Originally from Osaka, Chef Kunihiro Hagimoto is a passionate chef with over 20 years of Italian culinary experience, and has lived in Italy for 8 years in Bologna, Puglia, Ancona, Napoli, and most recently Milan.

Before moving to Taiwan, Chef Kuni was the Sous Chef of Ristorante Tokuyoshi (Michelin 1 Star) in Milan. Prior to working with Chef Tokuyoshi, Chef Kuni was one of the Head Chefs at Eataly Milano Smeraldo, and before that had worked at Clandestino Susci Bar with Chef Moreno Cederoni and Federico Zanasi, and the legendary Trattoria da Amerigo (Gambero Rosso 3 Shrimps, Michelin 1 Star).

Chef Kuni’s love story with Taiwan began in 2017, through the opportunity offered by Chef Tokuyoshi to run his pop-up restaurant “TABLE by Yoji Tokuyoshi” in Taipei. During this seven-month pop-up, he had made many new friends and experienced the Taiwanese people’s warm hospitality, and best of all, found the identity of his own cuisine. After returning to Milan, Chef Kuni could not stop thinking about the lovely country that received him with open arms.

In February 2020, Chef Kuni decided to marry his wife and settle down in Taiwan to realize his dream of opening his own restaurant. INITA opened in July 2022, and received MICHELIN 1 Star in the MICHELIN Guide Taiwan 2023, the first and only contemporary Italian cuisine restaurant in Taiwan to receive a Michelin star.