Tag: #michelinchef

December 13, 2021 CHEFS, RESTAURANTS, 日本語記事

Restaurant Kei 　小林圭シェフ 「極限の一点」

フランス料理・パリ

すざましいまでの繊細さ、極限の一点を追い求める、料理。
胸をえぐられるように、感情の昂る、皿の上の激動、静けさ。

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夏が終わり、フランスの国境も解放されて、私がパリへ行くと決めた時、彼の店だけが、まず、頭にあった。

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Restaurant Kei 　　レストラン　ケイ

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パンデミックに突入する直前、2020年フランス・パリで、日本人で初めて三つ星を獲得したフレンチ・ガストロノミーレストラン。
率いるのは、小林圭シェフ。

フランスにおける三つ星の基準が、世界のどの都市より格段に厳しい事は誰もが承知の通りであり、初のアジア人として彼が成し得た偉業は、フランスにとっても大きな衝撃であった。

日本人では未だかつて、誰もたどり着いたことのなかった境地。2011年3月3日のオープン以来、ここまでへの道は、誰がどのように想像しようとも、決して彼以外の者には、知り得ることのないものだろう。

しかし、小林シェフにとって、三つ星は、あるいは、星というものは、最終目的でも何でもなく、逆に、今ここでようやく、スタート地点に立てたのだと言う。

そして、お話を伺いながら、その言葉が真実なのだと、肌身で実感した。

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小林シェフからほとばしり出るエネルギー、迷うことなく見据えてくる鋭い眼光。それは、今から星を狙うかのような若手が持つ、もっと先へ、もっと上へ、という勢いと同類の物だ。


自分でももてあそぶ程に身体の内部から、どのようにしても溢れ出してくる抑えることのできない熱が、ある種のもどかしさが、向かい側に座られている、ほんの数十センチ先から、痛いぐらいにこちらに突き刺さってくる。

いくつかの質問をすればする程、研ぎ澄まされたエッジの鋭さが、ギラギラと輝いて、それでいて、静謐な湖のような、深い水の塊が音もなくそこにあるかのような、そんな、風景をも向こう側に見させてくれる。

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「キッチンのスタッフには、厳しいと思われていると思いますよ。失敗することは、死を意味することと同じだ、って、彼らに言うからです」

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その言葉を聞いて、私が少し冗談交じりに笑い返した時、小林シェフは、それまで以上に、笑みのかけらもない顔をして、真っ直ぐな目でこちらを見た。

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比喩でもなんでもなく、彼にとっては、自分の失敗が本当の死を意味しているのだと、その時気づいた。

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初対面の、最初の10分で、この言葉が当たり前のように彼の口から出た。

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シェフに会う数日前に、私はレストランへ訪れて食事をしていた。

ドアを抜ければすぐ、温かい掌に包まれるようなスタッフの歓迎を受け、心地良さだけを感じながら、テーブル席へ着く。

ソムリエの北山重次さんが、独自の個性でワインの流れをつくってくれる。
率直な物言いで、一見、距離があるようでいて、実はとても情に厚い方。ランチを食べ終えた時、彼のおかげで、すこぶる極上の時間を過ごすことができたのだと、心から感じた。

彼も同じく、ご自分の全人生をかけてこの店に立たれていることが窺える。一つ星の時から、ずっと、小林シェフと伴走されてきた。

ワインのペアリングをお願いし、ふと、小林シェフの料理にワインを合わせるという、ある種、恐ろしい作業をどのようにしてされるのか、非常に興味が湧いてきた。

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「これほど難しいことはありませんよ」

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その言葉には、真の重みがある。
完璧に完璧を求めて、それを突き詰めた料理の一体どの部分に、ワインの味わいを添えていくのか。。。

