The story
Marie Akaneya opened in May 2023 as Paris’s first sumibiyaki restaurant and the first outside Japan to serve meat from Ito Ranch, the most exclusive Matsusaka Beef farm. The story began in 2020 when Chiho Murata first mentioned Matsusaka Beef to Ignasi Elías. Two years later, they met Hiroki Ito, owner of Ito Ranch. Akaneya became the first foreign company accepted by the Matsusaka Beef Association in over 60 years.
Set at 12 rue Godot-de-Mauroy in La Madeleine, the restaurant brings a refined Kyoto aesthetic to Paris. An inuyarai (bamboo fence) at the façade signals the calm within. Inside, eight custom-made barbecue tables, tatami mats, and paper lamps coexist with wood, iron, and clay. Designed by Chiho Murata and the C97 studio, the space breathes Japanese minimalism and a warm, at-home feeling.
Chef Justin Leblond (born 1992) trained in classical French cuisine under a disciple of Auguste Escoffier. With over 17 years of experience in France and abroad – from Paris to Los Angeles and Canada – he brings a demanding, product-focused approach. At Marie Akaneya, he focuses on fire, technique, and respect for the product, shaping his passion for Japanese gastronomy and exclusive ingredients like Ito Ranch’s Matsusaka wagyu and Fukuroi’s Crown Melon.
Marie Akaneya offers three sumibiyaki tasting menus. The “Akaneya” features five cuts of Japanese wagyu including Kobe Beef (€120). The “Matsusaka” adds six cuts of Matsusaka Beef A5 with a portion of Crown Melon (€180). The ultimate “Matsusaka-Ito Ranch” includes six cuts of Ito Ranch Matsusaka Beef A5, the BMS12 tenderloin, and a Crown Melon for two (€265). All menus are for a minimum of two people.
This dedication to premium Japanese BBQ has earned the restaurant a spot in the Michelin Guide Recommended selection – a natural recognition for a place that introduced sumibiyaki to Paris and is one of only three restaurants in France licensed to serve Kobe Beef. The restaurant also holds the “EU No. 01” license for Ito Ranch Matsusaka Beef.
The cuisine is pure Japanese BBQ, grilled over binchōtan charcoal. A notable sake list complements the wagyu-focused menu. Whether seated at a table or on tatami, guests share dishes in a ritual that awakens all the senses.
Recognition
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