image courtesy of Namae Shinobu
In our previous episode, we spoke with the head chef of L'Effervescence, Namae Shinobu, about his philosophy of taste. As a chef, he told us about the importance of offering both nostalgia and freshness. In this episode, we will unravel how he developed such a strong attraction to farmers and their produce, by taking a look at a story from his childhood.
"There are moments when the inconvenience of country life can protect you."
Born in the midst of a baby boom in the 1980s, Namae was raised in a so-called mega-district of block apartment housing. It was a newly developed residential area built on a mountain which had been shaved flat, and there were no rice fields or forests around. Since his parents were also from the city, he had no rural hometown to visit during school vacations. Born and raised in the city, Namae yearned for life and nature, and dreamed of living in the countryside.
We tend to think of rural life and urban life in polarized terms, but having traveled between the city and countryside, Namae believes that rural and urban are gradations. For example, there are people who live in Tokyo but go to the suburbs to farm on their days off, or people who live in the countryside but come to Tokyo for work. In fact, Namae left Tokyo and moved to a place about an hour by train from Omotesando, where he works. Having moved away from Tokyo, he says that the convenience of the city sometimes makes life difficult, and conversely, there are moments when the inconvenience of the countryside protects you. For example, he can read a book on his way to work, and since he had to board the last train each day, he was able to have a clear on/off rhythm in his life. In today's world, where infrastructure is in place and remote work is increasing, living in two locations may become a new lifestyle to live like a human being.
Exploring the roots of humanity through food
Since the beginning of his career as a chef, Namae has made a point to visit farmers. For the young chef, visiting farmers was a shortcut to finding a good match. He keeps a rule regarding visits to producers to always travel alone the first time. This way, he can get the most out of his conversation with the producer, and let them get to know him as an individual. Only by talking honestly with each other to build a relationship of trust, can we make a purchase.
Namae pointed out that although eating is a part of our daily lives, today’s restaurant industry is interested only in providing the extraordinary. He said that the focus should be more on the act of eating itself. For example, only humans share food beyond the boundaries of blood relations, while other animals eat for energy to live, not to socialize around food. Discovering humanity’s roots through the act of eating will be an important role for the food industry in the future.
We have always lived in a sectionalized world. Farmers know how to farm, but they don't always know how to be a chef, and many chefs can’t farm, either. Namae sees a problem in this ever-widening gap between different realms. To bridge the gap, he says, we should think and act from multiple perspectives. A katsuobushi maker whom he knows says, "making and telling are one set”. Once you have created something, you are responsible for communicating your creation. Cooking in the restaurant industry is not just about feeding people, but also about conveying the background and the meaning behind the food. Namae said that this kind of "communicating in one step" is the key to reconnecting the broken chain.
