Chef News is sponsored by the the Kitchen Porters Club
Halekulani Okinawa, the only Double Five-Star luxury resort in Okinawa, announces the appointment of Ken Sakamoto as Consulting Chef of its innovative fine dining restaurant SHIROUX, effective November 1, 2025. Born and raised in Kyoto, Chef Sakamoto owns and leads Cenci, a MICHELIN One-Star Italian restaurant celebrated for its inventive use of local ingredients.
Since opening in 2014, Cenci continues to earn widespread recognition, including placement on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list from 2022 to 2024. The restaurant holds a One-Star MICHELIN rating for four consecutive years (2022–2025), and showcases Chef Sakamoto’s dedication to highlighting regional flavors through refined Italian cuisine.
Chef Sakamoto discovers his passion for cooking while studying abroad during university. He begins his culinary training in Kyoto at the esteemed Trattoria Il Pappalardo and later serves as head chef at Il Ghiottone for nine years before founding Cenci.
Current Consulting Chef Hiroyasu Kawate expresses his full support for the appointment, calling Chef Sakamoto a “worthy successor” and stating that his leadership elevates SHIROUX to new heights of culinary excellence.
“I am deeply honored to be named Consulting Chef of Halekulani Okinawa’s SHIROUX. I look forward to incorporating Okinawa’s rich local ingredients and cultural heritage to create innovative and captivating dishes,” shares Chef Sakamoto. “Both Kyoto and Okinawa have unique culinary traditions that celebrate local produce, and I am truly excited to collaborate with the SHIROUX culinary team to offer guests new and exceptional dining experiences.”
Guests continue to savor Chef Kawate’s creative French cuisine through October 31, 2025. With Chef Sakamoto joining the team, Halekulani Okinawa strengthens its commitment to culinary excellence and advances SHIROUX as one of Okinawa’s premier dining destinations.
Chef News is sponsored by the the Kitchen Porters Club
