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Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Meet Chizuko Kimura, the first female sushi chef to earn a Michelin star—and the woman who honored her husband's legacy
Image: In the world of sushi, tradition runs deep, and for the longest time, that tradition didn't include women behind the counter. But Chizuko Kimura wasn't having it. She quietly (and skillfully) carved her way into one of the most male-dominated culinary spaces and came out with one of the world's top honors: a Michelin star. That's right—Kimura is the first female sushi chef to earn a Michelin star, and her story is every bit as bold as her sushi. While sushi chefs are often portrayed as stern-faced men wielding knives like samurai, Kimura brings a calm presence and razor-sharp technique that's just as commanding. Her journey wasn't easy. For years, women in Japan were told they couldn't be sushi chefs because of outdated beliefs. Some claimed women's hands were 'too warm' and would ruin the fish. Others cited superstition or tradition as reasons to keep women out of the sushi world entirely. But Kimura didn't just challenge that, thinking she destroyed it with every perfectly formed piece of nigiri she served. She trained relentlessly, worked quietly, and let her food speak louder than any stereotype. Kimura's dedication to her craft caught the attention of the Michelin Guide, which awarded her restaurant a star making her the first woman in the sushi world to reach such a height. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unsold And Never Used SUV Is Almost Given Away (See Price) Luxury SUV Deals | Search Ads Search Now Undo It wasn't just a win for her, but for every aspiring female chef who has been told 'no' because of tradition or gender. Kimura proved that talent has no gender and that great sushi is about skill, not who's holding the knife. Chizuko Kimura grew up near the ocean in Odawara, Japan, where seafood wasn't just dinner it was a way of life. While she didn't grow up cooking, her family meals were filled with the aroma of soy sauce and fresh fish vivid memories she says still linger in her nose and taste buds In 2004, she moved to Paris as a tour guide. One fateful evening, she wandered into a sushi bar and met her future husband, Shunei Kimura, who was working behind the counter. They married a year later and dreamed of sharing traditional Edomae-style sushi with the world Shunei spent decades honing his craft in Paris before opening Sushi Shunei in 2021 on Montmartre. Unfortunately, he was battling liver cancer during the final stretch. As Shunei's health declined, Chizuko stepped in learning sushi-making, rice seasoning, and running the restaurant while caring for him. She did all this with zero formal training, just observing and absorbing every detail he taught her In 2022, Sushi Shunei earned its first Michelin star—Shunei's dream came true. Just three months later, he passed away. Chizuko vowed to keep the restaurant going to honor his legacy—and ultimately re-earned the Michelin star in 2025, becoming the first female sushi chef in history to do so Chizuko Kimura isn't just a trailblazer—she's a reminder that tradition can evolve, that excellence isn't bound by gender, and that sometimes the most powerful statements are made one bite at a time.
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
She made a promise to her dying husband. Now, Chizuko Kimura is the first female sushi chef to earn a Michelin star.
