ESqUISSE

Since opening in 2012, ESqUISSE has been one of Tokyo’s most consistent high-end French restaurants, maintaining its two Michelin stars every year since 2013. Considering that earning two stars in French cuisine is said to be significantly harder than in Japanese cuisine, this achievement alone speaks volumes.

Chef Lionel Beccat, who once served as executive chef at the legendary TROISGROS, leads the kitchen. While many describe his cuisine as "new" or "avant-garde" French, his methods are actually rooted in classical, traditional techniques. It’s his modern sensibility and uniquely poetic style that give the impression of innovation.

Menus are presented with only minimal descriptions—just a theme and key ingredients:

Light｜Pacific saury, water pepper, fermented passion fruit
Weave｜Squid, mandarin orange, salmon roe
Intimacy｜Turnip, raifort

Though cryptic at first glance, the service staff are always ready to explain the inspiration and narrative behind each dish, making the experience both approachable and immersive.

Chef Beccat actively embraces Japanese ingredients and techniques, filtering them through his own French sensibilities to create cuisine that feels deeply personal and deeply respectful. Kawahagi (filefish), squid, soy milk, ikura, Kyoho wine, turnips, managatsuo, oysters, persimmons, figs, Ezo venison—each ingredient becomes a medium for storytelling, reflecting the chef’s joy, wonder, and reverence for Japanese culture.

ESqUISSE offers a kind of French cuisine that could only exist in Japan. It’s a rare restaurant that delivers a profoundly local interpretation of French fine dining. Those who have experienced haute cuisine in France itself will especially appreciate the subtle brilliance and cultural fusion at play here.