“Parisian beloved chef​Known as2019In his own restaurant "MAISONAtsumi Sota, who opened "(Maison)" in Paris, and "I was fascinated by his cooking before independence."Sumally(Summary) ”Representative Kensuke Yamamoto. The present progressive tense, talked about by two people who share the common denominator of managementwithWith the corona food scene“from now on​, And“How to catch change​What is In the second part, TRUNK (HOUSE)Held by Atsumi​A part of the menu of the secret restaurant set once a day will also be released.

Photo_Ko Tsuchiya Edit & Text _Naoko Monzen Special Thanks_ TRUNK (HOUSE)

「MAISON」渥美創太と「Sumally」山本憲資が語る、コロナ禍のフードシーン ＜前編＞

■To take change positively  

-Please tell us what you are thinking about the present and near future of Corona.

AtsumiAt first, there was anxiety throughout the city, but the people of Paris don't bother too much (laughs). Positive, "It will be somehow" and "It will be okay". I think the mentality is different from the Japanese.

YamamotoAre there any restaurants that close?

AtsumiI don't hear much around myself. Currently, all of the restaurant has become a business suspension while receiving compensation, but it does not stand the prospect of resumption. So far, it is said that it will be after mid-April at the earliest. The schedule for "MAISON" in the future is ... I don't know until I resume business. There are many stores that take out in Paris, but I don't think it makes much sense to take out gastronomy dishes. It also produces a lot of garbage.

YamamotoAs Mr. Sota said, there are some things I don't understand about the movements after this year, but if you think about it in a longer term, the way the restaurant should be will definitely change.

Atsumi  That's right. We decided to do

YamamotoInformation that has been gradually disseminated over time, such as "where in the world there is a delicious restaurant" and "there is a great chef," is now being shared all over the world in an instant. In response to this, it is not uncommon for hoodies to go out to eat overseas, but it may be that the corona stagnation is pouring water into such a trend.

AtsumiI see this change positively. First of all, it's my first time to take a rest like this, so I'm happy to be able to spend time with my children (laughs).

YamamotoFirst of all, I think it is very important to "capture the change itself positively". It would be interesting to change. It's more fun than calming down because new things happen as it keeps changing. Of course, I cannot affirm the corona itself, but I would like to see the changes that occur as a result of this in a positive way.

I was a new graduate and got a job at a large company, and I was rather a conservative person, but since I became a magazine editor, I have more opportunities to interact with various people, "I will live with free people. It's fun. " From that point on, the idea was that "change and challenge are fun" rather than stability. The reason why I started the company independently is that the media called magazines is declining and it is difficult to see the future.

AtsumiNow that I'm back in Japan, my fellow Japanese chefs have talked about magazines. The presence of magazines has really changed, hasn't it? In the past, there were many customers who said, "I've seen magazines," but now most of the reviews include SNS. He said he would go to a restaurant recommended by someone he believed in. It also has the charm of a magazine.

YamamotoExactly yesterday, I talked with an acquaintance of a food writer, "I think we need to change that too." Small stores in Japan that can't make reservations no longer have to appear in magazines to attract people. In that situation, when we featured such a store, it no longer meets the needs of the store and the needs of our readers. The media needs to change there.

If so, I think it's different to focus on being a chef or to do something that isn't just a store introduction, but just lament that the magazine won't sell. If the traditional method doesn't work, we have to think about what to do.

-Mr. Atsumi mentioned hoodies and Instagrammers at the beginning, but does that mean that the number of people who gather at restaurants will change?

AtsumiThere may be changes in the entrance and how to enjoy "how to know", but since it is a story between people, I think that the fundamentals will not change much. If each other is decent as a person.

I have a lot of friends (laughs). I can run my own shop in Paris, and I can hold a secret restaurant here because I have friends. Regardless of nationality, friends who have shared various thoughts and memories will help you when you say "I want to do something" or "I want to do something like this".

■ Cooking co-created with producers

YamamotoAre you planning to stay in Paris all the time?

Atsumiof course. There are shops and houses, and I find it easier to live in Paris than in Japan.

YamamotoIf you want to do French, Paris is better. It's the same story that Japanese people do best in Japan. When it comes to French, I like what Japanese chefs make in Paris with local ingredients. Delicate and lighter than the French chef's food.

AtsumiFrench in Japan and Paris are a little different. It's my favorite French story in Paris. In Paris, wine and producers are so integrated that it feels like creating a table together. There are makers who have a solid understanding of the French land, and when they combine wine with their dishes, they make decisions based on their stories. In Japan, there is a type of French cuisine, and it feels like applying wine to it.

