Premium chefs of Kumamoto

A man is carefully grilling beef over a natural wood and charcoal fire in Shinyashiki, a historic residential neighborhood lush with greenery. He is Kenshin Miyamoto, a winner of the Culinary Masters Silver Prize.

His great-grandfather ran a butcher shop, his grandfather was a chef at a Japanese inn, and his father was a chef of Italian cuisine, so Chef Miyamoto grew up surrounded by chefs from an early age. He honed his skills by moving to Italy at the age of 19 and training under famous chefs. After returning to Japan at 27, he worked at his family’s Italian restaurant. At the age of 31, he opened Ristorante Miyamoto as the owner and chef.

He is one of the leading chefs in Kumamoto’s restaurant business, and his focus is on food sourced from the Aso grassland and on Akaushi beef.

Aso is one of Kumamoto’s major sightseeing areas. This broad grassland is home to Mount Aso, one of the world’s largest volcanoes, and is blessed with a dynamic natural landscape. The broad grassland has been maintained by the people around the caldera for more than a thousand years through a cycle of burning off fields, grazing, and grass cutting. In its grazing capacity, it has long produced Japanese brown cattle, known for providing Akaushi beef.

Akaushi beef is characterized by a good balance of fat marbled throughout the delicious meat, as well as its healthy composition, including generous amounts of taurine. Chef Miyamoto reveres Akaushi beef, along with the history and background of the Aso region where these cattle are bred. He has also played a leading role in registering Aso as a World Agricultural Heritage site.

Through this extensive history, Akaushi beef reaches the diner’s plate. Every bite is brimming with flavor from the simple act of grilling. The vegetable accompaniments, exceedingly fresh and sweet, add to the overall delight. Chef Miyamoto’s Premium Menu is filled with so much creativity that it inspires a desire to take a trip to Aso.

After many years, Chef Miyamoto closed his beloved Ristorante Miyamoto and opened Antica Locanda MIYAMOTO in the Shinyashiki neighborhood. The interior makes ample use of Kumamoto’s natural resources, being furnished with Ashikita cedar and stone from Misato. Diners can experience Aso while they enjoy the Akaushi beef.