Chef Hajime & Chef So Otowa

The Otowa brothers follow in the footsteps of their restaurateur father, Kazunori Otowa, who is both chef and owner of Otowa restaurant in Utsunomiya, Japan. Hajime, the first son, worked in a few restaurants in Japan before moving to Lyon, France, where he did stage at the three Michelin-starred Alain Chapel. Besides continuing his father’s legacy as Executive Chef at Otowa restaurant, Hajime has also supervised the menu of first class flight meals for Japan Airlines and the menu of luxurious Train Suite Shiki-shima operated by East Japan Railway Company. His younger brother So previously worked at 2-Michelin star restaurant Le mange-tout in Tokyo, before moving along to Annecy, France, where he did stage at Le Belvedere. In 2016, he became Executive Chef at Ciel et Sol in Tokyo, which gained one Michelin star within a year of opening. Currently, So is supporting the family business along with his brother, Hajime.