Tag: endoattherotunda

March 10, 2022 CHEFS, FOOD & DRINK, RESTAURANTS, 日本語記事

背トロ

Endo at The Rotunda 　ロンドン ｜　2022年2月

鮨職人　遠藤和年

鮪漁師　田中一

ロンドンきっての鮨レストラン Endoの鮨職人、遠藤和年さんには、いつも驚かされる。

少しの間を置いて、お店を訪ねると、いつも、新たな驚きがあるからだ。

常に進化を続けること、それが、食べ手に伝わるレベルでの進化を遂げることは、本当に難しいし、孤独な戦いだと思う。

先日の食事で私が最も感激したのは、彼が握ってくれた、背トロだった。
背トロは、通常のトロが取れる腹の部分ではなく、背ビレの下にあたる部分の身で、程よい脂、赤身の部位でもある。

初め、何も告げずに、差し出された中トロ。
口に含むと、最初は、冬の濃厚な脂が口内を独占した後、「これは何！？」という風味がじんわり立ち昇ってきた。

最初、この味わいをしばらく言葉にできなかった。

複雑で、いくつもの層と深みがあり、強さもあり、その上で、ただ単にきれいなだけじゃない、”何か” があった。
美味しい、旨味たっぷり、そういう ”美味” では、ないのだ。
なにかもっと、実体のある現実、の味がした。

「これ、背トロといって、背の部分なんですよ。今日、是非食べていただきたくて、取っておきました」

遠藤さんが言う。

次の握りやお料理へと食事は進んで行くが、それでも、まだ、私の中で、この何か、の味が、何であるか、どうしても言葉にしたくて、考え込んでいた。
そして、ようやくして、これだ、という言葉に辿り着いた。

「生命 – いのち、の味」

そう、大自然を生きたもの、野生のものだけが持ちえる味。

そう気づいた瞬間、突如として、目の前に、大海を豪快に泳ぐ、この雄大な生命の姿が脳裏に浮かんだ気がした。

まるで、この巨大な生命が泳ぐ、海洋の深く、冷たい水の温度が感じられるかのようだった。

水の塊を、滑らかな肌身が、身体全体で重い水をシャープに切って行くような、そんな感覚ですら湧き上がる。

そうして育った生命が生んだ、稀有な風味が、今一度、遠藤さんのカウンターでその夜、蘇った。

＊

この鮪を揚げたのは、田中一さん。ポルトガル在住の鮪漁の漁師さんだ。
全身全霊を、鮪に捧げ、鮪漁に取り組まれている。

Endoでの食事から数日経ったある日、彼に、背トロについて伺いたい、とメッセージ送り、その返信を見て、愕然とした。


そこには、こう、書かれてあった。

「背は、腹に比べ脂が少ないです。

その分、魚が持っている特徴が大きく表れます。

逆に言えば、脂は特徴が出にくい部位です。

魚の特徴とは、今までどの様に生きてきたかです。

言ってみれば、マグロの生き方が表れるのが背です。

マグロの住んでいる、海の香り。

マグロが食べている、食べ物の香り。

マグロの泳いだ距離、筋肉の締まり。

コレらが、脂が少ない部分に表れます。

脂が少ない分、人間がより繊細にそれを感じ取るのだと思います。

全神経を使って、それを味わうのだと思います」

この夜のような、味わいをくださった、遠藤さんと田中さん、Endoに関わる全ての皆さんに感謝したい。

＊＊＊

Endo at The Rotundaの写真やビデオを、ぜひ、インスタグラムでもご覧ください。

遠藤シェフ、チームの皆さんの、熱い想いと挑戦の物語、投稿させていただいております。

the.japan.set_naoko

Endo at The Rotunda

www.endoatrotunda.com

田中一さん

tanakahajime.net

www.instagram.com/tanakahajime.bftlabo

  • 下の写真は、スペイン産養殖鮪。ヨーロッパではこちらも最上級とされている。それぞれの鮪の味わいを見極めて、遠藤さんは、それらを極上の握りに仕立てる。

March 10, 2022 CHEFS, FOOD & DRINK, RESTAURANTS

SE TORO 背トロ – The Connoisseur’s Toro

Endo at The Rotunda, London ｜　February 2022

Sushi Chef KAZUTOSHI ENDO

Tuna Fisherman HAJIME TANAKA

Chef Endo san never stop challenging and every time I dine here, there are new surprises and discoveries. This time, what stroke me the most was his SETORO – Chutoro just under the dorsal fin. And most importantly, this tuna was from Hajime Tanaka san – a Japanese tuna fisherman based in Portugal.

Normally, toro is mostly found in the belly. But Se-Toro, as the name suggests, is the Se(back) side and has a different flavour to belly toro.

“ I chose this part for you tonight”

said Endo san.

“ This is connoisseur’s toro, and we sushi chefs love it”

The differences in taste was distinct ( at least for me ). However, at first I had no words to describe it. I really didn’t know how to express this special flavour.

It was complexed. It has layers, characters, strength and appealing, still none of the words fully describe what I was tasting.
After a while, as I was exchanging opinions with Endo san, I finally found the right word.

“Taste of things lived “

A life lived on this beautiful planet.

I then suddenly visualised an image and almost felt it.
A great large fish swimming boldly in the big ocean. It was as if I could feel the temperature of the ocean, as if I were slicing through a mass of water with my whole shiny smooth body. A precious life that could only grow in the wild was now reborn at Endo san’s sushi counter that night.

＊

A few days later, I asked Tanaka san about Setoro and and received a reply that utterly surprised me.

“The back of the fish has less fat than the belly, so the characteristics of the fish are more pronounced.

On the other hand, the fat is the part of the fish where the characteristics are less evident.

The characteristics of a fish are the way it has lived its life.

In other words, it is the back that shows how the tuna has lived.

The smell of the sea, where the tuna lives.

The scent of the food that the tuna eats.

The distance the tuna has swam, the tightness of its muscles.

All of these things can be seen in the parts with less fat.

The less fat there is, the more sensitive we are to it.

You have to use every senses in your body to taste it “

＊

Tanaka san has deep love and tremendous passions for this noble creature.
He pays respects and is thanking the fish everyday.

I thank Endo san and Tanaka san for having shown me one of the most precious and beautiful things of this earth can give.

