SEN - a new Japanese jewel in the heart of Le Méridien Beach Plaza

When Tokyo meets Monaco: the birth of an exceptional Japanese showcase.

The Kodera family unveils Sen in Monaco.

In Monaco, certain addresses are whispered about more than they are revealed. For years now, the Kodera family has been shaping the Principality's gastronomic scene with their signature standards. In March 2026, they will unveil Sen in the Le Méridien Beach Plaza Hotel: a Japanese gourmet restaurant designed as a speakeasy, a discreet, almost secret place reserved for those seeking a rare experience.

Official supplier to the Princely Family of Monaco, the Kodera family's Sen is a tribute to Japan, between light and shade. Under the culinary direction of Tokyo chef Hiroki Hiyama, the restaurant celebrates Japanese tradition at its most essential: the excellence of the product, the precision of the gesture, the season as a guiding principle, and a refined aesthetic where every detail counts. This cuisine is complemented by omotenashi: sincere, almost choreographed hospitality, made up of the right gestures and imperceptible attentions, where dinner is experienced as an intimate, immersive interlude.

Monegasque heritage & Japanese vision

Run by the Kodera family, Sen continues a family history shaped by high standards, consistency and the art of entertaining.

Designed like a Japanese speakeasy, Sen cultivates both light and shade. The atmosphere is hushed, almost silent. The acoustic wood absorbs whispers, the Terra Red mosaic adds a subtle signature to the space, and the made-to-measure furniture follows the lines with restraint. Nothing is ostentatious; everything is intentional.

The service, guided by codified gestures of almost invisible precision, establishes a singular rhythm: that of a place where you enter as a guest and leave as an initiate.

Architecture & design - STUDIO ARCHIEE

The ARCHIEE studio sees space as a narrative. Drawing on archives, symbols and cultural gestures, it creates places that stand the test of time: architectures where we feel as much as we observe, where materials, light and rhythm create emotion.

For Sen at Le Méridien Beach Plaza, ARCHIEE has designed a discreet scenography. The route is deliberately subtle, like a transition to another world. The spirit of the Japanese speakeasy is conveyed through controlled lighting, deep textures, whisper-quiet acoustics and a composition that gradually reveals itself. The art of sushi becomes a silent spectacle, showcased without ostentation, in a contemporary, refined and precise aesthetic.

The project is the work of architects Yusuke Kinoshita and Matthew Nowicki, whose paths cross Tokyo, Melbourne, Mendrisio and Paris, providing a sensitive, international and contemporary interpretation of the space.

Hiroki Hiyama, a Japanese chef trained in Tokyo

Trained in Tokyo and shaped by experiences in Kyoto, Italy and London, Hiroki Hiyama embodies a generation of Japanese chefs who are faithful to the fundamentals while cultivating an international dialogue. Executive chef at the Michelin-starred TOKITO inn in Tokyo, he has developed a cuisine of the highest standards, guided by the season, the purity of the product and the precision of the gesture.

For Sen, he offers a gastronomic interpretation of the Japanese repertoire. The menu - nigiri, sashimi, hot preparations and OMAKASE - is based on a simple, radical principle: to let the ingredient speak for itself in its purest form. The cuts are clean, the seasonings meticulously precise and the textures thought through in their progression. Each sequence is constructed with restraint, in a refined aesthetic where nothing is superfluous.

It's an author's cuisine, demanding and silent, for those who know how to recognise the precision of a gesture and the depth of a season.

A masterful ritual, dedicated to the guest

It all begins with restraint.
A whispered "Irasshaimase", the oshibori presented with precision, and already the tempo has set in. The service unfolds in a codified, almost silent gesture, where nothing is left to chance and yet everything seems natural.

At Sen's, the ritual is not announced, it is discovered. The choice of chopsticks, reserved for the OMAKASE experience, is not a detail but a sign: that of special attention, of subtle recognition, of a bond forged between the house and its guest. Here, the experience is lived in nuances, and understood by half a word.

Different points of view

Aya Kodera, co-founder of Sen:

"Monaco is our home. Excellence is our language. With Sen, we have imagined a Japan that is both faithful and contemporary: a confidential address, guided by the omotenashi, where people come as much for the precision as for the emotion."

Vincent Clinckemaillie, General Manager of Le Méridien Beach Plaza: "Welcoming Sen to the Hotel is in line with our desire to offer unique and demanding experiences that live up to the expectations of our local and international clientele."

Hiroki Hiyama, Chef of this new Japanese setting: "Japanese cuisine is a language of gestures and seasons. In Monaco, I want to convey the spirit of
Tokyo: respect for the product, beauty of detail and serenity of execution.