[Sendagaya, Tokyo] National Stadium Tour Special Event Chef Hiroyuki Sakai's Christmas Special Lunch and Live Piano Performance

For two days only, we will be offering a plan where you can enjoy a Christmas special lunch prepared by Chef Hiroyuki Sakai while listening to live piano music in the VIP lounge of the National Stadium. Chef Hiroyuki Sakai, who will be in charge of the special lunch, is the owner and chef of the French restaurant "La Rochelle" which has stores in Minami Aoyama, Fukuoka, and Sanno, and is also known as a cast member of the TV program "Iron Chef". In addition, you will have the rare experience of seeing the VIP area of the National Stadium, which is normally closed to the public. *Consecutive interpretation from Japanese to English is available. ■Profile ・Hiroyuki Sakai (Lunch) Born in Kagoshima Prefecture in 1942. He began training in French cuisine at the age of 17, traveled to Australia alone at the age of 19, and returned to Japan after a year and a half of training. After training at a famous restaurant in Tokyo, he went independent in 1980 at the age of 38 and opened the French restaurant "La Rochelle". In 1994, Sakai appeared on the TV program "Iron Chef" as a French Iron Chef, and became the ultimate Iron Chef in "Iron Chef Complete". Since then, he has been active in a wide range of fields as a leading figure in French cuisine in Japan, and in 2005, he was awarded the Chevalier Medal of Agricultural Merit by the French Republic. His dishes are characterized by their delicate presentation and beautiful use of color, incorporating kaiseki cuisine techniques into French cuisine. During his time as a chef at John Kanaya Western Restaurant, he established a style of "French kaiseki" that made use of those techniques. With his passion and curiosity for cooking and his strong service spirit, Sakai's dishes continue to fascinate many gourmets. ・Hibiki Piano (live piano performance: December 21st) He started playing the piano at the age of 6. He won many competitions while attending Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, and after graduating, he was selected as a pianist for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Central Band. He has been invited to perform at national events, state guests, foreign guests, etc., as well as at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Nippon Budokan, Saitama Super Arena, and other venues across the country. He posts a wide range of songs on YouTube, from slow to super-fast techniques, and currently has 240,000 subscribers and has exceeded 100 million total views. He has released four CDs and a collection of virtuoso and healing sheet music. He is currently on a nationwide solo tour. Miyaken (live piano performance: December 22nd) Born in 1990 in Kagoshima City. He graduated from the Faculty of Music at Aichi Prefectural University of the Arts as a trombone major with honors, and is currently performing as a guest in a professional orchestra as a trombonist. He is a piano YouTuber who posts videos on YouTube about street pianos. He respects the original songs, but is well-received for his gorgeous arrangements that make use of his main job of orchestral sound, and improvises a wide range of songs by ear. His channel currently has over 260,000 subscribers. In addition to appearing on NHK-FM and Fuji TV's "TEPPEN: The Showbiz World's Special Skills Championship" Piano Showdown, he has also held collaborative live shows with many other pianists.

Chef Sakai Hiroyuki, owner and chef of the French restaurant "La Rochelle" with locations in Minami Aoyama, Fukuoka, and Sanno, and also known as a cast member of the TV show "Iron Chef," will be in charge of the special lunch. ■Food menu [Welcome pinchos] Three kinds of Christmas pinchos [Cold hors d'oeuvres] Turnip Charlotte with scallop and whelk tartare and caviar [Hot hors d'oeuvres] Foie gras and potato croquettes with winter truffle and champignon sauce [Fish dish] Scampi wrapped in croutons with clam and miso flavor and beurre blanc sauce [Meat dish] Wagyu beef filet Wellington style with red wine sauce [Dessert] Strawberry omonnier with vanilla ice cream [Coffee] *Menu contents are subject to change depending on the availability of ingredients.

Hibiki piano (December 21st) and Miyaken (December 22nd), who are also popular piano YouTubers, will be performing live.