Key facts
- Tokyo's Sézanne restaurant has lost its three Michelin stars.
- The departure of opening chef Daniel Calvert in April preceded the star removal.
- Stephen Lancaster is the new head chef at Sézanne.
- Sézanne was previously ranked No. 1 on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list.
- Hong Kong executive Keizer Cheng lost 32kg in eight months.
Tokyo's acclaimed Sézanne restaurant has been stripped of its three Michelin stars ahead of the guide's next update in autumn 2026. The prestigious culinary establishment, which previously held the No. 1 spot on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list, experienced this change following the departure of its opening chef, Daniel Calvert, in April.
Calvert's replacement, Stephen Lancaster, who previously led Saint Pierre in Singapore to two-Michelin-star status, now faces the challenge of reclaiming the stars for Sézanne. The restaurant, located within the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, had a rapid ascent since its launch in July 2021, earning its first Michelin star within six months, a second a year later, and achieving three-star status in late 2024.
In response to inquiries, Michelin Japan stated that Sézanne's previous listing was taken offline due to significant changes in spring 2026. The restaurant has since reopened with a new team and is currently under evaluation. This move deviates from Michelin's general stance that stars are awarded to restaurants, not individual chefs, and should be retained if standards are maintained.
In a separate lifestyle story, Hong Kong executive Keizer Cheng, 27, successfully lost 32kg in eight months. Cheng's weight dropped from 97kg with a 37% body fat percentage to 65kg with 12.5% body fat. This transformation enabled him to participate in events like the 2026 Standard Chartered Hong Kong half-marathon and multiple Hyrox competitions.