*** PLEASE VISIT MY INSTAGRAM TO SEE MORE VIDEO OF ENDO AT THE ROTUNDA ***

the.japan.set_naoko

Endo at The Rotunda

www.endoatrotunda.com

・

Hajime Tanaka

tanakahajime.net

www.instagram.com/tanakahajime.bftlabo

＊

  • Extra photos of Tuna/Maguro: Even farmed tuna from Spain become superb Nigiri by chef Endo-san’s spreme Edomae skills.
April 8, 2021 CHEFS, FOOD & DRINK, RESTAURANTS, 日本語記事

新たなる ENDO を読み解く

Endo at the Rotunda

LONDON

Sushi Chef・KAZUTOSHI ENDO　｜　鮨職人・遠藤和年さん

【序章】

2020年12月

イギリスに新たな厳しいロックダウン規制が導入された後も、まだ、真っ新な、新年への希望は、決して消えてはいない。

年が明け、新しい Endoを訪れることにができるようになった時、ぜひ、知っておいていただきたいことがいくつかある。
知っていただければ、Endoでのかけがえのない食事の時間が、より深い意味を持ち、大切な思い出となるだろうと、信じているから。

９ヶ月間、店を離れている間、遠藤さんは多くの困難を乗り越えてこられた。
最も厳しいものだったこの時、「コロナとの戦いと挑戦と」は、別のページ にも書かせていただいたので、もし、時間のある方は、ぜひ、こちらも読んでいただけると嬉しい。

この戦いの末に、そして、その記事を書いた直後にも、遠藤さんには窮地に立たされる危機が訪れており、先週の、ソフトオープニングの日というのは、まさに、瀕死の状態からの復活なのだった。

「心が折れる、と言いますが、私はこの時、本当に、折れてしまっていました。折れた枝が、薄皮、繊維一枚だけで、つながっているような感覚でした。もう、日本へ帰ろうと、本気で考えていたのです」

ソフトオープンの夜に、こうして、心の内を話してくださった時、遠藤さんの目尻にはうっすらと、涙が滲んでいた。

この頃の遠藤さんのお気持ちや、葛藤は、また、別の形できちんと残したいと思っている。

この記事では、それを超えた後の、今。
新しい章が始まったEndoで、どんな寿司が、料理が楽しめるかを、ぜひ、書かせていただきたい。

***

【　第１章 　舎利 】

遠藤さんの挨拶と同じく、私も、あえて、この記事では詳細は書かないでおこうと思うが、９ヶ月間の閉店の最中「完全に自分はあの時、折れていた」と吐露された。

その後の新たな門出にあたって、遠藤さんが、一番、大きな物語として掲げているのが、シャリだ。

そもそも、このシャリから、新しい店への活力が生まれ、困難を乗り越えた後の再開へと結びつき、今日の日のような、不死鳥のような羽ばたきをみせたのだと思う。

何が違うのか。

なぜ、シャリなのか。

それは、引越しの際に、偶然、見つけた一つの箱だったと言う。
その箱の存在すら忘れていたそうだ。
開けてみると、中から、亡くなられた父上が所持していた書籍が出てきた。

初版は明治とある、古い江戸前鮨の書物。
遠藤さんの祖父と同時期の古い寿司について、細かく書かれたものだ。
お父様の書き込みが多く記されていた。
すぐさま、母親へ電話をし、話を聞いた。

何かの思し召しではないかと感じずにはいられなかった。
江戸時代の寿司シャリ。
その、レシピを見て、驚いた。
米の炊き方から、酢に至るまで、あらゆる事が違っている。
しかし、そこには科学的な根拠と合理性が備わっていた。

遠藤さんの祖父が、この時代のシャリを使って、鮨を握っていたことも、母親から聞いた。

“ これを、今のロンドンで出してみたい。
大切なお客さんを、江戸時代の日本へとお連れしたい。
過去、現在、未来。
点と点を、線でつなぎたい “

コロナ下での辛い気持ちが、走馬燈のように流れた。

今年一年を過ごして、
私たちの誰もが、
人間はどこから来て、どこへ行くのか、
そんなことを考えずにはいられなかったと思う。

新しいシャリは、砂糖を全く使用していない。
酢は、２ヶ月間熟成の酒粕酢を日本から取り寄せて使っている。
だからだろうか、砂糖がなくとも、全く角がなく、米が生み出す甘味だけで充分な塩梅となっている。

シャリ櫃を見て、少し驚いた。
初めて見る、小ぶりサイズのもの。
400gの米を、３回に分けて炊くという。
そして、その都度、それぞれの、使用する米の配合も変えている。

シャリだけを見せていただいた。
「以前より、もっと赤いでしょ」と、遠藤さんは微笑む。

遠藤さんのシャリは、ネタによって、全て温度が変えられていて、時に、非常に温かい。
例えば、この日のエビは人肌３６度、シャリは３０度程度、だそうだ。

そして、新しいコースでは、以前よりも、さらに、
手のひらで握りを受けとる数が増えている。

このシャリを、手のひらでいただく時、私たちは、どのような気持ちになるだろうか。

温かい鮨飯の温度が、直に伝わってくる感覚。
指でつまむよりも、さらに、繊細に握られた鮨。

２０品以上のコースを全て終えた後に、シャリの記憶が、驚くほど淡いことに気づく。
つまり、シャリの主張や押しつけなどが、まったく記憶として残っていない。
まさに、鮨シャリとしての、真骨頂なのではないだろうか。

「今のロンドンの気温って、江戸時代の日本の気温と、非常に近いんですよ」

思いがけない偶然を、心から喜ぶ遠藤さんの、
内側で暖かく発光するような小さな灯りが、実際に見えた気がした。

この、江戸時代のシャリで握る、彼の一刀入魂の握りを、次の章でご紹介したい。

***

　【　第２章 　握り　】

「シャリが変わったので、ネタの仕込みも、すべて変えました。以前と全く違います」

店のスタッフは、最初にこれを告げられた時、「そこまでやるのですか？！」と、あまりの変化にかなり戸惑ったと言う。

ロックダウン中の夏頃、遠藤さんはすでに

「次に店を再開する時は、今まで同じようには開けないつもりです」

と話していた。

その頃は、普通に店を開けて、通常営業に戻ることだけでも、大変で精一杯だった時期だ。
今まで以上を目指すなど、考える気力すらないのが、誰にとっても当たり前だったと思う。
ただ、遠藤さんの中には、そういう考えは毛頭なかった。
待っていてくださり、食べに戻ってきてくれるお客さまに、なにか心に響くものを与えたい。自らがロックダウンで感じた、人と人とのつながりの意味を、より深く、密にしたい。
それもあって、これまで１０席だった店は、８席に減らすことにした。一人一人と、しっかり向き合いたい、という思いからだ。
店に行かれたことのある方、あるいは、写真で店内を見たことのある方は分かってもらえると思うが、ロンドンであのような広さ、細部にまで拘ったしつらい、一流のスタッフの数、の店としては、あり得ない席数だ。

「どこかで食べたことがある、というのでは、ダメだと思うんです」

そう遠藤さんが言い、次々と繰り出された鮨、握りは、まさに、有言実行で、一貫一貫に、凄みと猛烈な力、インパクトが漲っていた。

この日、全コース２０品のうち、鮨は１２貫。
そのうちの、いくつかをご紹介する。

・
・
・

トロ
この日は、スペイン・バレアス海、北大西洋ではなく地中海からのもので、カマの横の部位、大トロと中トロを出された。
熟成は８日間。全ての握りにおいて、しっかりと熟成はかけているものの、ただ、「やり過ぎない」とおっしゃる。熟成もやり過ぎてしまうと、脂がサラダオイルのようになってしまい、香りも損なわれてしまう、からだそうだ。

