With Artemis Karavani, Joji Hattori Welcomes SHIKI’s First Dedicated Pastry Chef – Bridging Japanese Cuisine and European Pâtisserie
With the recent repositioning of SHIKI as SHIKI Japanese Cuisine, Joji Hattori and Executive Chef Gerhard Bernhauer are now introducing another carefully considered element: the newly created role of Chef Pâtissière. By establishing this position, SHIKI expands its culinary repertoire with a new sweet dimension—within a gastronomic tradition where desserts have traditionally played a more understated role. This key position is now assumed by Artemis Karavani, who brings both a solid pâtisserie education and a refined sense of aesthetics and flavor, adding a new facet to the dessert world of SHIKI.
Between Japanese Culinary Tradition and Vienna’s Pastry Culture
Joji Hattori, the visionary behind the WORLD OF SHIKI, has long been known for his thoughtful yet innovative approach to integrating Japanese cuisine and culture into Vienna’s culinary landscape. The fusion of Japanese tradition with contemporary European interpretation is a central pillar of his philosophy, as is the willingness to explore new paths and bring seemingly contrasting elements into harmonious dialogue. This latest culinary development follows the same principle. While desserts traditionally occupy a rather modest place in Japanese cuisine, they are deeply rooted in Austrian food culture—particularly in Vienna, where pastry-making enjoys a rich and diverse heritage.
“The combination of apparent opposites has always fascinated me. At SHIKI, we see the meeting of Japanese cuisine and European dessert culture as an exciting opportunity to further develop our culinary signature,” explains Joji Hattori. With Artemis Karavani, this vision now takes tangible form. As Chef Pâtissière, she will shape and define SHIKI’s new sweet direction.
Born in Athens, Karavani grew up in a family deeply connected to gastronomy and developed a close relationship with the culinary arts from an early age. At the age of 19, she moved to Vienna, where she began her professional training at the Palais Hansen Kempinski, laying the foundations of her craft. Further career milestones included the restaurant Eugen21 at the Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere, where she continuously refined her creative style. Alongside her professional work, she demonstrated her talent in prestigious competitions, including the Falstaff Young Talents Cup and the Zuckerbäcker Awards. Since 2025, the 27-year-old has been responsible for SHIKI’s pastry creations as Chef Pâtissière, shaping them with an approach that combines technical precision with a keen sensitivity for aesthetics, flavor, and lightness. Her approach to pâtisserie is both personal and playful:
“My greatest passion lies in cooking and in combining craftsmanship with creativity. In pâtisserie, I found a space where I can unite both in a very special way. Desserts should, above all, be enjoyable and fun—that principle allows me to express my creativity almost without limits.”
One example of this philosophy is the SHIKI TIRA-MISO: a Saikyo Miso tiramisu featuring a refined salted caramel ganache, Koshu sake, and black sesame. Visitors will also have the opportunity to sample this creation at this year’s Gault&Millau Genussmesse in September.
Guided by a strong commitment to seasonal ingredients, Karavani draws inspiration from combining Japanese ingredients with European products that would not traditionally be found together in the same dish. The result is a collection of desserts that are as surprising as they are delicious—unexpected combinations brought together with elegance, balance, and exceptional craftsmanship.
