Interview with Chef Théo Lignani

Théo Lignani is a private chef and online content creator. A KOTAI affiliate since April 2023, he told us about his journey during an interview in September 2025.

Théo has loved cooking since he was nine years old. With parents who came home late in the evening and meals he didn’t always enjoy, he decided back in primary school to take matters into his own hands and cook from time to time. He quickly got into it and started spending more and more time in the kitchen:

“It’s a creative activity, so it speaks to me, and it’s also something you can do with others, not necessarily alone.”

But at that point, cooking wasn’t yet a true calling for Théo. It was at 18 that he decided to turn professional. He enrolled in the ESCCOM Culinary Academy in Nice, where he completed an accelerated training program. After gaining experience in the hospitality industry, Théo decided to broaden his horizons and went to work in Nagano, Japan. He fell in love with the country and stayed there for five years:

“I met so many wonderful people. Despite the heavy workload, I had chefs who took me under their wing. I experienced something really powerful there.”

When he returned to France in 2021, he became a private chef. His style, a blend of French and Japanese cuisine, was very well received, and he thrived in his work. He began sharing his passion on TikTok: “At that time, I didn’t even know you could make money from videos! I did it with no real goal, just to get my name out there and share my cooking.” And yet, here he is today with more than 1.2 million followers on Instagram and 750,000 on TikTok. He shares easy, seasonal recipes almost daily, varied dishes, and vegetarian options.

Today, content creation has taken precedence over his private chef work, which has become a secondary activity for Théo. But he’s just as fulfilled: “As long as I’m cooking, I’m happy!” he told us with a smile.

In 2024, Théo even published his first cookbook with Éditions de La Martinière, Ma cuisine sans complexe (“My Guilt-Free Cooking”). It features around fifty accessible, zero-waste recipes inspired by Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, enough to delight every palate.

"I’d say steak and fries with pepper sauce is always a safe bet, but when they’re well made, I also really love sushi and kebabs. Still, that’s a hard question, because a dish will always taste better when it’s made with seasonal ingredients. Seasonal produce makes a huge difference in cooking, and besides being cheaper, it can make even a simple dish truly amazing."

"My best recipe is one I created in Japan for a competition that I ended up winning. It’s sea bream with Provençal butter and champagne sauce. I was really proud of that dish, which draws heavily on Mediterranean cuisine."

"The best advice I can give to anyone who wants to enjoy cooking is to buy raw ingredients and transform them yourself. Besides often being cheaper, home-cooked dishes are so much better than store-bought ones. And you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to do it! Freshly grated carrots, for example, have a flavor that no pre-packaged version can match."

"I discovered KOTAI when I was looking for new knives, and I’m very particular about the quality of my tools. KOTAI knives cut well, I love their Japanese-inspired look, and I find the bamboo blade guard very practical for storing knives in a drawer. It’s a small detail I really appreciate. On top of that, when you buy or receive a knife, it usually comes in plastic or cardboard packaging that goes straight in the trash. But KOTAI’s bamboo boxes are so beautiful that I’ve kept all of mine. The packaging also makes them a great gift, both practical and elegant."

"I also work with KOTAI because there are so many people who love cooking but use knives and cutting boards that aren’t up to par. A good knife saves time and gives you freedom in the kitchen, so in my own way, I try to make quality tools more accessible."

"My first knife was the Pakka paring knife. I had a hard time finding a good knife with a bird’s-beak blade, so I’m really happy with it."

"I’ve really loved the 210 mm Gyuto from the Densho collection, which I received recently. The box could be improved, but the knife itself is beautiful, true Japanese craftsmanship."

Chef Théo’s first book is out, and it features accessible and diverse recipes: desserts, side dishes, vegetarian and gluten-free options, along with technical advice and a glimpse into his personal story. Something tells us this won’t be the last we hear from him.

→ See Ma cuisine sans complexe

In the meantime, Théo continues to post almost daily on his social media channels. Find him on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.