帆立
私がこの夜、最も衝撃を受けたネタは、帆立だ。遠藤さんは「この魚を買う、ではなく、この人から買う」を信条とする。この帆立を採ってこられるダイバーさんは、他の誰よりも、深く潜って採るのだそうだ。「ホタテがサバイブして（生き延びて）いるんですよ」と遠藤さんは言う。清涼な瑞々しさが炸裂する、あまりにも綺麗な帆立。海の美しい、清い部分だけを濃縮したような、真珠色に輝く帆立。そこに、2年がかりでやっと完成したという、塩分ゼロという昆布締めの英国産キャビアを合わせる。

鯖
同じく、サバの味わいの清さ、美しさにも感激した。そして、やはり、同じ海、エリアから獲られるのに、遠藤さんは、この人、という漁師さんから買う。その違いは、食べて、歴然とする。漁師の方の心意気と、ある種の優しさが、舌にビシビシ伝わってくる、この上なく美しい一貫だ。

牡蠣
遠藤さんが出されたこのネタには、江戸前仕事「漬け込み」が存分に施されている。煮蛤と同じ仕事を、牡蠣で仕立てあり、じんわりと、ゆっくりと、ふわりと、内に秘めるなんとも言えない、郷愁的な、一瞬にして自分の懐かしい過去の記憶に引き戻されたかと錯覚するような、そんな味わいが湧き上がってくる風味だ。

鱸
圧巻の一貫だ。これ程までに濃厚で力強いスズキをいただいたことは無い。熟成は４日間。旨味が限界に近づいている状態で、三枚付けいただく。ねっとりと口内を埋め尽くす旨みが強烈だ。

この他、山田錦の稲で薫香を付けた人気のサーモン。鰻は、今回は備長炭での炭火焼となっている。シグニチャーのトロのビジネスカードも健在だ。この他、コーンウォール産の昆布締めの烏賊、熟成キャビアを合わせたスコットランドのラングスティーン….、いずれもが特筆に値する。

今回、遠藤さんがフィロソフィーに掲げているのは、「一期一会」ではなく、「一座建立」だと話されていたが、この日、この瞬間限りの、出会いと味わいは、儚くも口からは消えるが、脳裏の記憶には鋭く、深く刻まれている。

***

【　第3 章　 御料理 　】

新しいEndoで、進化したのは、鮨だけではない。
もしかすると、その底上げが顕著だったのは、この御料理の品々だったのかもしれない。

日本料理の核である、出汁は、目の前で鰹節を削り、お椀が出るタイミングに合わせて引かれる。
温かい、引き立ての一番出汁の、立ち昇る香りと滋味を味わうと、穏やかな気持ちになる。

「最初に、心と身体を清めるような気持ちで、お出ししています」

この日の椀の具は季節もたけなわの蟹真薯であった。

さらに、変化に気づかずにはいられないのが、天ぷらの数々だ。
日本から届いた松茸。英国南部デボン産ロブスター。アンコウにはべっ甲あんが敷かれ、各々は、別々のタイミングで、天ぷらに仕立てられて登場する。
以前よりも軽い衣ゆえか、中の素材が大いに風味を発揮できる環境に整ってある。それぞれに合わせられる”ソース”にも遠藤さんの細部へのこだわりが感じられる。

印象に強く残ったのは、ブリのしゃぶしゃぶだ。吉野葛を絡めてから湯に潜らせることで、もっちりとした食感となり、旨味が密に閉じ込められている。
火を入れるには忍びないほどの、最上級のブリの濃厚さに負けない、しっかりとしたつゆも、丁寧な仕事を感じさせる。

焼き物は、鶉のくわ焼き。そして、トロの握りを何貫かいただいた後の、大トロの”炙り”と名付けられた、ステーキに匹敵するかの如く力強い焼き物。さらには、宮崎和牛肉を軽く火入れした一品。この和牛は、あまりにさりげなくコースの終盤に出されるが、この皿だけで、一つの投稿が書けるほどで、どこまでも、決して、力を抜かない遠藤さんのエネルギーが、この料理で炸裂するかのようだ。そして、これに、添えられるのが、塩釜で調理された、なまやさいさんが育てる、英国産の聖護院カブラとビーツ。わざわざ、これを調理するためだけに、釜を特注したという。

これらの料理は、料理はそれぞれ、握りの合間合間に挟み込まれて登場する。
鍛え抜かれた剛速の直球から、変化球までが、巧みに投げられる。

この一連の流れの中で食事をさせていただくと、明らかに、通常の鮨カウンターとは、全く異なる展開であることを、身体全体で実感する。
そして、これこそが、Endoを、この場所でしか体験し得ない、唯一無二ものとして屹立させているのだ、と気づかされる。
以前より、カウンターに座るお客様は、英国外から訪れている方が半分を占めていた、と言う。

・
・

一球闘魂の鮨の迫力に圧倒されて、しばし、放心している間に、このスーパースター級のお料理の数々がめくるめく登場する様を想像してほしい。。。

脳と、舌と、心の格闘技とも思えるかの如く、遠藤さんとの真剣勝負には、覚悟を持って、ぜひ、挑んでいただきたい。

***

【　最終章 　結界 　】

Endoを堪能するのは、ただ、そこに座って、遠藤さんに身を委ねるだけで、十分だ。

それでもやはり、少しだけでも彼の想いを知っていると、その貴重な時間が濃厚になると思い、この再開後のEndoシリーズを書かせていただいた。

この中で、一番、伝えておきたかったのが、この、結界だ。

（日本の方には馴染みのある言葉だと思うのですが、英語バージョンもあるため、海外の方にも分かりやすいよう、言葉の説明も書きたいと思います）

結界とは、元は仏教用語で、日常の中で、よく耳にするのは茶道の時かもしれない。
結界は、もともと修行僧が、修行に励むために、聖職者のエリアと、その外を分けたことが起源と言われている。
つまり、内と外、聖なる域と俗なる域を分ける境界線のことであるが、お寺や神社でなくとも、日常にも、ある種の結界は見てとれる。
例えば、商店の暖簾や、食事のお箸も、結界の一種だと考える向きもある。

ただ、遠藤さんが、レストランを聖域と考えているのではなく、単に、日常の煩わしさやな悩みなどから、せめて、Endoで食事をするときだけは解き放たれて、しばしの楽しい口福な時間を味わってほしい。そう願う気持ちを込めて、最初のドリンクを「結界」という名で出されている。
「結界」を越えて中に入り、その場に身を委ねると、いい時間に出会える。
遠藤さんは、そのためには、自らは全力を尽くして参ります、という、ある意味、彼にとっての決意表明なのだろうとも思う。

