Japanese chef who cooked for Ram Charan, has won a Michelin award.... not for sushi. His Tokyo restaurant serves just one desi food

While he hails from Japan, chef Takamasa Osawa came into prominence for being a biryani expert! The chef who hit headlines earlier this year in January for cooking biryani at Telugu superstar Ram Charan’s house when he was visiting Hyderabad has crossed yet another milestone – According to a Times of India report, the chef operates a tiny 10-seat restaurant in Tokyo's Kanda neighbourhood called Biriyani Osawa, where every service revolves around a single pot of biryani. His unwavering commitment earned the restaurant a prestigious Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2026. Reflecting his uncompromising philosophy, the restaurant proudly embraces the slogan "Biryani or Die," a mindset the chef has previously described as his complete devotion to the iconic rice dish.

Recently, Osawa travelled to Mumbai for a fully booked two-day culinary event at Indian Accent, where diners sampled three distinctive versions of his signature preparation—shiitake mushroom, chicken and lamb biryani. Despite the acclaim surrounding his creations, the chef continues to experiment fearlessly instead of relying on conventional recipes.

Before entering the culinary world, Osawa worked for a biofuel company, where his fascination with chemistry shaped his methodical way of thinking. He enjoyed experimenting, analysing results and refining processes, skills that later became central to his cooking philosophy. His journey into biryani began unexpectedly during a holiday in India in 2009. While travelling with a friend, he visited a restaurant in Coimbatore and ordered an unfamiliar dish without knowing what to expect. The meal turned out to be biryani, and its remarkable flavour immediately captivated him.


The experience inspired him to order additional servings that very day, trying biryanis from several restaurants. Although he no longer remembers the names of those establishments, he vividly recalls eating multiple plates because he was fascinated by the differences in flavour and preparation. That accidental discovery sparked an enduring passion that eventually transformed into a lifelong mission.

Over the following years, Osawa travelled extensively across South Asia to study the many regional traditions associated with biryani. Recognising that every region proudly defends its own version as the most authentic, he avoided choosing a single style as the definitive standard. Instead, he learned techniques from Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Delhi, Pakistan and Bangladesh before developing his own distinctive recipe.

His signature biryani combines elements gathered from different culinary traditions. The overall structure is inspired by Hyderabadi biryani, while the spice blend reflects Kolkata's style. The gravy incorporates influences from Pakistani cooking, and the meat is tenderised using a technique associated with Balochistan. He approaches these regional variations with the precision of a scientist, carefully comparing methods before selecting the best features from each. Among all the places he explored, Tamil Nadu remains his personal favourite.

At Biriyani Osawa in Tokyo, every biryani is paired with only one carefully selected accompaniment. The mutton version is served alongside a spicy chilli paste, the chicken preparation is complemented by fragrant oil infused with Nepal's timur pepper and bergamot peel, while the lobster biryani comes with a refreshing apple raita.

Osawa believes many people in Japan mistakenly assume biryani should always be eaten with curry poured over it. Determined to change that perception, he intentionally keeps accompaniments to a minimum, encouraging diners to appreciate the complete flavour of the biryani itself. He also insists on using bone-in meat because he believes it produces superior taste and texture, even though many Japanese customers generally prefer boneless cuts.

According to the Times of India, Osawa sources Australian mutton and Chinese onions for his restaurant, while importing most of his remaining ingredients directly from India to preserve the authenticity and complexity of the flavours that have become the hallmark of his celebrated biryani.