Cover Koji Tamura, the man behind Mr Cheesecake
Koji Tamura, the man behind Mr Cheesecake
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Koji Tamura tells us about his journey from fine dining to dessert creation, childhood influences and the flavours that define Mr Cheesecake
Considered the number one cheesecake in Tokyo, the highly popular Mr Cheesecake has amassed a devoted following among dessert enthusiasts. Celebrated for its smooth and sumptuous texture, the cheesecake strikes an incredible balance of flavour and aroma, captivating admirers worldwide, ourselves included.
Now, venturing beyond its native Japan for the first time, Mr Cheesecake has graced Hong Kong with its sweet presence, hosting a pop-up at K11 Musea until May 31, 2024.
The man behind Mr Cheesecake is Koji Tamura, a chef who has worked at multiple acclaimed restaurants in France and Japan including three-Michelin-starred Mirazur and the now-closed Tirpse in Tokyo. Since Tamura established the brand in 2018, Mr Cheesecake has been known to sell out at the pre-order stage and has sold over one million units in total, making it one of the most viral and elusive desserts in Japan.
At the Hong Kong pop-up, customers can savour the classic vanilla, lemon and tonka bean flavoured cheesecake, as well as matcha, made with premium Yame matcha from Fukuoka, and the new chocolate marron, a blend of Italian marron, vanilla and brown sugar, infused with a hint of rum. Additionally, Mr Cheesecake has partnered with renowned Japanese furniture manufacturer Karimoku to create a cutting board and cutlery rest, also available at the pop-up store.
Read on to find out more about Mr Cheesecake and the man behind the magic.
Above Classic
Above Matcha
Classic
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What motivated you to transition from fine dining to dessert creation?
I started a culinary career because of a moment when I made a special cake for a friend, and that friend enjoyed the cake. That was a pivotal episode for me, motivating me to start cooking and creating food for the people I love. Then, when I was in the world of fine dining, my mother tasted my food and said to me that what I created was good but she didn’t know what she was eating. From this moment, I started questioning myself about what I really wanted to do.
I started to think and look back at why I started this career in the first place. In gastronomy, we often combine different ingredients and make complex dishes. But for Mr Cheesecake, I wanted to create something easy to understand, something simple and delicious, and that became my ultimate goal. I don’t think that I have switched to the dessert or sweets world completely, I believe that creating desserts is in the same line of cuisine. It’s in the same field, but I’m simply expanding my field.
Growing up in Miura in Kanagawa, Japan, did your childhood influence your passion for cooking?
Where I lived in Miura was close to the port, where there were a lot of fish. I would go fishing or pick fruit and vegetables from the fields. My aunt was a farmer and she grew watermelon, daikon and cabbage. I would help put the stickers on the watermelons. So, I had a lot of opportunities to get in touch with food and ingredients since I was young. My mother also really loved to cook. She has had a really big impact on my life.
Is there a particular dessert that holds a special place in your heart?
My food memories are all from what my mother made. She would make tea-flavoured puddings that you can bake in the oven and rare cheesecake with a strawberry sauce on top that she would make in the spring. Some of the recipes that we put on our website are recipes that I’ve created from my memories of my mother’s cooking.
Why did you call your brand Mr Cheesecake?
I wanted the name to be more global, a simple, easy-to-understand brand name. And because I love cheesecake. I also wanted to be the pioneer in this genre.
Have you ever had any dessert disasters or experimental flavours that didn’t turn out as expected?
The hardest flavours are those that use fruits. I am always experimenting, but one flavour that I’ve yet to achieve is peaches. The fruit has a lot of water content and the fragrance of Japanese peaches is very sensitive and delicate, so it’s difficult to recreate that. I try to get the best out of the fruit, replicating both flavour and fragrance while keeping it natural and fresh. I mix it with herbs and spices to get as close to that flavour as possible. Japanese peaches are in season in June so I try to make a peach flavour every year around that time. I’m still trying.
What is your creative process like?
I am thinking and trying to come up with new flavours every day. I like to listen to music and focus. We have a kitchen to create our cheesecakes, and I have a room of my own there. I go into that room, close the doors and focus.
What kind of music do you listen to?
I like R’n’B and Nujabes [a Japanese producer best known for his atmospheric mixes sampling from hip hop, soul and jazz].
What are some of your other interests or hobbies that you enjoy in your free time?
I like basehall, I used to play at school. I also like reading manga, baseball or sporty ones, and fashion. My style is simple silhouettes with a unique accent. I like Maison Margiela’s concepts of authenticity, anonymity and re-conception.
Dessert aside, what’s your favourite savoury dish to prepare or enjoy?
I like ethnic foods because I like using herbs and citrus and combining spices. When I approach these ethnic foods, I am thinking about the combination of sweet, sour and savoury, along with texture and fragrance, to create a multidimensional flavour. A flavour with depth, and how it all ties together to create a balanced dish.
I used to work as a chef in Southern France, and from that experience, I began to enjoy Vietnamese food which has a more citrusy flavour profile with spices and herbs incorporated into the cuisine. This is similar to the French food that I make and it goes well with Japanese flavours. Typically, French cuisine is more strong but Vietnamese is more simple. I like using nam pla [the fermented fish sauce] and combining that umami into my food.
Would you make use of umami in your cheesecake flavours?
Right now, our matcha flavour in Hong Kong uses umami, but I want to try a chocolate and umami combination. Because in Japan there are lots of flavours that combine chocolate and miso or chocolate and soy sauce. And chocolate and nam pla combine very well.
If you could only eat one cheesecake flavour for the rest of your life, which flavour would you choose?
It has to be the original flavour. To me, the classic flavour is the best that I’ve created and I don’t think I can ever create something that would top that flavour. Plus, it holds a special place in my memory, being the first that I created.
Above The Hong Kong pop up is at K11 Musea
The Hong Kong pop up is at K11 Musea
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Mr Cheesecake Hong Kong pop-up store
Address: Unit 21, Shop B20, K11 Musea, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Three ways to enjoy Mr Cheesecake: A temperature guide
Unlock the full potential of the cheesecake by exploring its diverse flavours at different temperatures:
- Frozen:
Straight out of the freezer, Mr Cheesecake delivers a cold, ice-cream-like experience. - Half-thawed (As recommended by Koji Tamura):
Optimal for a contrast in textures. Enjoy the frozen centre paired with the creamy outer layer. - Fully-thawed:
As it reaches room temperature, Mr Cheesecke transforms into a luscious brûlée-like treat.
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A storyteller by day and a first-class food devourer by night, Fontaine is the Regional Dining Editor at Tatler Asia, overseeing dining content across all regions and shaping the brand’s editorial voice on food, chefs and culinary culture.
She is also Content Lead for Tatler Best and Co-jury Head for Tatler Best Hong Kong and Macau, guiding the awards’ editorial direction and evaluation process. With over a decade in the lifestyle and media industry spanning London and Hong Kong, she brings a cross-regional perspective to the table.
Follow her on Instagram at @fontimes.