新しいコースは、五つのチャプターに分かれており、最初は「再会」から始まる。

再会に際して、いただくこの飲み物が、ほうじ茶がベースになった、ちょっとした趣向のあるこのドリンク。
口に入れると、なんとも言えない面白い趣向があるが、ネタバレにならないよう、ここでは割愛する。

そして、全てのコースを終えた後に、バーに座って、デザートと共にいただくのが、三種のお茶をブレンドしたものだ。ここでもやはり、同じほうじ茶が一番配合が多くされてあり、始めと終わりが、一巡して、まあるく完結するのを、しみじみ感じ取れる。

新しいEndoで、まだまだ、特筆したいことは多々あるのだが、いくつかに絞って、記させていだく。

*

備長炭
今回から、和歌山から入手する、備長炭を使って調理をしている。日本の料理ジャンルで、”職人技”と呼ばれる、いくつかの技術があるが、この、炭を扱う技術も、確実にその一つである。扱いは非常に難しいが、それを使いこなした時に得られる、未だかつて出会ったことのない素材の真の価値を引き出す、とてつもない威力。この場で、その一片に触れていただきたい。

お酒
菊谷なつきさん (www.museumofsake.co.uk）（ www.instagram.com/natsukipim ) がセレクションする日本酒が、さらにパワーアップしてる。日本でもなかなか手に入らないという銘柄を、Endoのために仕入れているそうだ。彼女の日本酒の目利きは一級で、彼女のアドバイスに従順に従えば、洗練された、格別の日本酒に辿り着ける。この日は新政のエクリュをいただいた。エレガントな芳香と舌あたり。華があり、躍動感のある味わい。まさに、Endoの新しい出発を祝うにふさわしいお酒だった。「そのお酒に物語があるかどうか」。なつきさんがお酒を選ぶときの基準となっている事柄だそうだ。　

BAR
海外では特に、日本料理や鮨の店と言えども、バーエリアを求められる。Endoのバーで、今、行われているのが、鮨に合わせたカクテルを出すこと..。これは、私にも、全く未知の世界で、今後、こちらのバーテンダー市川潤さんから、ご教授いただきたいと思っている。この前代未聞の取り組み。非常にワクワクさせられる。

スタッフ
遠藤さんのインパクトが強いEndoではあるが、その実力は、スタッフに大きくある。初めて遠藤さんをイベントでお見かけした時、隣に立つお弟子さんの動きに、私の目が釘付けになった。阿吽の呼吸を逃さない、シンクロした流れ。そのようなスタッフがいらっしゃることが、彼の大きさをあらわしてもいる。

「英国が本格的なロックダウンに突入した時、誰も辞めさせない、と決めました」

技術だけでなく、心のありようも素晴らしいスタッフの皆さん。お店では、ぜひ、このスタッフの皆さんの実力をも味わっていただきたい。

SUMI
すでにご存知で、食事、お弁当をテイクアウトされた方もいらっしゃると思うが、12月に遠藤さんが新しく出店した、カジュアルな店だ。お母様の名前からとった店名。店内の暖かい灯の中に足を踏み入れると、心休まるのは、そんなつながりがあるのかもしれない。鮨ヘッドシェフは、安田明徳さん。料理を担当するヘッドシェフにDavid Buryさん。遠藤さんの精神を大いに受け継がれている。小回りのきく、活気あるこの店が、これから、どんな面白い展開をされるのか、とにかく、目が離せない。

www.sushisumi.com

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序章を含め、五つの章に渡って長く書かせていただき、また、ここまで読んでいただきまして、本当にありがとうございます。
唯一無二のEndo at Rotundaの世界。
文章と映像で堪能していただけていれば、とても光栄です。

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ブログに先立って掲載したインスタグラムの投稿へ、皆様からの様々な感想をいただき、大変励みになっています。
いただいた応援、嬉しいメッセージも、遠藤さんへ、きちんとお伝えしています。
ぜひ、皆さんのコメントを書き込んでくださいませ。

（インスタにはビデオも載せていますので、ぜひ、よろしければご覧ください）

今はただ、一刻も早く、感染が収束し、また、元のようにレストランで食事のできる日が戻ることを祈るばかりです。

そして、生産者の方々、サプライヤーの方々が、新しいブレグジット後の規制の下も、変わりない環境が続き、これまで同様の素晴らしい食材をご提供できる状況であることを、心より願っております。

お世話になった皆さまに心より感謝申し上げます。

ジェフリーズ直子

Naoko Jeffries

March 29, 2021 CHEFS, FOOD & DRINK, RESTAURANTS

Decoding the New Chapter of ENDO at the ROTUNDA

Kazutoshi Endo ’s New Challenge

新たなる ENDO を読み解く　[鮨職人・遠藤和年さん]

FOREWORD – 序章 –

・

I believe that hope for a new year has not disappeared.

When the next year comes and we are able to visit the new Endo at Rotunda, there are a few things I’d suggest you to know.
I believe these knowledge will make your time and dishes have a deeper meaning and make it even more precious memory.

During the nine months away from the restaurant, Endo san has overcome many difficulties.
I have written a piece about his battles during the lockdown “Finding My Taigi”, so if you have time, I would be grateful if you could read it too.


After all these challenges, and just after I wrote the article, he faced another extreme difficulties, and the last week’s soft-opening day was all about coming back from the brink of death.

“They say that the heart is broken, but I was indeed broken at this time. It was like a broken branch with only a thin layer of skin, a single fiber, holding it together. I was thinking of going back to Japan”

When he spoke to me at the end of the soft opening day last week, I saw tears in the corners of his eyes.

I will leave to write about his feelings and struggles at that time for another opportunity.

In coming my posts, I would like to tell you about the present, after he has gone beyond that point, the new chapter that has begun at Endo, and his brand new sushi and food you can enjoy there.

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***

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Vol.1 　SHARI – 　sushi rice　舎利

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Like Endo san’s greeting at the opening, I, too, dare not go into details in this article, but during the nine months of closure, he confided that “I was completely broken at that time”.

The most important story of the new beginning that Endo san states is Shari – sushi rice.

Shari was the new start of it all.

Shari was the source of the energy that allowed him to reopen the restaurant after the difficulties he had faced, like a phoenix flapping its wings.

So what’s the difference?

And why Shari?

He says it was a box he found by chance when he was moving house.
He had forgotten that the box even existed.
When he opened it, he found a book that belonged to his father who had passed away.

This is an old book on Edomae Sushi, first published in the Meiji period.
It is a detailed description of old sushi from the same period as Endo san’s grandfather.
Many of Endo san’s father’s notes were there too.
He immediately called his mother and asked her about this.

Endo san couldn’t help but feels that this was a sign.
Sushi rice from the Edo period, more than 100 years ago.
He was surprised when he saw the recipe.
Everything was different; the way the rice was cooked, the vinegar they used…
However, there was scientific reasons and rationale behind it.

