Tatsuya Kobayashi

Yucho Sake Brewery has been producing Nara's most famous sake since the Edo period. À Plus occupies a repurposed space within the brewery compound, and Kobayashi's menus are designed to pair with the brewery's sake — French-Japanese cuisine built around the mineral-rich waters of the Yoshino mountains.

Tatsuya Kobayashi is the chef at À Plus in Gose City (southwestern Nara Prefecture), a restaurant located within the grounds of Yucho Sake Brewery that earned its first Michelin star in the inaugural MICHELIN Guide Nara 2025. His French-Japanese fusion cuisine pairs with sake from the historic brewery.

Japan — trained in French cuisine; collaborative approach within Yucho Sake Brewery environment

Career

• Chef at French restaurants in Japan, Japan (2000s–2015)
• Chef at À Plus at Yucho Sake Brewery, Gose, Nara (2015–present)

Mentored by French culinary tradition applied to Japanese seasonal ingredients.