Peak performance in matters of taste

The restaurant’s name translates as “peak” or “top”, which Head Chef Yusuke Takada and his team apply to the image of a triangle, balancing the three factors they regard the most important ones for delivering an exceptional culinary experience: their cuisine, their guests, and the space itself. By forming a harmonious triangle, they continuously progress towards achieving their very best performance.

Born and raised on the subtropical island Amami Oshima in the far south of Japan, Yusuke Takada trained at Tsuji Gakuen Culinary and Confectionery College in Osaka. He spent six years as a chef working at different French restaurants in the city, where his love for the classic French craft of cooking was sparked. In 2007, he moved to France to further hone his skills and worked at such institutions as Le Meurice in Paris. Brimming with impressions and inspiration, he returned to Japan in 2010 and opened his own restaurant in Osaka. Only two years later, the Michelin Guide awarded La Cime its first star. In 2016, Yusuke Takada climbed the next step on the ladder to culinary excellence when he received his second star.

Product is the hero – this is one of Chef Takada’s maxims:

One of his signature dishes is Boudin Dog, a batter-fried morsel of blood sausage coloured with edible bamboo charcoal and eaten in a single bite. The menu at La Cime features highly seasonal dishes with multiple components. Unbridled inventiveness combines unexpected flavours into perfect harmony. La Cime is committed to the philosophy of “Keikoshoukon” – a phrase taken from the oldest Japanese chronicle Kojiki, meaning “meditating upon antiquity to find a guide to the present”. Classic is essential, yet modern cooking playfully carries tradition into today’s world.

At La Cime, Japanese ingredients and French techniques fuse into a cooking style that restaurant critics and the public equally rave about. This enthusiasm is reflected in the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, among others, where La Cime impressively ranked as highest new entry in 2018. Two years later, it had already made it into the top 10. 2021 and 2022 confirm the success story with 8th and 6th place respectively. Furthermore, Yusuke Takada won the prestigious Chef’s Choice Award in 2020.

Be there when Osaka, Paris and Salzburg form the perfect culinary triangle at Restaurant Ikarus in December 2022. You can expect an exquisite, artistic and elevating gourmet experience literally culminating in a peak performance in terms of taste.