His mother told him that his grandfather used to make sushi using this Shari.

A passionate feeling welled up inside Endo san.

“I want to serve this sushi in London today.
I would like to take my dear customers to Edo-period Japan.
Past, present and future…..I want to connect the dots”

The painful feeling of being under the pandemic run through him, like a revolving lantern.

Throughout this year, I don’t think any of us have been able to stop thinking about where we come from and where we are going.

・

The new Shari is completely sugar free.
The vinegar Endo san uses now is made from sake lees, aged for two months and brought from Japan.
This may bring out the sweetness and the roundness of the rice even without sugar, and is creating the perfect “Anbai” balance.

I was a little surprised when I saw the really tiny rice chest.
The shari is cooked in three portions of 400g each.
And each time, Endo san changes the mix of rice used.

Endo san showed me a small portion of the rice.

“Can you see it’s even redder than before?”

he says, smiling.

・

・

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Endo san’s Shari is used at different temperatures depending on the ingredients, and is sometimes very warm.
For example, on this day, the prawns were 36°C, at the body temperature, while the Shari was about 30°C.

And in the new course, we are receiving even more nigiri in the palm of our hands than before.
How do we feel when we receive this new Shari in the palm of our hand?
You can feel the temperature of the warm sushi rice directly in your hand.
Moreover, the nigiri is made even more delicate than when we pick it up with our fingers.

After finishing all 20 plus courses, you realise that your memory of Shari is remarkably faint.
In other words, there is no sense of the rice’s insistence or imposition.
This is the absolute core essence of sushi rice.

・
・
・

“The temperature in London today is very close to the temperature in Japan in the Edo period,”

said Endo san, delighted at the unexpected coincidence.

I felt I could see the little lights glowing warmly inside him.

・

＊＊＊

・

Vol.２ 　NIGIRI　握り

“ The Shari has now changed, so the preparation of the Neta has all changed. It’s completely, totally different”

When the staff at the restaurant were first told about the change, they were quite perplexed: “Chef, are we going that far?”

In the summer, during the lockdown, Endo san told me already that “The next time we reopen, I won’t do it normally”

At that time, I think it was June, just to reopen the restaurant and get back to normal business was very difficult. It was normal for anyone to not even have the energy to think about making it better than before. But Endo san had no such thoughts in his mind. He wants to give something reaching to the customers’ heart who are waiting for him and come back to eat. He wants to deepen the meanings of the human connection he felt at the lockdown. So, Endo san decided to reduce the number of seats from 10 to 8. This is because he wants to be able to face each person more individually. If you’ve ever been to the restaurant or seen a picture of it, you’ll know that the number of seats is completely unthinkable in a place like London, with that space, that décor and that first class staff.

“I don’t think it’s enough to serve sushi that you would say you’ve eaten somewhere before”

The sushi and nigiri he served were exactly what he promised.
Each piece was strewn with intensity, emotional power and powerful impressions.
They were utterly magnificent.　

On this day, out of the 20 dishes in the course, there were 12 pieces of sushi and nigiri.

For the new course for this time of the reopening, Endo san states his philosophy is not common “Ichigo Ichie” – to treat every meeting is like once in a lifetime, but “Ichiza Konryu” – to stand as one unit.

On that night, at that moment, it was still my Ichigo Ichie, and the encounter and the taste were ephemerally disappeared in my mouth, but they are keenly and deeply etched in the memory of my mind.

・

TORO
On this day, we were served the Otoro and Chutoro, the part next to Kama, from the Spanish Balearic Sea, not the North Atlantic but the Mediterranean.
(In the video, he says that tomorrow it will be lockdown again, so only the best of the best parts will be served)
The fish is aged for 8 days. This Neta was carefully aged to bring out its deep flavour and umami, but “not too much”, he says. He doesn’t overdo it, because if he does, the fat becomes like vegetable oil and the flavour is lost.

・

SCALLOPS
The most sensational nigiri of the night for me was the scallops. Endo san’s philosophy is “Not buy this fish, but buy from this person”. The diver who brought us this scallops dives deeper than anyone else. “They are alive” says Endo san. The scallops tasted like a beauty out-of-this world. Ultimately pure, bursting with rare elements of the deep water. It was like a pearl that they seem to concentrate only the beautiful, purity of the sea. Unbelievable flavour. And the actual scallops magically disapper from your mouth in a moment. I was left with the feeling of a pounding heart…… There, on top, is the British caviar of Kobujime and containing no salt, which Endo san took two years to create.

・

MACKEREL
I was also impressed by the cleanness and delicate aroma of the mackerel. Endo san buys his mackerel from a fisherman he put his trusts in full. Even though the fish come from the same sea and area, the difference is obvious when you eat it. It is the beautiful sushi, with the spirit of the fishermen and a certain tenderness that is palpable on the tongue.

OYSTER
This oyster are made with the same technique as Nihama, the Edomae work called “Tsukekomi” that is also often used for Hamaguri clams. Very traditional method, cooked in soy, sake and other ingredients, but Endo san’s one is extremely softly done. In your mouth, this nigiri, slowly and roundly, delivers an indescribable nostalgic flavour that brings you back to the memories of your past in an instant.

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SEA BASS
This is the superb sea bass sushi. Never come crossed before such a rich and powerful sea bass. Four days ageing, a piece of three slices. The umami created by the ageing is remarkably intense that fills the mouth with a lingering pleasure.

OTHERS
In addition to the above, the popular salmon is fragrant with Yamadanishiki smoked rice straw.. The eel is this time charcoal grilled with Binchotan. The signature “business card” is still in place. Other highlights include Kobujime squid from Cornwall and Scottish langoustines with aged caviar …. All of these are excellent and moving.

・

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***

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Vol.3 　ORYORI 　dishes　お料理

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Sushi is not the only thing that has evolved at the new Endo.
Perhaps it is the Oryori – dishes that have clearly improved the most.

The Dashi, the core of Japanese cuisine, was made in front of us, from shaving dried bonito flakes, just in time for the Wan dish to be served.
The aroma and flavour was rising up and the warm, freshly prepared prime Dashi sooth my body and calm my mind.

“At the beginning of the meal, I serve Dashi dish as if to purify the body and soul”

This day’s Wan was with crab Shinjo, which is the delight of the season.

What’s more, you can’t help but notice the changes: the Tempura.
Fragrant Matsutake mushrooms from Japan. Lobster from Brigham, Devon. The monkfish is covered in Bekko an sauce made with dark soy and thicken with Kuzu. And these tempura are served at different times, interspersed between the courses.
The batter is lighter than before, allowing the flavours of the ingredients to shine through. Endo’s attention to detail is also evident in the different sauces that accompany each dish.

Each of these dishes appears interspersed between the nigiri, and they are as like from the well-honed fast, straight ball to the screwball, Endo throws them with skill.
It’s a completely different experience from the usual sushi counter.
This is what makes restaurant Endo a unique experience, it stands out as the only one of its kind.

