Walk about ten minutes from Omotesando station and you'll come across a certain temple. Across the street, you'll find the high-end restaurant L'Effervesence and its head chef Namae Shinobu. Take a turn towards Roppongi, and in Roppongi Hills you'll find a bakery known as Bricolage Bread and Company,where he directs the menu. In the Shibuya Tokyu mall, he'll be soon opening a second shop. With the COVID-19 pandemic causing major changes in the food industry, we sat down with chef Namae to discuss his food philosophy.
Flavor Rooted in the Soil
When was the first time you cooked with olive oil, or soy sauce? Maybe you used olive oil in your pasta sauce last night, or added soy sauce to your natto with breakfast this morning. There are numerous condiments like this that we take for granted today, but for a long time in Japan, the major types of flavoring were limited to the aroma of rice and the smell of fermented foods. And while olive oil is indispensable in any Japanese kitchen today, only a few decades ago was it considered unacceptable to use by many.
Namae explained that while we've been able to spread various cuisines all over the world, in extreme situations, we've also had to adapt our tastes where necessary. For example, early in his career he worked in a kitchen in rural England. At the time, Japanese ingredients were scarce so he would have to take a train several hours into London to buy Japanese rice at a local Asian market. Furthermore, the rice sold was a variety from California, and when mixed with hard English water, would produce rice completely unsuited for a Japanese meal. After all, bread was the staple of the English diet, and as Namae became accustomed to the local climate, he became more and more satisfied with his English meals. Unique tastes and flavors of local soil become unfamiliar the moment you step into new lands - but if you can taste any flavor anywhere in the world, what then becomes of the value of food?
images courtesy of Namae Shinobu
The Conditions for Good Taste - Experience and Memory
"The definition of delicious food" is difficult to pinpoint, says Namae. The same person eating the same type of food will have different reactions depending on the conditions at the time. There was a time when high-end restaurants were defined based on if they could create "unpredictable tastes" - regardless if they satisfied the customer or not. Food we have eaten in the past leaves a positive impression in our memory, and as a producer of fine dining, Namae must always keep this in mind to create balance between the flavors he enjoys, and the flavors he wants his guests to enjoy. The goal is to create a new experience with familiar tastes so the guest will recall a nostalgic flavor deep in the back of their mind.
Each person’s cultural area is different, and so they come with different experiences with food, so their idea of a nostalgic flavor will differ accordingly. To satisfy each guest at his restaurants, Namae says what's most important is a "setting for deliciousness". This is Namae's philosophy, a setting or state of mind for food, an essential essence of good flavor and satisfaction that elevates the whole meal. To achieve this "setting" without simply imposing your own hobbies can turn into a form of psychological warfare. Challenge this warfare through an environment close to your guest's sensibilities, and they'll be keen to accept and enjoy your taste proposal.
The origins of Namae's philosophy of food goes back to his childhood. In the next episode, we will explore the places Namae first found inspiration.