KENJI YAMANAKA
Executive Chef & Chef Owner
Japanese-born Kenji Yamanaka helms the kitchen of béni Singapore since it first started. The Japanese-French restaurant has been awarded one Michelin star for six consecutive years since the guide’s first launch in 2016. In addition, it was also awarded for T Dining (HALL OF FAME) in 2019 and 2020. Chef Kenji showed his culinary talent at a young age. His dishes earned his mother’s smile, which then motivated him to hone his craft of cooking. He went on to study in France for a year, enrolling in a professional school and learning the art of French cuisine.
He has since gained a wealth of experience, working at two-Michelin-starred Le Choiseul (Amboise) and three-Michelin-starred Georges Blanc, Vonnas, France; three-Michelin-starred L’Osier, Ginza, Tokyo; and Azure 45, The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo. Chef Kenji regales his guests with fine authentic French cuisine with a Japanese touch, and their smiles when they savour his creations are his raison d’être.
Philosophy
“Japanese reinterpretation of authentic French cuisine with Chef’s Table Experience”
béni aims to share the blessings of a genuinely delightful food and drink, combined with impeccable service. The exclusive fine-dining establishment integrates French fine dining cuisine and Japanese produce including the Hida A5 Wagyu Beef from Gifu Prefecture. Guests are brought on an intimate and indulgent gastronomic journey through a series of courses featuring the best of the four seasons served by Executive Chef & Chef Owner, Kenji Yamanaka.