in Florence in 2018, followed by the outposts in Beverly Hills and Tokyo in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Earlier this year, the format also debuted in Seoul, South Korea, on the top floor of the Gucci Gaok flagship located in the typically bustling — though it recently faced tragedy with a deadly stampede — Itaewon district.
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