Guranmezon Tokyo

It's one of the best gourmet the show. And it's quite emotional as well, I recommend you to watch this! It'll make you so hangry!!

"La Grande Maison Tokyo" is a delightful Japanese drama that whisks you into the high-stakes world of gourmet cooking. The story follows Natsuki Obana, a charismatic chef who once helmed a two-star Michelin restaurant in Paris. After a scandal forces its closure, he teams up with Rinko Hayami, a determined female chef, to chase the elusive three-star Michelin dream in Tokyo.

The series does a fantastic job showcasing the grit and determination that's so characteristic of Japanese culture. Watching the chefs pour their hearts into every dish, striving for perfection, is both inspiring and mouth-watering. It's a treat for anyone who appreciates the art of fine dining and the passion that fuels it.

However, I have to say, the background music often felt out of place. It sometimes clashed with the scenes, pulling me out of the moment. It's as if the filmmaker had a refined palate for food but a rather questionable taste in music.

All in all, "La Grande Maison Tokyo" is a must-watch for food enthusiasts and drama lovers alike. Just be prepared for some musical choices that might leave you scratching your head.

La Grande Maison Tokyo is, in a nutshell, a more relaxed and more sophisticated original Japanese version of popular new Western restaurant/chef series like the "The Bear" (2022-, streaming on Disney+).

I was particularly reminded of "The Bear", there are quite a few parallels to La Grande Maison Tokyo:

Both series feature very talented and ambitious young chefs as the two main protagonists.

Both chefs are eager to redeem themselves with new restaurant projects, after harsh setbacks in their professional and/or personal life.

And both series project the fine dining ratings from the famous "Guide Michelin" as almost mythical North Stars and ultimate goal posts for the chefs and their kitchen staff to strive for.

If you like gourmet food and fine dining settings, but were overwhelmed by the f-bombs, the scream tirades and the repeated mental breakdowns in "The Bear", you will likely enjoy the more relaxed and refined "La Grande Maison Tokyo".

I re-watched the 2019 series recently since two related sequels will be released in December 2024 in Japan:

• A new, one-time episode "La Grande Maison Tokyo Special". Set in a post-COVID pandemic world where the gastronomic sector faces though choices.

• A film "La Grande Maison Paris", which depicts similar challenges in Paris, France (closing the circle since the original series started in Paris through flashbacks).

One final word of advice for viewers unfamiliar with J-Drama or Anime: The actors often seem to overact (facial expressions like grimaces etc.) when viewed through Western lenses. This is standard for many J-Dramas and Anime series, you will get accustomed to it. Don't let such acting expressions influence your judgement in a negative way.

Rating: 8/10. (9/10 if you like J-Dramas as a genre).

PS: The "Guide Michelin" really does exist in the world of fine dining. There however still are many misconceptions about the coveted "Michelin stars". For example, Michelin stars are always given to the restaurant, not just to an individual chef. But the head chefs obviously are the main protagonists during the award ceremonies. Only the quality of the food is judged, not the presentation or the restaurant amenities (this is wrongly depicted in the series: for example, anonymous Michelin testers don't throw napkins on the floor on purpose to test the service level). The century-old Michelin rating system remains consistent and very simple to this day, it goes from one star to three stars maximum. One Michelin star therefore already indicates a very advanced quality level of cooking, the entry barriers to just attain a single star anywhere in the World are very high.

PPS: Please see my separate IMDB list on eating and drinking if you are interested in more gourmet/food and beverage-related movies and documentaries.

I understand this show is about fine dining and Michelin stars. It's about the love of food and how it can transcend a feeling. That said. This show does it at the expense of personal responsibility. There are some choices people made without consequences and somehow the love of food and making it became the point. That really is the only minor issue. Some parts were a bit overly dramatic and somewhat cheesy, but I think that comes with JDrama. Overall good writing and acting. The girlfriend of one of the main characters (Shoshei) was a bit one dimensional and I honestly couldn't understand his attraction to her or his willingness to stay with her given her Father's treatment of him. Then again, cultural aspects I need to learn to look at outside of my Americanized view. Also, what was with random characters just showing up in a next episode? I'm beginning to sound negative I know. I really did like it.

Nice present for the cooking scene. 10 stars for kimura.