Where a Local Michelin-Star Chef Eats in Tokyo

Welcome to The Relisher’s fourth Tokyo edition! This week I met with Guillaume Bracaval—chef of Est, the Michelin-starred restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi, widely regarded as one of the best French restaurants in the city.

Chef Bravacal trained at Paris’ most iconic three-Michelin-star institutions including L’Arpège under Alain Passard, Ledoyen, and L’Ambroisie. In 2020, he opened Est, which received its first Michelin star within a year and has maintained its standing ever since.

Below, the chef—who has lived in Tokyo for over 15 years—shares his favorite places in the city: from sushi restaurants and the restaurants he takes chef friends visiting Tokyo, to his favorite matcha and traditional Japanese desserts café, and more. A Google Map with all of the locations is provided at the end of the interview.

What makes this Tokyo edition special is how insider it feels. Guillaume’s picks reflect both his 15 years of living in Tokyo and his eye as a Michelin-starred chef—recommendations you won’t come across anywhere else.

He doesn’t just share where to eat sushi—he explains the small details, from how chefs season their rice to how tempura oil is switched between courses. His perspective opens up parts of Tokyo dining that most visitors would completely miss.