We're always sad when a top restaurant shuts down, but we were especially disappointed when we heard that the Michelin two-star Pierre Gagnaire a Tokyo had closed its bijou doors last year. As one of the world's most brilliant chefs, Gagnaire's exquisite cuisine would seem a perfect match for Tokyo's sophisticated sensibilities.

It turns out that his retreat from these shores was only a temporary retrenchment. He is back with an entirely new operation, which opens today (March 19) at the top of the ANA InterContinental Hotel.

Gagnaire is a global brand stretching from Paris to Las Vegas and Dubai, and Tokyo is just one of eight cities where we can now find his illustrious name. But that does not diminish our anticipation in the slightest. We can't wait to welcome him back.