Chef Natsuko Shoji On The Importance Of Staying Humble

Shoji joined the Dom Pérignon Society in 2025, and she led the team that prepared dinner for Southeast Asia-based Society members during a recent gathering held at CHIJMES Hall, an events space that is also a Singaporean National Monument dating back to 1841. The occasion also saw the unveiling of three new vintages: Dom Pérignon Vintage 2017, Dom Pérignon Vintage 2008 – Plénitude 2, and Dom Pérignon Rosé 2010. The dinner’s menu was centred on the theme of Harmony, a core tenet of Dom Pérignon, with a masterfully crafted dish pairing each of the new vintages. Shoji’s signature Mango Tart, which you can order via Fleurs d’été, capped off the unforgettable night.

How has your first year as a member of Dom Pérignon Society been for you?

I’ve always admired the Society, and I feel incredibly grateful to be appointed to it. I’ve spent the past year thinking about how I can use this opportunity to reach the next generation. I also had the chance to visit the Dom Pérignon estate, together with many chefs and sommeliers from other countries, and had many conversations with them. I learnt that each of them has their own interpretation of Dom Pérignon, and I also realised that every chef has their own perspective on pairing Dom Pérignon with food. I’m still relatively new, so I was able to learn a lot from all of these chefs, many of whom have been Society members for years. My understanding of Dom Pérignon has deepened, thanks to them.

Your restaurant été serves only one group a day, with a maximum of six guests at a time. What inspired such a unique concept, and how does this influence your service and omotenashi?

Actually, the reason why I started this small restaurant was that I was a very young woman at the time, and I couldn’t get a proper loan. I could only get very small financing from a financial institution. I wondered what I could do with that, as I was a young woman and I couldn’t hire staff. So, I rented a very small apartment with extremely low rent, and started a restaurant that only serves one group a day.

But I think that, ultimately, led to the highest level of hospitality. I cooked everything myself and, because I didn’t have any staff, I served the guests myself. That style hasn’t changed to this day. I think that one of the reasons why chefs become professionals is family meals and cooking for the family. What I’m doing embodies that, and it has become what I think is world-class hospitality. It was difficult at first, but, in the end, it has allowed me to connect with guests more directly—and that is the essence of the best kind of hospitality.

Chef Pam from Potong is also a member of the Dom Pérignon Society. When we spoke with her last year, she mentioned that female chefs face challenges in this industry because of family pressures or raising children. What is your advice to the next generation, considering these circumstances?

One of the reasons I haven’t changed my one-group-per-day style, even though I’ve become much more influential now, is that I believe this small business offers opportunities to anyone. The startup and operational costs are low, making it an easy business model for one woman to run. That’s why I won’t give up this style, because I want more people to know about it. You don’t need a fancy restaurant—chefs can shine even on a small scale. So, even if you have children or get married, this business can be continued without difficulty.

Even if I had the opportunity to open a larger restaurant, I would still choose this small restaurant because I want people to know the significance of it, and I want to teach young women how to start a small business. This opportunity is available to everyone because, when you start a small business, the initial costs and running costs are low and it’s easy for one woman to do—even if you have children and a family.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

People sometimes tell me, “You’ll be fine; you won’t die.” But it’s not really about “not dying”; instead, I feel that I can always do better and push myself even further. So, give it your absolute best and, because you’re not going to die, you’ll be alright. Also, I think it’s important to always underestimate yourself and to keep reminding yourself that you haven’t really achieved anything yet. It’s important to evaluate yourself always and to stay humble.

How do you find calm?

Achieving my goals.

What is your most treasured possession?

The restaurant’s staff. And the restaurant is my child.

What is something you always bring with you when you travel?

Headache medicine. Whenever I travel, it’s usually for work or events. There’s always a lot of pressure.

Where did you have a holiday recently?

I’m not interested in holidays. I can’t do anything.

So, how do you relax?

I spend my free time reading manga. I have more than a thousand manga titles on my phone. My favourite is Hunter x Hunter.

What are you aiming for next?

To be the best female chef in the world. If I can achieve that with a small restaurant, it will be a great hope and inspiration to the next generation. I think I’ll also have much more influence and I’ll have more opportunities to change the world.

Finally, if you could share a glass of Dom Pérignon with anyone—alive or dead; past, present, or future—who would it be?

Hmm, that’s difficult… but I’ll say that I’d like to share that moment with myself after I’ve won the award for the world’s best female chef.