LaListe Japan Awards ceremony 2025

The sixth edition of the LaListe Japanese Awards was held at the residence of the French Ambassador to Japan, an evening marked by Franco-Japanese friendship. More than 300 guests, including over 60 chefs, hoteliers and gastronomy professionals, gathered to celebrate the authenticity and creativity of the emerging Japanese culinary scene.

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The ceremony, opened by Philippe Faure, founding president of LaListe, and Philippe Setton, French Ambassador to Japan, paid tribute to the Japanese finalists who will feature in the LaListe Top 1,000 World’s Best Restaurant 2026, each receiving the prestigious ‘Halo’ trophy by Bernardaud, a golden symbol of excellence and elegance across fine dining and refined Japanese traditions.

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LaListe began with a wish to shine a light on remarkable restaurants across genres and to celebrate the diversity of world gastronomy. In 2025, LaListe celebrates its 10th anniversary. By aggregating data from more than one thousand sources including media, expert reviews, and social networks, and evaluating it through a transparent algorithm, LaListe provides information with a global, balanced, and comprehensive perspective. The LaListe app seamlessly guides users to truly valuable restaurants, hotels, and pastry shops around the world from beloved neighborhood spots to refined dining destinations abroad. Excellence, openness, and innovation have been at the heart of LaListe for the past ten years. And this is only the beginning.

Philippe Faure

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LaListe also proudly announced the Japan Special Award winners for 2026, celebrating excellence, creativity, and commitment across all dimensions of gastronomy : 

Award of Honor - Chef Kei Kobayashi (Tokyo / Paris)

Artisan & Authenticity Award - Chef Koichi Amano, Tenzushi Kyomachiten (Fukuoka Prefecture)

Innovation Award - Chef Mei Kogo, Sushi Meino (Tokyo)

Game Changer Award -  Yuya Yamaji & Chef Ippei Tsuno, Dining 33 (Tokyo)

Talent of the Year Award - Chef Natsuki Suzuki, NAZ (Nagano Prefecture)

Talent of the Year Award - Chef Shinji Sugano, Ewig (Tokyo)

Ethical & Sustainability Award - Good Nature Hotel — General manager Moeko Kitada

Community Spirit Award - Chef Motohiro Yuzaki, Le Triskel (Hiroshima)

Sommelier & Service Award - Mr Takaaki Shimoya, Masumoto Co. Ltd (Tokyo)

Pastry Talent of the Year Award - Pastry Chef Toshihiro Tanaka, Vert (Tokyo)

Opening of the Year Award - Waldorf Astoria Osaka — General manager Andrew Moor & Director of operations Nobuhiro Yoshimoto

Guests enjoyed an elegant cocktail reception prepared by the Chef of the Ambassador’s Residence, in collaboration with LaListe’s international partners, including Truffes Laumont, Kaviari, and others.

The night ended with a joyful “Kampai!” and the traditional group photo marking another memorable chapter of the LaListe 2025 Asia Tour.

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