The Luminary Behind It All
Learn more about Chef Iizuka, the keeper of the flame at Teppanyaki Wajo, one of the best restaurants in Osaka, Japan. Here, a touch of French aroma and the blazing grills of Osaka's culinary tradition converge. From his early years as a sous chef in France during the 1990s to becoming the driving force behind his own business vision, discover the story of the chef who transformed teppanyaki fine dining into a vivid experience you can't help but crave.
Chef Ryuta Iizuka
A Message To You
I am involved with the process to the last detail, including the selection of the food served, and am very happy to attempt new challenges in a new city, such as with my menu supervision at The St. Regis Osaka Teppanyaki Wajo, one of the best restaurants in Osaka. Around 30 years ago I came to Osaka and attended a cooking vocational school, so this opportunity feels very significant to me. Kansai is a treasure trove of excellent foods, including seafood caught in the Seto Inland Sea, Kyoto, which is highly praised as a production area of vegetables, and Kobe beef and Matsusaka beef.
I have always strived to put the time and effort in to understand the ingredients, such as when I met with local producers when I began supervision work at Teppanyaki Wajo. I wish to provide a menu that lets guests rediscover new charms in the ingredients and lets them feel fresh surprises.
Born in Tokamachi City, in 1968.
After graduating from Osaka Tsuji Gakuen Cooking and Confectionary School, Chef Iizuka worked for multiple brands, such as Hotel Okura TOKYO Bay, Hotel The Manhattan, The Yokohama Royal Park Hotel, and Aoyama 1999 Leau à la bouche, before a life-changing apprenticeship at Taillevent-Robuchon (1994). After a relocation to France in 1997, he trained at Michelin-starred French restaurants, like Troisgros.
This experience led him back to Japan, where he became sous chef at Taillevent-Robuchon Café France and later a senior lecturer of French cuisine at a cooking school. Iizuka held successive posts as a chef at LA TABLE de Joël Robuchon (2004), and L'ATELIER de Joël Robuchon (2005). In 2011 he opened Restaurant Ryuzu, a project that made him receive the Chef Masters Silver Award. Now, he contributes to the training of chefs and the revitalization of the industry, including his work as the director of chefs' organizations.
