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A restaurant where Japanese culinary traditions intertwine with sophisticated French influences, Apothéose offers an apotheosis of tastes. This new restaurant, with interior design by Danish studio Space Copenhagen and directed by KeitaKitamura, is inside Tokyo’s Toranomon Hills Tower. Its opening marks the return of the Michelin star chef to his homeland after over 15 years in Paris, where he worked in various restaurants and earned his first star. The menu here constantly changes but always stands out for the precision of every aspect. And the attention paid to the food extends to the welcoming atmosphere of the restaurant. With seating for just 40 and a bar, Apothéose is an invitation to tune into the soul of Kitamura and his philosophy.
Guests perceive a warm, welcoming atmosphere right from the entrance, with its striking sculptural door. A long corridor then leads to a lounge area with a wine display, wrap-around chairs, and elegant tables with warm tones that are repeated on the floors and walls. The tiles, for example, are a light shade of terracotta. The fabrics are also in light tones, in some cases almost transparent, and in natural, delicate shades. And nature, which besides being brought into the dining room in the form of potted plants, is a strong presence by virtue of the large windows. The result is spaces that are always bright and connected to the city.
Although it’s located in the heart of a large, frenetic city, the moment you step inside Apothéose, you get the impression of having entered a peaceful oasis where time passes more slowly in its silent surroundings. The only sounds are the rhythms of the open kitchen with its backdrop of the skyline. In fact, the architects have made the skyline the centerpiece of the project, especially for diners, so that it becomes a source of a meditative experience. The colors, shapes, and materials of the restaurant – such as brass in the kitchen, and timber floors and wall paneling – were chosen so that they are a feature throughout the day, changing according to the light outside. The design of artificial lighting likewise enhances the spaces, while remaining discreet but impactful.
Besides having custom-made oak tables and chairs in light tones, the area in front of the open kitchen, with views of Tokyo, features a stone waiter station, which also serves as a showcase for glassware, sculptures, and décor items. Another feature in the dining room is the painting Through the Clouds by Hideaki Yamanobe.
In response to their client’s brief, the designers have made Apothéose a restaurant that combines artisanal elegance with a clear personality and a contemporary feel, in much the same way as the Toranomon Hills Tower is a symbol of innovation and today’s world.
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect: Space Copenhagen
Completion: 2023
Photography by Joachim Wichmann, courtesy of Space Copenhagen