なぜなら、小林シェフの料理は、極限まで追い求めた繊細な一点を頂点とする、調和の集合体だからだ。

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アミューズで出された”cucumber and miso” に、まず、衝撃を受けた。
酢でマリネされた胡瓜は、どこか日本のお漬物をも彷彿させる仕立てながら、しかし、これ程までに突き詰められた酢漬けはおろか、酢のマリネには、これまで一度たりとも出会ったことはない。仮に、このような素材の組み合わせの一品を、どこかのレストランで見かけた事があったとしても、小林シェフのこのほんの小さな胡瓜は、全く別の次元に存在していた。
透き通るかのような繊細さ、軽やかで華やかな美しさ。まるで、私の口の中の酸度まで見抜かれて調合されたかのような、一糸の乱れもない、鮮烈なバランスだった。いかにして、お酢の胡瓜というひと品がこのような境地にまで達する事ができるのか…。衝撃に、序盤から打ちのめされる。

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続く皿々は、正円を描くかのように、流れて行った。

Palamos海老にShrenkiキャビアを合わせた一品。紫蘇、グラニースミス林檎、アールグレーの風味が奏でる、どこにも尖ったものがない、完全なる調和のその中で、唯一、紫蘇がほんの少し主張している。その香りは、人間のある部分を覚醒させるかのよう…。

シグニチャーでもあるレモンの泡を纏った野菜の庭園は、ひとスプーン毎に風味が違っており、その一口であっても、秒差で力強い風味が代わる代わる立ち昇る。

熱をどこまで入れるか、ということが、巧みに計算され、実行された非常に印象的なスズキ。

スコットランドのオマール海老については、さらにこの、熱の絶妙な判断に加えて、トロリとした食感と、香りを浮き上がらせる身の質感までをも保持し、甲殻類という生物の表現の、一つの完成形かと納得させられる逸品。

シェフ自ら何度も牧場へ訪ねていると聞く、100日熟成のスペインGaliceの牛の旨味と香りは、あまりにも突出していて、肉の個性に打ちのめされるかのよう。

和牛の選択もでき、鹿児島のA4を、脂だけではなく肉の旨味も同時に味わう趣向にされている。

そして、デセール。柑橘のスムージーと綿菓子の一皿。これぞフランス、と高らかに声にしたくなる、味わいのレイヤーと調和と溌剌とした軽やかさが、食事の流れの中で、見事に結晶していく。まさに、朝日が水平線から立ち昇るような、あるいは、強い風が木の葉を拐っていく時のような、味わいの移り変わりが、私には、途方もない喜びと感じた。

シェフがこれまで問い続けてきた想いと、そこへ至るまでの長い道のり、戦い、葛藤、迷い、喜び、感動、荒々しさ、美しさ、愛…..それぞれが、集約されて、そこにあった。

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それらを口に入れ、

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そして、心で味わう。

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Keiで出会う素材は、どんな小さな要素をとっても、すべてがこの地球上の特別な生命であるという、”大切なもの” と感じさせてくれ、その価値が見えてくる。

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素材が生息していたこの地球上の、どこかの土地や海にある、

風、

大気、

土、

光線、

水、

海水、

微生物、

温度、

流れていくもの、

湧き上がるもの、

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それを素材が自分の中に取り込んで、ある日、漁師さんや、農家さんがつみ取った後、キッチンに運ばれ、お皿の上に美しく盛られた中から、その素材が過ごしてきた日々、年月の中で宿った生命の、その核の名残を味わう。

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そのような、一つ一つの、個性の違う素材を数種も、時には数十種も組み合わせる時、気の遠くなるような綿密なつくりが要求される。
小林シェフが紡ぎ出す料理には、０.００１ミリものずれも許されない、許していない、いくつもの素材や調味料が複雑に組み合わさっているのに、それぞれに全て意味があり、全てが完璧に調和している。

完全なるシンフォニーの音楽が、最も美しい状態で奏でられた時の、限りない、繊細で、危うくて、ギリギリの極限に挑戦して、あまりにも細い糸のような綱渡りを踏み外す事なく渡り切っている、そのような、料理だった。

それでも、緊張感に苛まれることはない。どこまでも透き通った、霧の中に差しこむ、柔らかい朝光のような、そんな料理。

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語り口は穏やかだけれど、熱のオーラが身体全体から発されていて、激しい炎が内側に燃えていることが振動のように伝わってくる、そんなシェフの中から、このような静と柔を備えた料理が生まれてくることに、驚きを持った。