Imagine being so overwhelmed by the power of sushi, which Endo san put his soul in every “throw”, that you let your mind wander for a moment, while a dazzling array of superstar dishes makes its appearance.

Be prepared for a serious match with Endo san , the one to stimulate the brain, delight the tongue and shake the heart.

The most memorable Oryori for me was the yellow tail Shabu-Shabu. The yellow tail is lightly glazed with Yoshino kuzu before being parboiled for a second, giving it a plump texture and sealing in the flavours.
The dipping Tsuyu sauce is as rich as the supreme quality yellow tail which almost too good to cook. You will see Endo san’s meticulous work in it.

For the Yakimono grill dish, we first had Kuwa-Yaki quail. After a couple of pieces of toro nigiri, we had a powerful dish called “seared” Otoro, which was almost as like steak. And then there is the Miyazaki Wagyu beef, very delicately cooked. This beef was served so unobtrusively at the end of the course, but I could write a whole post on this dish alone. It was a real burst of energy from Endo san, with no corners cut. The dish was accompanied by British Shogoin turnip and beetroot, cooked in a Shio Gama. The vegetables are covered all over with salt, placed in a ceramic container and cooked slowly in the oven. The pots were specially ordered just for this dish.

***

Vol. 4 KEKKAI　　結界

To enjoy restaurant Endo, it is enough to just sit there and leave yourself in the hands of Endo san.

Still, knowing a little bit about the chef’s thoughts would make your precious time at this place even richer, so I decided to write this series after the reopening.

What I wanted to tell you the most in this series is KEKKAI – the boundary.

This word, which is difficult to understand immediately on hearing, appears at the beginning of Endo’s dinner. This is why I felt compelled to tell you and write this article.

KEKKAI is originally a Buddhist term, which is often heard perhaps during a tea ceremony.
It is said to have originated when monks separated the sacred area from the secular area in order to practice asceticism.
In other words, it is a boundary line that separates the inside from the outside, the sacred from the profane, but we can also see certain kinds of wards in our daily lives, not only in temples and shrines.
For example, Noren- the curtain of a shop, or placing the chopsticks in a line for a meal are also considered to be a kind of boundary.

However, it’s not that Endo san considers his restaurant a sanctuary. It’s just that he wants us to be free from the troubles and worries of everyday life, at least when we dine at Endo, and to enjoy a moment of pleasure. That’s why the first drink is called “KEKKAI”. After this drink, you will feel calm and happy.
In other words, I think, Endo is expressing his determination to do his utmost to make this happen.

The new course is divided into five chapters, the first of which is “Reunion” , where you will be served Kekkai drink based on Hojicha tea, with a slight twist.
I won’t go in details not to spoil it for you.

When the course is over, we sit at the bar and are served a blend of three different teas. Again, the same Houjicha is used in the greatest proportions. I felt the beginning and the end coming full circle.

BINCHOTAN
Now, Endo san is cooking with Binchotan charcoal from Wakayama. There are a number of techniques in Japanese cuisine that are known as ” Shokunin Waza – artisanal”, and this technique of using Bonchotan is certainly one of them. It is very difficult to handle, but when it is mastered, it has a tremendous power to bring out the true value of ingredients that you may have never been encountered before. You can get a taste of it at Endo.

SAKE
Natsuki Kikutani who is in charge with Sake and Wine menu at Endo has uppedated her selection of Sake. She sources some of the hardest to find brands in Japan for the restaurant. Her sake connoisseurship is first class, and if you follow her advice, you’ll meet a refined and exceptional Sake. On this night, I had ARAMASA Ecru. Elegant in aroma and texture, the taste is floral and dynamic. It was the perfect Sake to celebrate Endo’s new start. Natsuki san’s philosophy is “whether the sake tells a story”.

BAR
At the Endo bar, they are now serving cocktails to go with the sushi…. This is a completely new world for me and I hope to learn more from the bartender, Jun Ichikawa. This is an unprecedented initiative. It’s very exciting.

THE STAFF
Although Endo san has a strong impact, it is the staff that make the difference. The first time I saw Endo san at an event, my eyes were glued to the movements of the apprentice standing next to him. The synchronised flow of his movements, the way he never misses a breath. The fact that he has such a staff shows how excellent he is.

“ When Britain went into full lockdown, I decided that I would not let anyone go “
Endo san told me.

The staff are wonderful, not only in their skills but also in their hearts. At the restaurant, I hope you will also relish the competence of all these staff members.

SUMI
SUMI is a new casual restaurant opened by Endo san in December. It’s named after his mother. Perhaps it is this connection that you feel like a warm welcome when you step into the calm light of the restaurant. The head Sushi chef is Akinori Yasuda san and the head cuisine chef is David Bury, who both have inherited much of Endo san’s spirit. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for this lively restaurant. www.sushisumi.com

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・
I have written about new Endo at Rotunda in five chapters including the foreword.
I’d like to thank you all for letting me write this long texts, and for reading this far.
The world of Endo at Rotunda is One and Only…
I hope that you have enjoyed the stories, the picture and the film images.
・
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Please do check lively actions with some films that are up on my Instagram.

www.instagram.com/the.japan.set_naoko/

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I can only hope that we can return to eating in restaurants soon.
I am also wishing all the producers and suppliers the best of luck in continuing to provide the same excellent food under the new post-Brexit regulations.
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Thank you from the bottom of my hearts to everyone who gave me the wonderful opportunity and the kind support for me.
・


December 2020
Naoko
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July 29, 2020 CHEFS, RESTAURANTS

Endo at the Rotunda・ sushi chef・ Kazutoshi Endo “Finding my Taigi 大義”

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March 2020.  

The storm of Corona virus has hit hard England.  

One Michelin stared restaurant – Endo at the Rotunda – its sushi chef, Kazutoshi Endo, has thrown himself into the turbulence to help people during the pandemic.  

I hear the story of his fights and the path of finding his destiny over the last few months.  

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*****

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In June, one morning on Wednesday at 11.30am, 

Endo san answered my phone call.  

It had been a while since I last spoke to him, before the lockdown had been declared.   

I had only exchanged a few texts with him.  

Energetic, is the word to describe Endo san in short.   

He has a special gravity.  

He draws everyone in with his attractive demeanour, always uplifting with his great spirit, but today, his voice was rather quiet.  

I had already explained to him the purpose of this interview.  

I wanted a record of his work during the lockdown, so anyone can find it and see it on the web.         

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“There were some interviews from various media yesterday, but most of the questions were about my career as a sushi chef.”   

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His tone of voice was telling that there was much more to tell.

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The lockdown applied in England from the end of March, and all hospitality business confronted closing their doors.  

The government swiftly issued the support of 80% of income, and then, each restaurant faced a myriad of different situations.   

