The French restaurant "mærge" achieved the remarkable feat of receiving a Michelin star just three months after opening. What is it about the restaurant that impresses its visitors so much? We delve into the thoughts of Shibata Hideyuki.
Four small dishes are laid out on the table, and the course begins. From the back: "Cep mushroom tart," "Arama chicken," "Sanma pacific saury," and "Cauliflower velouté." This dish, which uses Arama chicken, an old chicken that has finished laying eggs and is not normally used as a food ingredient, and has been sublimated using exquisite techniques, embodies the concept of "mærge." The "Carré de Beurre" in the foreground of the photo is made by placing ingredients of the guest's choice, such as Oscietra premium caviar, smoked duck, pork rillettes, and ricotta cheese cream, on a square croissant.
Text by Yui Togawa
Photo by Yu Mitamura
Photograph by Yu Mitamura
[Article published in the July 2026 issue of Kronos Japan]
A new "tourist attraction" that circulates the economy
Born in Hokkaido in 1979, he began his training at Restaurant Mona Lisa in 1999. He moved to France in 2006 and honed his skills at star-ranked restaurants in Burgundy and Paris. After returning to Japan, he served as head chef at Restaurant Mona Lisa's Marunouchi branch and main branch in Ebisu, before opening La Crerière in Shirokane in 2016. In June 2013, he opened mærge in Minami-Aoyama.
"Mærge" is a coined word that combines the French word "marge," which means "white space or frame," and the English word "merge," which means "fusion." It embodies the idea of "putting a frame on ingredients that have yet to be named, and creating a new relationship between the ingredients and the eater."
Once seated in the original mærge chair, a captivating presentation unfolds on a pristine table lit only by candles. According to Hideyuki Shibata, "Taste is the last thing to come to mind. It begins with sight, followed by hearing and smell, then touch, and finally, taste is perceived only when the food is in the mouth. Therefore, the maison's job is to determine how far it can appeal to the brain before reaching the sense of taste." The "Carré de Beurre," which appears before the appetizer, is served on a steaming, buttery croissant, with your choice of choice from an elegant selection. The experience of classic French cuisine will surely excite your heart. The menu continues with a series of dishes each with its own story.
A heavy wooden box is brought out before the meat dish. The knives inside are all unique and individually crafted by Nihon Genshosha, a Kyoto-based manufacturer of Japanese swords, and Suwao Mekki, a company based in Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture. If guests like the knives, they can order them, and the production and regular maintenance of these knives will help protect the jobs of swordsmiths and plating artisans.
"We want to become a place where people can learn about the charms of Japan, in other words, a tourist attraction. That's why our rival is Sensoji Temple," he says. In fact, after finishing a meal at "mærge," customers are given new knowledge, their curiosity is piqued, and they have a memorable experience, all things comparable to visiting a tourist attraction.
Shibata has a 15-year plan he calls the "mærge project." He aims to earn three Michelin stars in the next five years, build a commercial facility in 10 years in partnership with a developer, and create a concept city in 15 years. He also aims to make "mærge" a restaurant that will last for 100 years. It's an ambitious plan, but its roots are summed up in these words of Shibata: "Everything is necessary to complete the dish that I envision."
mærge (merge)
VORT Minamiaoyama III 1F, 3-8-14 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel.03-6910-5615
Sundays and irregular holidays
18:00～23:00
Seasonal Chef's Choice Course 36,300 yen
(10% service charge not included)
