Alexis Luong

A shap talent

Par Lionel Leoty

Yesterday • • • My name is Luong, Alexis Luong. My weapons of choice are not only my Yanagiba, which slices through fish with perfect precision, but also my passion, my perseverance and above all my family. I didn’t set out to become a chef, I originally wanted to be an accountant. I was looking for work and I learned about sushi from my cousin who ran a restaurant, and that’s how it all began! I was immediately captivated by the meticulous and ancestral art. I like getting stuck into things, I enjoy a challenge and learning on my feet. After experimenting and failing, again and again, I understood that cookery would become my language. One of my principles is to never give up, and to show respect for other people and my elders. I owe that value to my Vietnamese heritage on my father’s side. Yes, I am a hard worker and I believe not only in making great friends, but also in the strength I draw from the people I love and those around me. Winning at the French Sushi Championship was a wonderful seal of approval, and I will never forget that moment.

Today • • • I came to Nice when we opened Onaka. I wanted to make sure my son experienced real family life. It was a fantastic surprise that we were so successful so quickly, and we earned recognition from locals and guides including Michelin and Gault & Millau. We worked hard for that, and I am grateful that my wife Andrea is there to give me so much support on a daily basis; she is my rock. I thank her for that. My son, who is a real foodie, also drives me to go further. My teams help me grow; they bring me their ideas and energy, like my sous-chef who attended the Institut Paul Bocuse, and Miro (our Japanese aunt) who teaches me manual techniques and the culture of tradition every day. I like them to feel at home, I want them to be fulfilled and comfortable. They shouldn’t feel like they work for me, but with me.

Tomorrow • • • When I started, I remembered something a famous Japanese sushi master who had trained in a two-star restaurant in Tokyo once told me: “real sushi is an art that is only taught to those who prove themselves worthy of it.” Every day, every minute, I do whatever I can to prove myself worthy of sushi. Everything about it drives and fascinates me. Three successive trips to Japan and the Tokyo World Championships have changed how I view and approach my cuisine. I want to start offering my customers new experiences by developing Onaka in two ways: on the one hand, a fine-dining restaurant with a menu and a space dedicated to the pure tradition of Omakase. On the other, a friendly bistro, in the spirit of Izakaya. There will be a welcoming atmosphere and I will serve small sharing plates of finger food, creative cocktails and sake. I would like Nice to become like an authentic Little Tokyo.

[ 1990 ] Born in Paris on 12 March.

[ 2016 ] Debut at Nobu Monaco and meeting with Sushi Masters. [2021 ] French Sushi Champion. [ 2020 ] Birth of his son and move to Nice, his wife’s home town. 

[2022 ] Opening of the Onaka restaurant. [2024 ] Third place at the World Sushi Championships 

in Tokyo.