HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO stands in front of Nijo Castle in Kyoto, on the site of the former residence of the Mitsui main family. Starting October 1, two signature dishes join the lunch course at its French restaurant "都季 TOKI."
"TOKI" is listed as "Selected" in the French cuisine category of the Michelin Guide Kyoto 2026. Head chef Tetsuya Asano, who has led the kitchen since the restaurant opened, looked back on his career in Paris, France, and, with Kyoto, where he works now, and the challenge on the world stage that lies ahead of him in mind, expressed those stories and his feelings in the two dishes. Both can be enjoyed only at "TOKI," and in each of them the flow of orthodox classic French cuisine and the flavors of Kyoto, a rich city of food, resonate together like a multipart ensemble.
Lunch is served with a view of the garden, where the autumn leaves are turning color toward late autumn.
Details: https://www.hotelthemitsui.com/ja/kyoto/news/toki_lunch
Two New Dishes in the "TOKI" Lunch Course
The first is "Kyoto Pot-au-Feu," a reinterpretation, made with Kyoto ingredients and water, of the pot-au-feu that Asano remembers from "Drouant," a historic Paris restaurant where he worked before joining the Ritz Paris. The second is "Kyoto Vegetable Gnocchi," created to share with valued guests the feelings and excitement Asano has ahead of the world final of the Bocuse d'Or international cooking competition, to which he is now devoting himself. Asano plans to take on the Asia and world competitions he will enter with a similar dish. The lunch connects Paris, Kyoto, and the world.
Hours: 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM (last order)
Courses:
- 8 courses: ¥15,000
- 7 courses: ¥12,000
- 6 courses: ¥8,500
Kyoto Pot-au-Feu
Pot-au-feu is a dish with deep personal meaning for Asano, who learned it in his late twenties while working at Drouant, a long-established restaurant in Paris. The dish earned the top rating in a feature by the magazine Le Figaro at the time, and it has been reinterpreted using Kyoto water and plenty of traditional Kyoto vegetables. It is available in all three lunch courses.
Kyoto Vegetable Gnocchi
Asano will represent Japan at the Bocuse d'Or international cooking competition in 2027. This dish takes the "carrot gnocchi" he is developing for the competition and adds an arrangement unique to "TOKI." A single ingredient is expressed in layers through multiple textures, including gnocchi, sauce, and tuile. It is available in the 8-course and 7-course menus.
A Message from Head Chef Tetsuya Asano
The "TOKI" lunch course, which many guests have been asking us for, has begun. I have added two special dishes, which I thought through in my own way, to this course.
At the foundation of the cuisine at "TOKI" today are the French cuisine that gave me guidance in life, and the blessings and traditions of Kyoto, a land with a thousand years of history. My days are spent pushing forward toward the Bocuse d'Or, but I hope that, as one team, we can keep delivering to our guests all of the treasures "TOKI" has to offer.
Profile
After training at a number of renowned restaurants in the Netherlands and France, Asano worked at the Ritz Paris. In 2017, he became the first Japanese chef to be appointed deputy executive chef overseeing the main dining of the Ritz Paris, and together with the executive chef he oversaw all of the hotel's restaurants, including "L'Espadon," which earned two stars in the Michelin Guide. In December 2019, he became head chef of "TOKI" at HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO. In 2023, he was selected as Japan's representative for 2027 at the Bocuse d'Or international cooking competition, where top French cuisine chefs compete.
Restaurant Information
Location: HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, 284 Nijo Aburanokoji-cho, Aburanokoji-dori Nijo-sagaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
Reservations and inquiries:
- Phone: 075-468-3100 (hotel main line)
- Email: reservations.kyoto@hotelthemitsui.com
