Shimizu Akira
清水明
Shimizu Akira is the Executive Chef of AKIRA restaurant at Japan House London and European Director of the Salt restaurant group.
Akira’s career as a chef began at the age of 15, inspired by a charcoal-grilled local chicken dish he tried in Miyazaki Prefecture on Japan’s southern island of Kyūshū. Self-study and side-along learning with famous chefs allowed him to hone his cooking skills, which still have a strong emphasis on chicken across many of his restaurants.
In 2002 Akira joined the Salt Consortium, opening a series of successful restaurants in Japan and the UK. His restaurant at Japan House is his most recent and primary restaurant venture, where he spends most days cooking as the Executive Chef. The restaurant received a plate award in the Michelin Guide (UK) in 2019.