This article is from our supplement "Le Goût de M," dedicated to Japan, available for purchase on Le Monde's boutique.
There is something that invariably brings Sugio Yamaguchi back to Earth. Since his last experience heading a restaurant, at Botanique in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, where he had already sketched the outlines of a plant-based cuisine, the Tokyo suburb native felt the need to take a break, far from the hustle and bustle of the capital. "I took the time to be human," he shared modestly.
Having arrived in France at the age of 22, in 2008, he then spoke of his desires for the countryside, travel, but also his learning of pottery, gardening, and this irresistible urge to concoct dishes for his loved ones and himself. But, for the past few months, Yamaguchi is back in the city, at Wani, his new home, a stone's throw from the Montparnasse Tower. A hybrid place, somewhere between a coffee shop and a tea salon, behind a large window display.
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