Yuya Yamanaka

Born in Sapporo, Japan, Chef Yuya Yamanaka began his culinary career in Osaka before moving to Paris, where he worked across several bistros and became the opening sous chef at Clown Bar, named “Best Bistrot” by Le Fooding in 2015.

In 2016, Chef Yuya relocated to Hawaiʻi and opened Paris.Hawaii. Rooted in classical French technique, his cuisine celebrates Hawaiʻi’s local ingredients through a thoughtful balance of place, season, and nature.

His work has earned national recognition, including being named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific. From 2020 to 2026, he also contributed to menu development for Japan Airlines’ business class.