For example, if you are a Japanese cook, I think that the same thing is happening between ingredients and chefs in Toyosu. At this secret restaurant, I asked my friends for all the ingredients. Hokkaido, Hiroshima, Chiba, Saga ..., collected from trusted friends from all over Japan. In addition to being Japanese ingredients, this time we are moving the dishes toward Japanese, matching the atmosphere of "TRUNK (HOUSE)" and the vessels of Japanese artists.

At this secret restaurant, we use Japanese potters such as Akihiro Nikaido (in front of the photo) and Imari's Bunsho kiln, which are made in Shizuoka. The photo also includes the work "Ryakubon 2.0" (in the back of the photo) by Tom Sachs, who represents American contemporary art. The tea ceremony using this work is an exclusive experience that only "TRUNK (HOUSE)" guests can enjoy.

YamamotoI'm looking forward to the meal after this!

-What do you think of the so-called hoodie, Mr. Atsumi?

AtsumiIf the person is fun, there is no problem at all, I think it's good. As for photography, I think it's normal to want to take a picture when you see something beautiful.

YamamotoThe hoody has made it easier for restaurants to raise prices, and from a business perspective, I think it's a good thing. I think that the correspondence is different for each store, but of course I do not blindly deny it, and they eat a lot and advertise, so they are good customers. Just like showing the brand logo, the time has come when "eating at this store" becomes a status for the surroundings.

AtsumiI would like to walk with the producers and makers who have been with me for a long time while positively grasping the changes of the times. Every producer of vegetables, meat, fish and wine has been with us for about 10 years. How much better can you communicate with them and shape them? I'm thinking only about that. They impressed me, "Don't make something really amazing," so I want to take good care of that.

Yamamoto(Softly) Good.

-I'm sorry, you muttered "I like it" (laughs). Atsumi-san, Yamamoto-san, thank you for your valuable story today. After this, Mr. Yamamoto, please enjoy cooking slowly.

AtsumiI will prepare the food (laughs).

Atsumi came to Japan with the staff from "MAISON". In the dining area on the 1st floor of "TRUNK (HOUSE)", the kitchen and guest tables are completely connected. It's an open kitchen where you can enjoy the best live feeling.

■ Special release of secret restaurant menu

Finally, Yamamoto's self-photograph shows the menu of the secret restaurant. The secret restaurant, which is set in "TRUNK (HOUSE)" and is limited to a few days, is a chef's table with no menu. A one-day special dish that matches the ingredients of the day has appeared. Yamamoto was particularly attracted to the following three dishes, out of a total of 11 dishes that appeared until the sale.

●Homemade karasumi made from mullet eggs from Miyazaki, a radish from "Yoshino Herb Farm" in Kashiwa, Chiba

"The texture of the radishes and the stickiness of the karasumi sauce were delicious."

●Charcoal-grilled puffer fish milt, kepper, fermented koji sauce boulevard made from vegetables from "Yoshino Herb Farm" in Kashiwa, Chiba

"The sweetness of the vegetables, the rich umami of the blowfish, and the excellent compatibility of the sauce of the jiuqu."

●Hiroshima boar and Jerusalem artichoke soup with the image of pot-au-feu

"Pot-au-feu with Japanese essence in a wild boar. I think it was a menu suitable for this day, with the taste really fun."

“I like the ingredients-oriented dishes that compete with each other by burning and salting, but Sota-san goes beyond that. However, just before it was overkill, stop it. It's a great balance of elaborateness, but in the end it's simply calming down. As the name suggests, "MAISON" is a restaurant that offers not only food, but also services, spaces, vessels, and other UX that makes you feel at home.”

PROFILE

Atsumi Sota ("MAISON" owner chef)

1986Born in Chiba prefecture. Aiming to be a professional snowboarder, but abandoned due to injury. Trained at the three-star "Maison Troisgros" while enrolled at Tsuji Culinary Institute in Lyon, France. After that, he went through famous stores such as "Stella Maris" and "Laboratoire de Joel Robuchon" in France.26Became a "Vivant Table" chef at the age of.​In the year, he was selected as a chef with the renewal of the long-established "Crown Bar".2015Received the Best Bistro Award from the French restaurant guide "Le Hooding" in 2011.2019In his own restaurant "MAISONOpened.

Yamamoto / Kensuke (""SumallyFounder &CEO）

1981Born in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. After majoring in game theory at Hitotsubashi University, Dentsu, "GQ JAPANAfter working as an editor2010In the year "SumallyEstablished. The main business is the storage service "Summary Pocket" managed by smartphones. In addition to food, there is a wide range of interests in art, music, and theatrical performances. Last year, we moved our base from Tokyo to Karuizawa and built it.50Full renovation of the house of the year. Living with the aim of becoming smarter in nature is also a topic.