Shinichiro Takagi

Shinichiro Takagi is a Japanese kaiseki chef and restaurateur. He is the second-generation owner and executive chef of Zeniya in Kanazawa, which has held two Michelin stars since 2016 and received a Michelin Green Star in 2021. Takagi is known for promoting Kaga cuisine abroad and for opening the restaurant's first overseas branch, Zeniya Singapore, in 2023.

Early life and training Takagi was born in Kanazawa. After a year of study in the United States, he graduated from Ishikawa Prefectural Kanazawa Izumigaoka High School. He later earned a degree in commercial science from Nihon University.

Career Takagi apprenticed under Koji Tokuoka at Kyoto Kitcho before returning to his family restaurant, Zeniya, in 1996. and retained them in subsequent editions. It also earned a Michelin Green Star for sustainability in 2021. Zeniya joined Relais & Châteaux Paris, Milan, Seoul, Hamburg, Munich, the Maldives, Turin, Napa Valley, Hong Kong, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Sydney and Cape Town.

Business ventures

OPENSAUCE Inc. – Co-founded in 2017 with Hitoshi Miyata, Taizo Son and Atsushi Taira; Takagi is chief culinary officer. A_RESTAURANT – Experimental dining space in Kanazawa opened in 2019. Zeniya Singapore – Opened 14 August 2023 in Shaw Centre Singapore. Preceding this location, Zeniya's Singapore branch used to reside in Shangri La Singapore.

Awards and honours

2011 – Master Chef Award, World Gourmet Summit, Singapore 2016 – Cultural Merit Award, Japan Society of Boston 2016 – present – Two Michelin Stars, Michelin Guide Toyama–Ishikawa.