Before he died, sushi chef Shunei Kimura had one last wish for his wife. Sushi Shunei, his namesake Paris restaurant, had just earned a Michelin star three months prior. He wanted its legacy to live on. Chizuko Kimura had only begun cooking a year before, helping her husband in the kitchen as he underwent cancer treatment. But she honored his dying wish. Three years later, Kimura became the first woman to receive a Michelin star as a sushi chef. Kimura told Business Insider she "couldn't believe it" when she first heard the news. Now, she's sharing her story in the hopes it will show women that anything is possible. Love with a side of sushi Kimura grew up in Odawara, about an hour from Tokyo. The ocean was nearby, so fresh seafood was always on her family's dinner table. "I still remember the smell of soy sauce that always filled the kitchen, so familiar and comforting," Kimura said. "I wasn't cooking yet, but those memories stayed with me — in my nose and on my tongue." "I grew up in an environment where food had an important place," she added. "Even though I never imagined I would work in that field one day." Kimura moved to Paris to begin working as a travel agent. One fateful day in 2004, she went to a sushi restaurant and met her future husband, who was working at the counter. A year later, they were married. Shunei Kimura spent three decades working at sushi restaurants before he decided to open his own at the age of 63. "He ended up fulfilling his two dreams: to open an edomae sushi restaurant under his name in Paris, and to earn a Michelin star," Kimura said about her husband. A new career Sushi Shunei was scheduled to open in 2020, but was delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kimura had been a tour guide but lost her job when much of the world went into lockdown, so she helped her husband open the restaurant. "He never said to me, 'Learn how to make sushi,'" Kimura recalled. "But he showed me everything, and I observed everything. I learned to prepare the fish, to cook the rice, to follow every detail." It was a crash course for a craft that typically takes a decade or more to perfect. But Kimura's husband had been diagnosed with liver cancer in 2015 and was getting sicker. "Normally, it takes many years to become a sushi chef, but I had to do it because Shunei couldn't use his hands sometimes," Kimura said. "Every day by his side was a learning experience. Even while sick, he never stopped teaching." Sushi Shunei opened on June 9, 2021, on Montmartre's hill in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. Nine months later, the traditional sushiya received its first Michelin star in the 2022 Michelin Guide. "He never complained, and no customer ever knew he was sick," Kimura said. "He received that star at the age of 65, three months before his passing." One last promise Kimura told BI that before her husband died, he asked her to keep his legacy alive with the restaurant. "He said to me, 'Could you keep this restaurant forever?'" Kimura recalled. "I have to continue. It's my duty." She even kept the restaurant open on the day he died. "I continued, because I knew that's what he wanted," Kimura said. "It wasn't a matter of strength. It was for him." However, it wasn't an easy transition, and Sushi Shunei lost its Michelin star in 2023. "It was a shock. I felt as if I had lost Shunei a second time," Kimura said. "I thought there might be no chance of getting the star back, but I didn't give up." "I turned that pain into obsession," she added. "I had to get it back. Not for me — for him." A star is born Kimura hired sushi chef Takeshi Morooka to help as she continued to hone her skills, even training at Michelin-starred restaurants in Japan. "Every morning, I got up to work. I continued day after day, without pause, I never stopped," Kimura said. "I told myself, 'I must give it my all. I must go all the way.' There was no alternative." "The customers were a great support," she added. "Some came several times just to encourage me. They told me they believed in me. Those words gave me courage." All that hard work paid off. When the 2025 Michelin Guide came out in March, the star was next to Sushi Shunei's name once again. Kimura was now not only a Michelin-starred chef but also the first female sushi chef in the world to earn such a distinction. "I thought of him, of Shunei," Kimura said. "I felt, deep inside, that I had not betrayed his memory. For me, this is not a new star — it's Shunei's star that I managed to win back. I only continued what we had started together." Kimura is committed to keeping that star next to Sushi Shunei's name. She hopes it will inspire women and anyone who has been told "that it was too late, or impossible." "Talent has no gender — only work and courage," Kimura said. "Maybe it seemed unthinkable that at age 50, I would begin a career as a sushi chef without ever having cooked before. But what Shunei passed on to me is faith in work and in determination." "If you hold on, if you believe in what you're doing, anything becomes possible," she added. "That is the greatest lesson."