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私が訪れた11月末の午後、小林シェフは、カタールへ行かれ、前日戻られたばかりだった。現地で一緒だったのは、フランスと世界を代表する、それこそ、世界に名前の轟く大御所中の大御所シェフ10名と一緒だったという。その中で数日間を過ごされて、小林シェフは、ご自身の進むべき道を再認識して戻ってこられた。

そして、今一度、一番大切にしたいのは、お店に訪れてくれる、一人一人のお客なのだと強く語る。三つ星シェフという肩書ができ、贅沢で特別な待遇を受けようとも、決して、その事は揺らがない、と話す。大きなオファーは、数知れずある。しかし、彼は、店に来てくれる一人一人のお客と向き合うことに、徹底的に、こだわっている。

小林シェフにとって、最も大切なのは、ここに今座ってくれている、それぞれのお客であり、そして、その個々の人が、彼の料理を食べ、Keiで過ごす時間によって、人生が変わってしまう程の、喜びを、何かを、与える事がしたいのだ、と話す。

１時間半にわたるインタビューの中で、幾度となく、”心”　という言葉がシェフの口から出た。

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”心を満たす時間を作りたい ”

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小林圭シェフの料理は、時に、自らの心を写す鏡のようなものかもしれない。

果たして、彼が人生をかけて投げかけて来るものを、自分はキャッチできているか、呼応できているか、感じ取れているか、それらが透けて見えてしまう。

＂お客との戦い”と、インタビューの最初に語った言葉の意味は、もしかしたら、お互いのこれまでの人生に繰り広げられてきた、喜びや悲しみ、を、どうやって自分たちは感じ取ってきたのかを、このお皿の上で確かめ合うという、一つの核融合のような反応の時間なのかと思えた。

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それが見事に光を散らした時、体験したことのないような、爆発的な感動が、白い陶器の上に立ち現れる。

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そんなことを考えていた時、食事を終えた１１歳の子供が、近づいてきて、とても美味しかった、一緒に写真を撮って欲しいと言った。
優しい口調で、丁寧に会話を交わすシェフ。
小林シェフにも、８歳の息子さんがいる。
温かい対応に、私も、自分の息子を三つ星に連れて行った時、子供に対してのサービスが整っていたことを話して、そういうお店もいいですよね、と伝えた。
すると、シェフは、

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「私の料理は子供には分からないですよ。それを求めてもいませんし」

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と、私のいい加減な「子供にも優しいレストランとお料理」、というコメントは、躊躇なく一蹴された。
そして、それは、当然だし、それを意識する必要など、どこにあるというのだろう。

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「まだ、感性が子供には育ちきっていないので、私が表現しているものが伝わるには、もう少し、年齢を重ねる必要があると思うのです」

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そう話すシェフであるが、話しかけた子供が、きっと、大人になってからも思い出すだろう、素晴らしい時間をこの日過ごしたという事実は、１１歳という嘘のない表情からも想像に難くない。

心に訴える時間をつくる、という小林シェフの想いは、子供には分からないと自称されても、しかし皿の上を飛び越えて、すでに子供の内側へも届けられていたと思う。

あるいは、彼という人間そのものが、このレストランには宿っていて、老若男女、そこに否応なしに惹きつけられる人々が、何かを求めて、また、再訪するのかもしれない。

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突き詰めると、レストランという価値は、

シェフという人間に、何かが、或るか、無いか。

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もしかすると、ただ、それだけかもしれない。

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そして、小林圭という人物には、その何かが宿る。

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Written by Naoko Shimizu Jeffries 　

ジェフリーズ清水直子

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Restaurant Kei 　(レストラン ケイ)

www.restaurant-kei.fr

5 Rue Coq Héron, 75001 Paris

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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 –

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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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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.

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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.

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“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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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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.

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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.
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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…  

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

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 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.

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“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” 

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I felt surprised.

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“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.  

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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.     

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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.  

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Most of Europe was entering a critical state. 

 Devastatingly large fatality numbers.   

Strict police enforcement of lockdown was applied in many countries.  

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“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”          

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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.  

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 “I feel a debt of gratitude towards this city”

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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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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