SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP Inc. (Head Office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Etsuko Tsugihara; hereinafter referred to as “SSU”) will establish a new company, “KEI CONCEPT Japan Inc.” (hereinafter referred to as “KEI CONCEPT Japan”), on October 1, 2025, with Chef Kei Kobayashi, who resides in Paris, France, and is the only Asian to have earned three Michelin stars in France for six consecutive years, to manage the licensing of his brand.

Chef Kei Kobayashi, who presides over the three-Michelin-starred restaurant “Restaurant KEI” in Paris and operates “Maison KEI (Gotemba),” “Héritage by Kei Kobayashi (The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo),” “ESPRIT C. KEI GINZA (Ginza),” “ST LOUIS BAR by KEI (Ginza),” and “KEI Collection PARIS (Toranomon)” in Japan, has created a unique experience in the world by fusing the traditions of French cuisine with Japanese aesthetics. His philosophy is simple: “To cherish ingredients, approach them with sincerity, and create delicious food,” as symbolized by “Restaurant KEI.” The approach as a comprehensive art form, including tableware, aroma, and spatial experience, creates cultural value that transcends the boundaries of cuisine.

Since its founding, SSU has created many new values and changes that move people’s hearts and society, such as trends, urban development, sports, food, and social movements originating from social issues, with the slogan “Fun Excitement” and the power of PR and communication. Leveraging this experience and knowledge, we will further enhance the value of the KEI brand and accompany Chef Kei Kobayashi’s challenge to deliver Japanese sensibilities to the world.

In the new company, “KEI CONCEPT Japan,” we will manage the “KEI” brand, which embodies Chef Kei Kobayashi’s philosophy, under a single license, and collaborate with partner companies who share the same aspirations to expand the business beyond the realm of gastronomy into lifestyle areas such as cafes, patisseries, food,general goods, wine, cosmetics, and fashion, and disseminate it both domestically and internationally.

■Comments from Kei Kobayashi

As a “Japanese person creating French cuisine,” I want to deliver experiences that satisfy people’s hearts through cooking. Gastronomy is about sharing happiness, and a dish embodies emotion, elegance, and sincere ingredients. The reason I am pursuing this challenge with SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP is because the company has moved society with the power of PR and communication and created “Fun Excitement” that resonates with people. In order to deliver the world of the KEI brand to as many people as possible, I want to continue to move “as far as possible (Allez le plus loin)” with harmony with my colleagues as the axis, while valuing challenges and innovations beyond mastery.

■Comments from Etsuko Tsugihara, President and CEO of SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP Inc.

We have helped create many talents in the world. Chef Kei Kobayashi’s cuisine has the power to sharpen people’s senses, fill their hearts, and generate positive energy with a single dish. For Japan, which is poor in resources, human talent is the greatest asset, and his sensibility is truly a treasure of Japan. I am truly pleased to be able to take on the challenge of delivering the lifestyle and culture created by Chef Kei Kobayashi, who is highly regarded around the world, to even more people together with him.

■Kei Kobayashi Profile

Grew up in a nature-rich area of Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture, and became familiar with cooking from an early age, as his father was a Japanese chef. Learned the basics of French cuisine at “Tokyu Harvest Club Tateshina” in his hometown of Nagano, and moved to France at the age of 21. Trained under chef Gilles Goujon at the famous southern French restaurant “Auberge du Vieux Puits.” After that, he mainly learned local cuisine at restaurants in southern France and the Alsace region, and in 2003, he joined Alain Ducasse’s three-star restaurant “Plaza Athénée” in Paris. In 2011, he took over the restaurant from world-renowned chef Gérard Besson and opened “Restaurant KEI” in a prime location in Paris, bearing his own name. In 2012, he received one star, and in 2017, he received two stars, and in the 2020 French Michelin Guide, he became the first Asian to receive three stars. In March 2025, he was honored with three stars for the sixth consecutive year. His cuisine, which delicately expresses his exceptional aesthetic sense, sensitivity, and wonderful vision on the plate, is highly acclaimed.

■New Company “KEI CONCEPT Japan” Company Profile

Company Name: KEI CONCEPT Japan Inc. (Reading: KEI CONCEPT JAPAN)
Location: 4-23-5 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Kei Kobayashi, Representative Director; Etsuko Tsugihara, Representative Director
Business Description: Licensing Business
Capital: 10 million yen
URL: https://www.keiconcept.com/