Asahi Shimbun
12-06-2025
- Health
- Asahi Shimbun
Michelin-starred sushi chef in Paris honors vow to dying husband
Chizuko Kimura, the first Michelin-starred female sushi chef in the French edition of the Michelin Guide ((c) 11h45) PARIS--A sushi chef for only a few years, Chizuko Kimura became so adept at the craft that her restaurant here won a Michelin star. She had a huge motivation to make culinary history: a promise she made to her dying husband. Sushi Shunei, a small restaurant with a counter that seats nine, is located along a quiet street on the Montmartre hill in northern Paris. It becomes full every day as soon as it opens at 7 p.m. Dressed in a white garment, Kimura, 55, welcomes customers from the 'tsukeba' kitchen workstation, where she prepares authentic Edomae sushi, or Tokyo-style sushi cuisine. The restaurant was opened by her husband, Shunei, whom she married in 2005. Fascinated by France, he moved to the country in the 1980s and learned cooking skills in several restaurants. He became a sushi chef and decided to open his own place in 2020. After his plans were delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he realized his dream in 2021 of opening an Edomae sushi restaurant named after himself in the City of Lights. It was an immediate success, and Sushi Shunei was awarded a star from the Michelin Guide the following year. Kimura, who loves religions, arts and cultures of foreign countries, had been working as a tour guide for many years. She took a hiatus from her work during the pandemic but intended to resume her career when her husband's restaurant opened. However, she devoted herself to helping Shunei prepare food at Sushi Shunei. HIDDEN ILLNESS Shunei had been diagnosed with liver cancer in 2015, but he continued working without telling others about his illness. The side effects of anti-cancer drugs prevented him from moving his hands smoothly, so Kimura filleted the fish at his direction. Although he was always cheerful, Shunei would search the internet for information about the life expectancy of cancer patients. He kept telling his wife not to worry because he was sure he would recover from his sickness. Kimura believed in his reassuring words. But he died at age 65 in June 2022, about three months after his restaurant won the Michelin star. Before her husband's death, she made a promise to him to keep the restaurant running. She was further inspired to keep his legacy going after learning Shunei had continued to work until he reached his physical limit. Kimura received help from Shunei's sushi chef acquaintances and learned sushi-making skills from scratch. She also worked at other eateries on her off days for further training. Her skills to prepare fish, cook rice, mold sushi and perform other culinary tasks improved day to day. But Sushi Shunei lost the star in 2023. Despite feeling frustrated, Kimura continued her efforts to reach perfection. In late March, three years after her husband's death, Kimura became the world's first Michelin-starred female sushi chef in the 120-year history of the bible of gastronomy. STAR RECOVERED In awarding Sushi Shunei the star, the French edition of the Michelin Guide said the restaurant takes 'the diner on a genuine sensorial experience courtesy of razor-sharp nigiris, a truly exceptional selection of fish, expert handiwork and a range of subtle seasonings.' Kimura attended the ceremony unveiling the latest Michelin Guide held in Metz in eastern France in late March. When Sushi Shunei was officially awarded the star at the ceremony, Kimura took the stage. She said she thought she finally recovered her husband's star and that she could make a fresh start. She also expressed her great appreciation to the staff members at Sushi Shunei. Kimura said she can still feel Shunei's presence when she stands in the tsukeba. Although there is no end in learning sushi-making skills, she is sure she can keep going. NEW GOALS After the Michelin ceremony, a British couple showed up at Sushi Shunei. They had only eaten there when Shunei was alive and said they would root for Kimura now that it is her turn to run the restaurant. Sushi Shunei marked its fourth anniversary on June 9. Kimura's next goal is to outshine her husband, possibly with an additional Michelin star. 'I'm sure Shunei would be happy,' she said.
