Sézanne

Tokyo

The Best Restaurant in Asia 2024, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna
The Best Restaurant in Japan 2024

Utterly delicious journey from Europe to Asia conquers hearts and palates

On the Pass

Daniel Calvert

The No.1 factor: To dine at Sézanne is to experience the epitome of culinary sophistication. Opened in July 2021 on the seventh floor of the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi with British chef Daniel Calvert at the helm, it immediately wowed diners with its immersive neo-French style infused with meaningful tributes to Asia’s rich culinary cultures.

A bit of history: Sézanne – named after a medieval town in the Champagne region of France – debuted on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2022 at No.17, narrowly missing the Highest New Entry Award. Just one year later, it climbed right up to No.2, taking home The Best Restaurant in Japan title. 2024 marks its latest step into culinary Olympus, becoming The Best Restaurant in Asia 2024, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna.

The experience: Walk through the buzzy Maronouchi Bistro – whose menu is also curated by Calvert – to reach the doors of Sézanne’s elegant dining room, designed by Hong Kong artist André Fu. Large windows afford it plenty of natural light; later, Tokyo’s skyline swoops in to provide a mesmerising nightscape. Each of the comfortable seats enjoys a view of the glass-walled kitchen, from which your culinary wonders will emerge.

Tell me about the menu: Chef Calvert’s cooking, while firmly rooted in a neo-French ethos, is enriched by his experiences across Asia. It’s in the unique combinations resulting from these encounters that his style stands out. Inspired by the Shanghainese tradition of pairing hairy crabs with Shaoxing wine, he marinates them in French vin jaune for five days before mixing the delicate meat with Japanese Koshihikari rice and assembling the result into a delightful golden tart. A prized Japanese duck from Aichi is presented whole in all its glory before being served two ways: Peking-style with impossibly crispy skin (accompanied by a sweet jewel of a Kagoshima potato, taro root and the chef’s own version of sauce meurette) and as part of a creamy, umami-rich curried risotto.

Team effort: Calvert – whose CV includes leading Belon in Hong Kong to No.4 in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, as well as manning the pass at Epicure in Paris and Per Se in New York – never misses a chance to share Sézanne’s success with his team. This doesn’t only include executive sous chef Ashley Caley, sommelier Nobuhide Otsuka and restaurant manager Vivian Chen, but also his producers, whose names are proudly presented on the menu.

For bubbles lovers: True to the town from which it borrows its name, Sézanne features an extensive list of champagnes for all budgets and tastes.