Tomofumi UCHIMURA

Chef : 1 restaurant

Presentation

"My parents had an Italian restaurant in Japan, so I thought "why not do the same job?" recalls Tomofumi Uchimura. After training at the Hattori culinary school, he worked for five years at the Tokyo-based restaurant La Rochelle.

In 2005, he became sous-chef at La Butte Boisée in Tokyo. It was there that he met Emmanuel Renaut, who came to give a demonstration. He then followed the chef to Megève, at Le Flocon de Sel. For two years, he worked in the kitchen, then felt the urge to learn in another establishment. "The chef called Jacques Lameloise, and off I went. "He stayed for nine years, rising from chef de partie to second, then sous-chef.

"Then, in 2018, I had my first son. My wife Seiko and I were wondering whether to stay in France or go back to Japan."In the end, the chef took over Stéphane Derbord's establishment in Dijon and opened Origine. His work and technical skills were quickly rewarded with 2 toques, and Gault&Millau awarded him the Grand de Demain Bourgogne-Franche-Comté 2022 trophy. "It's been a pleasure, I didn't expect it at all, it's a good pressure for us", he says.

I.B.

Biography & Awards

1980 Naissance à Kagoshima, au Japon

2005 Sous-chef à La Butte Boisée, à Tokyo

2007 Le Flocon de Sel, à Megève, auprès d’Emmanuel Renaut

2010 Chef de partie, puis second et sous-chef au Lameloise, à Chagny

2019 Ouverture de son restaurant Origine, à Dijon

2021 Trophée Grand(e) de Demain