The Star
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
World's 1st Michelin-starred woman sushi chef fulfills promise to dying husband
Japan's Chizuko Kimura, the first woman in the world to be awarded a star by the Guide Michelin as a sushi chef. She regained the Michelin star that her late husband Shunei Kimura won three years ago for their Sushi Shunei restaurant in Paris. — Photos: AFP Chizuko Kimura has become the first female sushi chef in the world to win a Michelin star, fulfilling a promise she made to her dying husband to continue his legacy. The 54-year-old Japanese chef regained the Michelin star her late husband Shunei Kimura won three years ago for their Sushi Shunei restaurant in Paris. For Shunei, the star was a dream come true. However, the joy was shortlived. He died from cancer just three months later in June 2022 aged 65. The following year, the restaurant in the heart of Montmartre lost its star. Kimura insisted that the new star is still down to her husband. "If Shunei had never received a star, I wouldn't have been particularly attached to obtaining one myself," she told AFP. "But he was proud that his restaurant was recognised. So this star has become very important to me," she said in her tiny traditional "sushiya", which only seats nine. The Michelin was glowing in its praise, saying a "sensorial journey is guaranteed thanks to the dexterity with which the nigiri are made, the use and working of superb fish and the subtle seasoning." But Chizuko Kimura never set out to be a top chef, only falling into the business when her husband, who had worked in France for decades, decided to open his own restaurant. "He was already ill at that time, and that's when I started helping him. I was working as a tour guide and lost my job due to Covid," she said. Chizuko Kimura never set out to be a top chef, only falling into the business when her husband, who had worked in France for decades, decided to open his own restaurant. She learned at his side how to cut the fish, cook the rice and how to run the restaurant while caring for him as he grew iller. "I got better day by day and I still train on my days off. I am always studying," she said, travelling back to Japan when she can to continue her training there. After her husband's passing, Kimura took over the reins of the restaurant. She strengthened her team by hiring master sushi chef Takeshi Morooka, refined the dining experience by adding "tsumamis" (small appetisers typically served with sake) to the menu, modified the rice recipe, and updated the cooking equipment. Three years later, Sushi Shunei regained its Michelin star. "My first goal is to maintain this star," Kimura said, "and to keep it, we must strive to offer even better service and ensure impeccable quality." Traditionally, becoming a master sushi chef requires at least a 10-year apprenticeship. Kimura got her star in just five. "If this recognition can inspire or encourage other women, I will be very happy," she said. And she's not stopping there. Her goal now is to surpass her husband's achievements as a tribute to his work and his memory. — ETX Daily Up
Straits Times
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Tragic promise drove world's first Michelin-starred woman sushi chef
Japan's Chizuko Kimura regained the Michelin star her late husband won three years ago for their Sushi Shunei restaurant in Paris. PHOTO: AFP PARIS – Chizuko Kimura has become the first female sushi chef in the world to win a Michelin star, fulfilling a promise she made to her dying husband to continue his legacy. In March, the 54-year-old Japanese chef regained the Michelin star her late husband Shunei Kimura won three years ago for their Sushi Shunei restaurant in Paris. For Shunei Kimura, the star was a dream come true. However, the joy was shortlived. He died from cancer just three months later in June 2022, aged 65. The following year, the restaurant in the heart of Montmartre lost its star. Chizuko Kimura insisted that the new star is still down to her husband. 'If Shunei had never received a star, I wouldn't have been particularly attached to obtaining one myself,' she said. 'But he was proud that his restaurant was recognised. So, this star has become very important to me,' she said in her tiny traditional sushiya, which seats only nine. The Michelin guide was glowing in its praise, saying a 'sensorial journey is guaranteed thanks to the dexterity with which the nigiri are made, the use and working of superb fish and the subtle seasoning'. But Chizuko Kimura never set out to be a top chef, only falling into the business when her husband, who had worked in France for decades, decided to open his own restaurant. 'He was already ill at that time. That's when I started helping him. I was working as a tour guide and lost my job due to Covid,' she said. She learnt at his side how to cut the fish, cook the rice and how to run the restaurant while caring for him as he grew more ill. 'I got better day by day and I still train on my days off . I am always studying ,' she said, travelling back to Japan when she can to continue her training there. After her husband's death , Kimura took over the reins of the restaurant. She strengthened her team by hiring master sushi chef Takeshi Morooka, refined the dining experience by adding 'tsumamis' (small appetisers typically served with sake) to the menu and modifying the rice recipe. Now, 'my first goal is to maintain this star,' she said, 'and to keep it, we must strive to offer even better service and ensure impeccable quality.' Traditionally, becoming a master sushi chef requires at least a 10-year apprenticeship. Kimura got her star in five. 'If this recognition can inspire or encourage other women, I will be very happy,' she said. And she is not stopping there. Her goal now is to surpass her husband's achievements as a tribute to his work and his memory. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
