An unprecedented collaboration between French luxury champagne house Henri Giraud and young Japanese chef Ai Ichinose
SOLUNA Inc. Press Release: September 19, 2025 An unprecedented collaboration between the French luxury champagne house Henri Giraud and young Japanese chef Ai Ichinose. For the first time in history, Henri Giraud, a 400-year-old restaurant, will collaborate with a guest chef. A special dinner where French and Japanese creativity meet. Japanese chef Ai Ichinose (CEO of SOLUNA Inc.), founder of “Traveling Gastronomy” SOLUNA, will collaborate with Maison Henri Giraud to host a special dinner on Friday, September 19th, at the Domaine’s reception space (Grand Cru Ay, Champagne), which was newly opened in June this year to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Giraud-Emard family. Approximately 20 special guests from both countries will be invited to this one-of-a-kind event to enjoy a gourmet experience that combines French and Japanese culinary cultures. About collaboration dinner Ai Ichinose (28 years old) is a young Japanese female chef who founded SOLUNA, a “traveling gastronomy.” SOLUNA, a “traveling gastronomy,” is an innovative gastronomy style that goes beyond the traditional “chef = fixed restaurant” paradigm, combining local producers, cultural traditions, and culinary creativity in limited-edition events held in various locations in Japan and around the world. This initiative involves collaborating with local producers to offer unique experiences that combine local ingredients, sake, and culture. For this dinner, two up-and-coming chefs, Ai Ichinose, known for her unique ability to blend Japanese elements into French cuisine, and Elisabeth Cloutier, head chef of Domaine Henri Giraud, will present a special evening themed around “A Journey Through the Vegetables of Yamashita Farm.” About Ai Ichinose After graduating from Ecole Tsuji Osaka, part of the Tsujicho Group, he gained six years of experience at a
Michelin-starred restaurant before going independent. SOLUNA, a “traveling gastronomy” event, is held throughout Japan and overseas, including in Paris. Starting in the fall of 2025, SOLUNA, a catamaran yacht-based gastronomy event, is also scheduled to launch. He has a proven track record in culinary competitions both in Japan and abroad, having placed in the national top eight at the Chef1 Grand Prix and winning a bronze medal at the RED U-35. In 2024, he was the only Japanese chef selected for the San Pellegrino International Young Chef Competition, advancing to the Asian finals. He has attracted attention for his unique style, which blends French cuisine with Japanese sensibilities.
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vinification techniques using egg-shaped sandstone vessels. Only 350,000 bottles are produced annually, with only a few thousand of these being crafted into iconic cuvées, highly prized by collectors and connoisseurs worldwide. The winery’s mainstays are Aÿ Grand Cru, Pinot Noir, and the Argonne Forest.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169875/1/169875-1-6014cfb51c9e91aad5f3a7768f34211a-302×302.jpg [Photo] From the Henri Giraud official website About Yamashita Farm The vegetables that will adorn this special dinner will be provided by Yamashita Farm near Paris. Founded by Asafumi Yamashita, who is favored by renowned chefs such as three-star French chef Pierre Gagnaire, the farm is known for its rare and meticulously grown vegetables. These delicate crops have been called “miracles” and “magic,” and are considered jewels in the Parisian gastronomy world. In the future, Yamashita plans to establish the “Yamashita Academy” in France, where he will share his farming skills and disseminate authentic knowledge and techniques of Japanese cuisine, with the aim of continuing the relationship of trust between Japan and France into the future. We are also preparing to open “Yamashita Selection,” which will utilize our gastronomy expertise and network in the French culinary world to provide chefs in Japan with the finest French seasonings and ingredients that are difficult to find in Japan. Mr. Asafumi Yamashita Born in Tokyo in 1953. Has lived in France for 35 years. Co-author of “The Essence of Yamashita Nodo, the Miraculous Japanese Vegetable Born in Paris” (Nikkei BP, Nikkei Publishing).
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