Partnering with China’s Top Chefs, Interpreting “Premium, Not Luxury” Through Seasonal Ingredients and Urban Culture
ShanghaiJune 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — When the kitchen becomes a spiritual sanctuary for the body and mind, every dish tells a story of a person, a kitchen, and a way of life. Recently, LIXIL Group’s premium Japanese kitchen brand, LIXIL Kitchen, officially launched its annual culinary lifestyle IP — “Star Chef LIXIL Feast”. With the kitchen as the stage, the chef as the core, and cuisine as the medium, this event will run throughout the year, revolving around the four seasons and unfolding across four cities. Collaborating with renowned domestic celebrity chefs and representative culinary cultures, it aims to integrate LIXIL Kitchen’s brand philosophy of “Premium, Not Luxury” into authentic life scenarios through high-quality content and private tasting events.
Mr. Bai Yongguang, Leader of LIXIL Water Technology Group Greater China for American Standard and LIXIL Kitchen, stated: “LIXIL Kitchen has always been centered on the needs of Chinese families. We believe that the kitchen is not just a place for cooking, but a stage for emotional connection in life. ‘Star Chef LIXIL Feast’ is our interpretation of this philosophy and a new starting point for deep dialogue with our consumers. Moving forward, we will continue to deepen our presence in the Chinese market, using human-centric design and Japanese craftsmanship to bring joyful, warm, and sustainable living experiences to more Chinese families.”
Four Seasons, Four Cities, Culinary Tales of the World
The “Star Chef LIXIL Feast” event marks a significant milestone in LIXIL Kitchen’s efforts to deepen brand content and engage with high-end circles in the Chinese market. Unlike traditional one-off marketing campaigns, this event runs annually on a quarterly basis, integrating video content, media outreach, KOL collaborations, and private tasting events. It is dedicated to bringing LIXIL Kitchen—a brand suited for Chinese households—into consumers’ lives.
The event follows a narrative thread of “Kitchen, Flavor, People, and Moments” — Kitchen represents meticulous craftsmanship, Flavor embodies the diverse tastes of the seasons, People refers to the mastery of renowned chefs, and Moments capture the richness of time and space intertwined with food. Over four phases annually, each phase corresponds to a city, a star chef, a custom menu, and a series of brand story films. Each phase will blend local seasonal ingredients, regional food culture, and the chef’s personal culinary philosophy, telling authentic and heartwarming stories of people, food, and kitchens within the spiritual sanctuary of the Chinese kitchen.
The first season of the “Star Chef LIXIL Feast” was unveiled this summer in Shanghai, featuring a special collaboration with Shanghai star chef Ma Jun. Ma Jun is the head chef and manager of “Toriki,” a kaiseki-style yakitori restaurant on the Bund in Shanghai. He studied under Mr. Sakai Yasuto, known as the “Yakitori Sage.” Mr. Sakai’s Tokyo-based Toriki restaurant has held a Michelin one-star rating for ten consecutive years, and the Shanghai Bund location is its first branch in mainland China.
Following the first season in Shanghai, the subsequent three seasons will be held in Beijing, Chengdu, and Shenzhen, with more celebrity chefs to be announced.
Figure 1: LIXIL Kitchen invites Shanghai star chef Ma Jun to interpret the “Star Chef LIXIL Feast”
When Star Chefs Meet LIXIL Kitchen: A Natural Expression of Product Philosophy
Behind every stunning dish lies an efficient, human-centric, and aesthetically pleasing kitchen space. In the “Star Chef LIXIL Feast,” the brand’s product philosophy is naturally showcased through the chefs’ real-life operations in LIXIL kitchens.
LIXIL Kitchen consistently upholds the brand philosophy of “Premium, Not Luxury,” dedicating itself to human-centric kitchen experiences with a craftsmanship mindset. It pursues the beauty of balanced design in appearance and the rich depth of product craftsmanship. Taking the representative RICHELLE fully imported series as an example, this series is based on five years of over 100 user surveys, analysis of over 3,000 hours of usage scenarios, and testing of over 300 cooking tools. It embodies two core brand principles: “Human Fit Technology” and “Living Fit Design.” From the seamless operational experience provided by ergonomic hardware like Easy Drawer, Space Capsule, and Drop-Down Basket, to the visual tidiness and emotional resonance created by human-centric storage solutions—LIXIL Kitchen integrates functionality with Japanese aesthetics. Notably, LIXIL selects panels that meet Japan’s F☆☆☆☆ (F4 Star) environmental standards, strictly controlling formaldehyde emissions (≤0.3mg/L), embedding green environmental concepts into its products. This creates an ideal cooking space for Chinese families that combines efficient storage, comfortable operation, and eco-friendly quality.
In the culinary stories presented by the “Star Chef LIXIL Feast,” these product features are no longer just technical specifications but tangible moments of life. When a kitchen allows a chef to focus on heat and flavor without being disrupted by cluttered storage or repetitive movement patterns, that is the true meaning of LIXIL’s “people-first” approach.
Figure 2: LIXIL Kitchen RICHELLE series products
Starting from the Kitchen, Reaching the Heart
LIXIL Kitchen originated in Japan in 1936. In the REFORM Awards, often called the “Oscar” of Japan’s renovation industry, it has won the top prize in the premium kitchen product category for seven consecutive years from 2019 to 2025.
Since officially entering China in 2018, LIXIL has introduced the RICHELLE SI imported kitchen series, launched the SINOYA series, and debuted the New RICHELLE imported series at the 2024 Shanghai International Kitchen & Bathroom Exhibition. With the launch of the 2026 “Star Chef LIXIL Feast” annual event, LIXIL Kitchen has gradually evolved from a “premium cabinet provider” to a “lifestyle advocate.”
With food as the medium and people at the core, the “Star Chef LIXIL Feast” is not only a high-end showcase of cuisine and skill but also a long-term commitment by LIXIL Kitchen to delve into the culinary culture and emotional value of Chinese family kitchens. In the future, LIXIL Kitchen will continue to uphold the “Premium, Not Luxury” philosophy, creating more warm and distinctive activities to help more Chinese families experience their own enriching moments within the kitchen space.
Figure 3: LIXIL Kitchen “Star Chef LIXIL Feast” summer dishes
About LIXIL Kitchen
LIXIL Kitchen originates from Japan, founded in 1936, and is a premium kitchen brand under the LIXIL Group. Adhering to the brand philosophy of “Premium, Not Luxury,” it integrates Japanese aesthetics, ergonomics, and eco-friendly technology, dedicated to creating ideal kitchen spaces that combine functionality and emotional value for consumers.
About LIXIL
LIXIL Group is a global leader in sanitary ware and home improvement, committed to enabling people around the world to enjoy better homes, wherever they are. Consumer-centric, LIXIL continuously innovates and pioneers, guided by a long-term vision and sustainable development principles. The LIXIL Group portfolio includes globally renowned brands such as GROHE (Germany), American Standard (USA), INAX (Japan), and LIXIL Kitchen. Today, LIXIL Group operates in 150 countries, employs over 53,000 people, and its products benefit more than 1 billion consumers worldwide.
“LIXIL” Group (Tokyo Stock Exchange Code: 5938) is the listed holding company of the “LIXIL” portfolio.