Interview – Chef Kenji Morimoto, Head Chef of “Tsukimi” (Paris)

We spoke with Kenji Morimoto, head chef of Tsukimi, a kaiseki-inspired Japanese restaurant in Paris, about how he sources tableware for his kitchen and why the right piece can change how a dish is perceived. Here’s what he told us.

Can you introduce yourself and your restaurant?
My name is Kenji Morimoto, and I am the head chef of Tsukimi, a Japanese restaurant located in Paris. Our cuisine is inspired by traditional kaiseki, with a strong focus on seasonality, balance, and visual harmony. For us, presentation is as important as taste.

Why is tableware so important in Japanese cuisine?
In Japanese gastronomy, tableware is part of the dish. The plate, the bowl, the texture, and even the weight in the hand influence how the guest experiences the food. A dish served in the wrong bowl can lose half of its meaning. That’s why we are extremely careful when choosing our tableware.

How did you come to work with Akazuki’s wholesale department?
When opening the restaurant, we were looking for authentic Japanese tableware that would suit a professional kitchen in France. Akazuki immediately stood out because they understand both Japanese craftsmanship and the practical needs of restaurants. Their wholesale department made it easy to order consistent collections in larger quantities.

What do you appreciate most about working with Akazuki?
First, the quality and authenticity of the products. The ceramics feel true to Japanese traditions, yet they work perfectly in a modern Parisian restaurant. Second, the guidance: the wholesale team helped us select pieces that matched our menu and explained which items were best suited for intensive restaurant use.

Have you ever had a sourcing experience elsewhere that didn’t work out, and what made the difference with Akazuki?
Before working with Akazuki, we tried importing through a smaller reseller, and the issue was always consistency. We’d order a set of bowls, and the next batch would be slightly different in size or glaze. With Akazuki, what we order is what we get, batch after batch, which matters enormously when you’re trying to keep your tables looking the same every night.

How does the ordering process work for you?
It’s very smooth. We can plan our orders in advance, reorder the same references, and ensure visual consistency across the tables. This is essential for us, especially when replacing or expanding our tableware over time.

Is there a specific piece in your restaurant that guests always comment on?
Our donburi bowls, actually. They’re simple, but the glaze catches the light in a way that makes the dish look more vivid than it would on a plain white plate. It’s a small thing, but guests notice it more than I expected when we first started using them.

Would you recommend Akazuki to other chefs or restaurateurs?
Absolutely. For chefs who care about authenticity, aesthetics, and reliability, Akazuki is a trusted partner. Their wholesale department truly understands what restaurants need, not just from a design point of view, but also from an operational one.

A final word?
Good food deserves the right stage. With Akazuki’s tableware, we feel that our dishes are presented the way they were meant to be seen.

Looking to source the kind of tableware Chef Morimoto relies on? Request our wholesale catalog, or browse our full tableware range.