There were the ones who has enough cash to stay closed at least for coming weeks or months,  

the ones who started takeaways to survive, to keep business going to support staff or their business,  

and the ones who had to end their business permanently…  

・

 ・

“Did you manage to obtain full support from the government scheme?”   

・

 I didn’t intend to start our conversation with this question.

Japanese etiquette is to avoid asking in such a straightforward manner and even before asking if he has been safe and well.

That made me feel bad, but at the same time, I could be foreseeing the stories of that he could do all the voluntary works because he was in the safe hands, being fully supported.

・

“I didn’t tell to anyone that I was going to do this voluntary work. I decided I’ll do it and I just started it. So no one knew what I was going to do and I even didn’t know much about the government support scheme” 

・

I felt surprised.

・

“But everyone who’s in our business were really thankful to me when they found it out”  

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 He started telling me the story.

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I WANT TO REPAY   

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Endo at The Rotunda opened April 2019 on the top floor of Television Centre, a fashionable new development in West London.  

After only five and half months, he achieved his first Michelin star.   

From that moment, Endo san started to feel he needed to do more to support society.  

・

In January, Corona pandemic hit the world, first in Asia.  

Endo san was watching the news coming from Japan and knew that this virus will soon arrive to England.     

・

On the 23rd of March, England went into the lockdown.  

The whole first week Endo san couldn’t stop thinking about what he should do, what he can do as a sushi chef, but it was too overwhelming, and he couldn’t find the right answer.  

・

Most of Europe was entering a critical state. 

 Devastatingly large fatality numbers.   

Strict police enforcement of lockdown was applied in many countries.  

・

“I have a friend who is a doctor at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, and he told me that all the staff were exhausted and no time to eat…  When I heard this, I thought that’s what I can do”          

・

Endo san was born in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo, the third generation in a traditional sushi restaurant.  

He trained under a famous sushi chef in Tokyo and moved to London in 2007.  

Since then, he worked in New York, Dubai and Hong Kong but he says it’s London that made him to become a mature sushi chef.  

・

 “I feel a debt of gratitude towards this city”

・

He decided to make and provide roll sushi boxes for people on the frontline of the crisis.

He tackled it straight away.

The box he created contained four large size sushi rolls.  

Each roll had Unagi Japanese eel, Dashi maki egg omelet and soy flavoured Kanpyo dried gourd.  

 Those sushi were really generous in size and ingredients, you would be delighted to see this quality in Japan.　

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“In April, we made 150-200 boxes a day.  

At The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge, there was a drive-through service pit for police and ambulance staff.  

We provided sushi boxes there.  

Everyone who came were surprised to see sushi there… I saw many beautiful smiles.   

Our team delivered to some hospitals in London too.  

By May, I heard many volunteers were bringing meals to hospitals and it seemed enough food was there, but I was told sushi was very popular, so we didn’t stop and kept at it twice a week”

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“How many boxes have been made?”

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“Well I think a few….”

 grinned, Endo san. 

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Simple calculations tell us roughly 9000 boxes have been made by the end of June.  

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“Around this time, I started thinking I’ve got to do something for our customers”  

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TEARS FOR TAKEAWAYS

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“That takeaway bento is my expression of gratefulness”   

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When the lockdown was declared and restaurants were closed,  

there was a clear change for all of us, how we ate and what to eat.  

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The supermarkets shelves were empty.  

There were queues outside the shops with people in hope to secure what was left.  

You traveled to a small shop attached to a petrol station because someone told you there’s food there.  

Or you find yourself staring at the screen of Ocado, finding 5600 people waiting before you can log in, and it’s only at 6 am.   

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The first few days may have passed by baking with your children and cooking new recipes at home with limited ingredients.  

 After a while, you really started missing the food, professionally chosen then cooked with skill and care.  

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Amid this mood, Endo san announced he would set to create his takeaways.  

In under an hour of the booking line opening, endo’s takeaway boxes were sold out, 1200 of them.    

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Is the craze for the gourmet food still very much alive during this pandemic?  

Just before pandemic, many people were jetting around the world only to eat.

The high-end restaurants seats were some of the most desired tickets with those places booked up good months or years ahead.  

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“Everything has changed entirely”   

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whispered Endo san.  

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The new era is clearly here, which leads us to ask the fundamental question.

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“What is quintessence of food?”       

“What does food mean to us?”    

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Endo’s gourmet sushi bento maybe regarded as a symbol of a high-end food craze.  

But certainly, for some people, it wasn’t.  

The bento has a different meaning for them, far beyond high-end gourmet takeaway.  

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“Some of the customers never imagined I would personally deliver the bento boxes to their doorstep”  

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A few cried when they received the bento.    

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No one would have comprehended the circumstances that people shed tears for takeaway food.   

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“I simply wanted to see them, see their faces and say hello, to make sure both of us are well. I thought that gives us encouragements and happiness”  

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A BENTO MADE OF GRATITUDE   

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The sushi bento consists of two layers; an upper box made of bamboo skins, the lower specially made wooden box and then wrapped with Japanese cloth.  

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In the upper box, Bara Chirashi sits neatly.  

It is very much like his restaurant signature course; sashimi of aged sea bass and sea bream together with Otoro – the most luxurious cut of tuna, delicately cooked oysters and Unagi eel, soft boiled lobster, and slices of grilled Wagyu beef.      

It’s an all-star line up  

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The lower box contains his famous Wagyu sandwiches, the beef is juicy rare. 

 Alongside the sandwiches are maki rolls filled with huge chunks of tuna.  

Then you see the salad. The bright greens of selected seasonal fresh vegetables.   

Asparagus, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms… these humble vegetables are an unexpected explosion of flavor, vibrant and lively. 

Scenes of bright green farms flash in your mind.  

A surprise, you will find a small jar of caviar in the corner.  

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Every single ingredient is expressing the chef’s heart and spirit.

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Each bento has a handwritten message from the chef.  

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“My purpose was to connect three of us, the customers, the producers and me.  

After the restaurants closed, many of my suppliers faced difficulties… they started really struggling. 

Some are on the edge of breaking.  

I felt a responsibility to them, I felt I must keep buying their food.  

Some of them were producing goods specially for me.  

I wanted to show my appreciation for my customers.  

When you put all of this in mind, only choice I could make is that to make bento boxes without any profit, and we needed work as volunteer.   

I told my young staff if they are not for it then they don’t need to come.

But everyone joined me.  

They told me we all must do it as a team, without anyone missing, then this bento will have a meaning”  

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 Priced at seventy pounds these bento boxes are at the top end for a takeaway. However, if you consider all the factors; exquisite ingredients, 15% of the sales to go to charity, physical workload of the highly skilled staff, and most importantly, the enormous efforts of everyone who were involved, it is very reasonable.          

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Endo san buys fish from mostly in the south of English coast.  

One fisherman lamented to him.  

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”Endo, why no one buys my fish?”   

