Kenichi Tajima
Chef de Cuisine

“A la Cuisine!” Chef Kenichi ‘Ken’ Tajima marvels as the star catering chef of Payard’s catering arm, Tastings. Born in Tokyo, Japan, Ken had no idea the gong of his fate would sound around the world, and then some, crossing the oceans to New York City.

Hailing from highly educated parents, Ken attended Seikei private school for 12 years. While a dedicated student, putting his nose to the grindstone, Ken’s mother, ensuring that her son end up healthy as well as intelligent, prepared delicious meals for the family using seasonal ingredients. During the summer vacation of his final year of high school, Ken put his mother’s culinary influence into practice as he worked at a restaurant, discovering for himself the joys and depths of cooking. Rather than continuing on, as 99% of students attending Seikei, to work in a research laboratory, Ken decided to pursue his new passion at Tsuji Cooking School in Tokyo. His teachers and parents, however, were not happy with his decision of launching into the culinary field.

Ken prospered, nevertheless, and studied French culinary arts both in Japan and France. After returning to Japan to gain experience at restaurants such as at Au Bec Fin in Kobe, Ken continued his career in France, at the age of 25, by gracing the stages of such Michelin Star dining divas as Moulin de Martrey in Chalon sur Saone and Marc Veyrat in Annecy.

In July, 2001, Ken was granted the opportunity to work alongside Executive Chef Philippe Bertineau and Pastry Chef, François Payard as Executive Catering Chef for Tastings by Payard preparing side-by-side sweets and savories for their celebrated S &S Cocktail Parties and excitingly in demand Tastings Dînatoires – informal yet tasteful soirées offering a client customized tasting menu of 2 or 3 bites for each hand-passed plate.