OGATA Paris

About the Chef

Chef Hiroki Odo was born in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. After training at Kyoto Wakuden, one of Japan’s most prestigious Kaiseki restaurants, founded in 1870, Odo participated in the launch of Yakumo Saryo in Tokyo, now a highly acclaimed, exclusive dining and tea house. In 2012, Odo moved to New York and won a Michelin Star as the head chef at Kajitsu, the first restaurant to introduce authentic Shōjin Cuisine (a type of vegan cooking that originates in Zen Buddhism) in the U.S. In 2018, Odo became independent and opened his eponymous restaurant, Odo, which features a contemporary approach to Kaiseki cuisine. In 2020, Odo was awarded one Michelin star in its first year of eligibility, marking a major milestone for the restaurant. The following year, in 2023, Odo earned two Michelin stars, achieving this prestigious recognition for three consecutive years (2023, 2024 and 2025). He also opened his HALL, featuring creative cocktails and a wagyu hamburger menu. In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, he launched SUSHI MUSE, a sushi delivery service, and THE GALLERY by Odo opened in 2021 as a creative zone with the unique concept of fusing cuisine and art (or “interfacing between food and art”). In 2023 he opened Odo Lounge as his latest concept of a speakeasy and exclusive bar. In 2026, Chef Odo opened Odo East Village, with its brand new kaiseki-izakaya concept. Odo currently operates all six of these distinctively unique establishments in Manhattan. He is a Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador (⽇本⻝普及親善⼤使 ) appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan since 2024.

What inspired your decision to come to OGATA in Paris?

The decision to join OGATA Paris was inspired by Chef Odo's long-standing relationship with designer Shinichiro Ogata. They previously worked together to create Yakumo Saryo in Tokyo before going their separate ways to explore different worldviews. They worked together to create Odo, which eventually earned 2 Michelin stars, and recently Odo East Village. Chef Odo finds deep meaning in reuniting to work in the same space again after the passage of time. Furthermore, he views it as a fascinating challenge to express his cuisine in a new country, allowing him to explore the cultural differences between New York and Paris from his perspective as a Japanese chef.

Chef Odo is focusing on a seafood-centric kaiseki menu. He acknowledges a major environmental difference in the Parisian context: unlike New York, he cannot easily import fresh fish from Japan.Since most fresh fish available in Paris is sourced locally within France, he will need to work within these constraints, which are more restrictive than the diversity found in the abundant seafood environments of Japan or New York. He embraces this restriction as a true test of his culinary knowledge and skill. Instead, by committing to use only the best obtainable local French fish alongside wonderful local vegetables, he aims to serve his unique style of kaiseki and let Parisian diners experience true "Odo-ism."