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A couple of fishermen even didn’t know that England was in lockdown and restaurants were shut.   

They are living life far from all the heat of current events.

Endo san realised many who had fished for generations, were now facing to lose everything.  

He was determined to save them.  

It was a devastatingly hard time for him physically and mentally, but he gave his full support for them as much he could. There were many challenges in front of him and he gave his most… It was a personal effort and many tears were shed.  

Half the fishermen couldn’t keep their business.  

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Fishermen are not the only people which make restaurant Endo what it is.   

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The equally popular Miyazaki wagyu beef are supplied by an English meat merchant who managed to obtain the one of the most desired wagyu beef.  

The tailored caviar is created by craftsmen with adjusting the percentage of salt contains and marinade with konbu seaweed to Endo san’s special requirements.    

 Seasonal food does not wait. Fresh fragrant truffles were gathered and lingering to be bought.  The vegetables growing in the East Sussex were still getting harvested in the pandemic.  

His English Lamb was now almost ready after developing a new ageing process with a farmer in Cornwall.   

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His team, friends were struggling.  

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“I have been questioning myself, why I run a restaurant … ”  

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DETERMINATION

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“Both my mother and my father, the latter who died three years ago, were very strict raising me”  

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Born as the third generation of a traditional sushi restaurant in Japan means, his destiny was set at birth, to take over father’s position when grown up to become a sushi chef.  

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As like other long established houses, Endo san had to follow rigid disciplines and take many traditional art and cultural lessons, such as Chado (tea ceremony), Shodo (Japanese calligraphy ), Nihonbuyo (Japanese traditional dance performance) as well as regular visits to Kabuki performance theatre to acquire knowledge.   

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“My mother even demanded to the principal of my primary school to take some time off to do these lessons”

laughs Endo san.  

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He was allowed to attend University, which was often unusual for the children of traditional merchant houses, as they join their family business straight after high school.  

After Endo san graduated university, he had to choose, either to take his dream job or to be his father’s apprentice.  

Endo san wanted to become a sports teacher at school, an excellent sportsman he won many National university wrestling titles in his youth.   

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“But my parents were determined, and I was told if I wasn’t following the family business then I had to throw my family name and leave from the house”   

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Endo san could not leave his family, so he became a trainee sushi chef.

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After several years of hard training under his father and another famous sushi chef in Tokyo, unexpectedly he received an interest from London restaurant Zuma, a restaurant famous for its trendy Japanese food and atmosphere, for him to work as the head sushi chef.   

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He flew to London and visited several of the group’s restaurants, meeting staff dining at their branches, but his mind was still in Tokyo.   

On the last night of touring London, he was talking with a Japanese chef who works in the Zuma group, over glasses of sake drinks.  

As the night advanced, the chef finally spoke his mind.  

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“Endo san, we need you here. We need you to make our future of sushi culture of London, to build and to flourish”   

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A shock ran through Endo san’s body.  

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He had been destined in his life to become part of and to protect his family business but now, he was in the position to take big responsibility for sushi culture in London, which was building up to a new level.

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Stunned, Endo san decided to move to England.

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The next day after he went back to Japan, he told his parents about the decision.  

They simply stated,  “Well, I see”

I still can imagine, the parents’ deep and complexed feelings, their responsibilities to the previous generations, hardships, expectations and care.    

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In 2007, Endo san landed and stood at the sushi counter in London.  

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***** 

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Endo san names Rose Gray, chef and co-founder of legendary restaurant River Cafe who died in 2010, as his hero chef.   

She would visit Zuma and sat in front of the counter seat and would say “I only eat Endo’s sushi”.  

“So delicious, so delicious” she used to say with a big smile.  

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One day she invited Endo san to her restaurant.  

She showed him around in the kitchen and explained everything in detail.   

What Endo san was most attracted to her enormous love of local, local farmers, local products.  

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“Since that day, I worked at her kitchen as an apprentice on my day off, Sundays. I did it for one year” 

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Rose kept encouraging him and her words stayed in Endo san’s mind all the time.  

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“She told me I must quit working under someone after 10 years and start my own restaurant. I then must challenge for a Michelin star. She emphasized I have a duty to send out message to the world”  

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Endo san wept loudly on the stage of Michelin award in 2019.  

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“I just wanted to say thank you to Rose on that stage, but I was overwhelmed, and my words couldn’t come out…. Everyone was worried me and wondering what was happening, but I just wanted to tell Rose that I’ve got a Michelin star as she told me.”   

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  ******

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Endo san has had many dramatic moments in his life as a sushi chef, but he says this pandemic made everything completely different.  

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“Everything has changed” he says.  

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“Until now I may have thought that I could rely on someone, someone will help me, or that it’ll be too impudent if I take the role… but now, I have realised I’ve got many responsibilities and I have many things I must pursue.”   

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“What is it?”

I asked.  

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“Taigi – a great cause, I think….” 

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During the lockdown, each of us confronted with a different decision on how to act, like the characters in Albert Camus’s “The Plague”.  

We then may have found unknown parts of ourselves.  

Only Endo san knows which character he is, but the certain thing is that he chose to act not just to be as a chef, but as a human.  

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“After all, people cannot live alone “  

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Even amid social distancing, he now says he wants to be even “closer” to customers.   

He wants to share more with everyone.  

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“Joy….,  beauty…..,  the land…..,  people’s work…..  and the sense of human’s touch”  

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He says he wants to take time to spend with each of us to understand and share what he admires.  

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As the hospitality business around the world is slowly reopening, I wonder what the world of food will become and where it is heading to.   

No one knows the answer yet. 

We all keep walking with our fears.  

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 Many things have been transformed within only a few weeks and we can feel that even more changes are to come.

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Will technology conquer us? 

Will the genetics of food be shifted dramatically?  

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Modern technology has been rapidly brought into our daily life.  

We did Zoom drinking, had dinner ordered via Uber Eats, some may have taken online wine tasting course or enjoyed watching top chef’s cookery sessions via streaming app.   

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As the concerns of environmental issues accelerate, the pandemic may trigger another rapid development in the technology of food itself and may even create new types of food.

We cannot stop this, and it won’t stop.

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Still, what Endo san is showing us by his acts during the pandemic is that a value of humans, the energy of mankind is irreplaceable.

Meet, talk, feel and physically communicate.

These interactions have been carried out for thousands of years as we, humans have existed.   

While some of us believe this lasts forever, this naive hope will may be dragged into a huge wave of the new era, as the violent storm of “changes” will try to swallow the hope.   

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Still though, I believe that the interaction of our flesh and our hearts are not lost on human honour, at least for now and for a while…..          

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The questions Endo san has been asking us during this lockdown.  

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The questions kept in a box which we opened up at this pandemic.  

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“What is quintessence of food?”   

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Endo san is not stopping to show it to us.   　  

He is in search of his Taigi.  　 

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©︎2020naokojeffries