Yoshihiro Murata, Japan

Murata was born into the restaurant industry, his parents owned a fine dining restaurant in Kyoto, Japan. He developed a love for cooking at a young age, and he eventually shipped off to France to study culinary arts. He then returned to Japan and opened his own restaurant. Shortly after that, he opened three more. In total, Murata has achieved seven Michelin stars, among numerous other awards for being a cultural leader in contemporary Japanese cooking.