Ryuta Iizuka

Ryuta Iizuka, born in 1968 in Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, trained at hotels including Hotel Okura Tokyo Bay and Hotel The Manhattan before joining the opening team of Taillevent Robuchon in 1994 and apprenticing at Michelin-starred restaurants like Troisgros in France in 1997. He advanced to chef at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in 2005, leading it to two Michelin stars, and opened his own Restaurant Ryuzu in Roppongi, Tokyo, in 2011, which earned one Michelin star in 2012 and two stars from the 2013 Tokyo guide, retaining them through 2025. Iizuka also supervises in-flight meals for ANA international flights and contributes to chef training as director of chefs' organizations.