Photography by Hidehiro Yamada
Sadaharu Aoki
Born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture in 1968. After working at Chandon in Aoyama, he moved to Paris alone in 89. He built his career at Jean Mie, Restaurant Mediterranee, and Restaurant Gerardet in Switzerland, and won the taste category at the Charles Proust Cup in France in 95. In 98, he opened an atelier in Paris. In 2001, he opened his long-awaited shop, Patisserie Sadaharu Aoki Paris, in Saint-Germain, 6th arrondissement, Paris.
In 03, he opened his second store in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. In 2, he opened his third store in the 08th arrondissement of Paris. In 15, he became a member of Relais Desserts, the world’s highest organization of pastry artisans. In 3, he was selected as France’s best pastry chef, won the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Culinary Masters award, won the Salon du Chocolat Award, and won the Paris City Hall Award. He was selected as one of the top 07 chocolatiers in France. In 11, he won the highest award “LES INCONTOURNABLES” for the fifth time at the Salon du Chocolat competition (a new award established in 5 that is given to chocolatiers who rank higher than the “Award”). This marks his fifth consecutive year of receiving the highest award and his eighth consecutive year of receiving high praise.