Yong Wu Nagahira
Head chef and founder of Ikigai and Ikigai Velázquez in Madrid, fusing Japanese technique with French and Spanish influences.
- Repsol Soles
1- Restaurants
- 2
- Born
- 1989 · Paris
Yong Wu Nagahira is the Madrid-based chef behind Ikigai (Flor Baja, opened 2018) and Ikigai Velázquez (opened May 2022). Born in Paris to a Chinese father and Japanese mother and raised largely in Andújar, Jaén, he trained under chef Masaya Ohama at Ginza before developing a menu that fuses Japanese technique with French and Spanish influences, centered on an omakase tasting format. Ikigai holds one Sol in the Guía Repsol.
From @yongwunagahira on Instagram
¿90 € POR UN MENÚ JAPONÉS? ESPERA A VER LO QUE HACE YONG WU NAGAHIRA. 🍣✨ por qué la alta gastronomía puede ser tan adictiva…? En Ikigai Velázquez, el chef Yong Wu Nagahira ha creado una cocina japonesa con personalidad propia, donde la técnica, la precisión y el producto son protagonistas. Y aqu
Y tú ¿Qué personalidad tienes? 😜 #japomadrid #restaurantesmadrid #planesmadrid #comidajaponesa
Biography
Early years
Nagahira was born in Paris in 1989 to a Chinese father and a Japanese mother. At age three his family moved to Andújar, in Jaén province, Spain, and he later returned to Paris for his adolescence before eventually settling in Madrid. He studied business administration before turning to cooking.
Career
Nagahira trained under Masaya Ohama, a Japanese chef in Madrid who worked at the restaurant Ginza and whom he considers his mentor. He opened Ikigai, on Flor Baja in central Madrid, in 2018, and a second restaurant, Ikigai Velázquez, in May 2022. Ikigai holds one Sol in the Guía Repsol.
Philosophy
His cooking applies Japanese technique, including fish maturation and maceration for umami, to a menu that folds in French and Spanish influences, built around an omakase format the restaurant describes as never repeating the same way twice.
Yong Wu Nagahira in our guides
Editorial guides featuring Yong Wu Nagahira’s restaurants.
Accolades
- ·1 Sol, Guía Repsol: Ikigai (Flor Baja)
Frequently asked
Does Yong Wu Nagahira have a Michelin star?
No. Ikigai, his restaurant on Flor Baja in Madrid, holds one Sol in the Guía Repsol.
Where can I eat Yong Wu Nagahira's cooking in Madrid?
At Ikigai on Flor Baja, which he opened in 2018, or at Ikigai Velázquez, which he opened in May 2022.
What is Yong Wu Nagahira's background?
He was born in Paris in 1989 to a Chinese father and Japanese mother, grew up largely in Andújar (Jaén, Spain), and trained under Madrid-based chef Masaya Ohama before opening his own restaurants.
What is Ikigai known for?
An omakase tasting format that fuses Japanese technique with French and Spanish influences; the kitchen describes it as never repeating the same way twice.
Where did Yong Wu Nagahira train?
He trained under chef Masaya Ohama at the Madrid restaurant Ginza before opening his own Ikigai in 2018.
Does the same chef run both Ikigai restaurants in Madrid?
Yes. Yong Wu Nagahira is head chef and founder of both Ikigai on Flor Baja and Ikigai Velázquez, which he opened in May 2022.