“Nabeno-Ism” Mr. Yuichiro Watanabe
Mr. Yuichiro Watanabe had dedicated himself for 21 years to be at an executive chef position at a famous Michelin 3 star restaurant – Gastronomie Joel Robuchon He opened his own restaurant – Nabeno-Ism in Asakusa, Tokyo last year. Using Asakusa related or originated ingredients in French cooking, his cuisine has been well-recognized immediately after the debut. The restaurant has already been awarded one star in the 2017 edition of Michelin Guide. In today’s interview, Mr. Watanabe shared his thoughts about the opening and his idea about restaurant creation with us.
The challenge of integrating Edo food culture and French cuisine; opening the restaurant on the star festival day.
— We know you have been working for quite a long time, nearly 21 years for Joel Robuchon.
I really like the old saying, “three years on a stone”, saying that perseverance prevails. Until now, each of my stay at different restaurants was very long. The first one, Le Maestro Paul Bocuse Tokyo, I have been there for 5 years, though I have been on training for a while elsewhere in France during the period; 10 years at Taillevent Robuchon, 11 years at Joel Robuchon. As for the reason why I stayed this long, that’s because the teaching from my dear master at Tsuji Culinary Institute. I graduated from a French culinary school, there was a master called Mr. Kinoshita, who I owed a lot. One day, I asked him that for a chef, how to think of the best timing to change a restaurant. But I actually was asking him when think of the future, we learn different genres, but how exactly to have one’s own restaurant. Then he said, stay there until you become the lead chef or the owner of a restaurant, one that cannot be replaced, that to be asked to stay for a little longer. To be one the Key Man there, to work until everyone is satisfied. And I just followed his words.
— When you decide to open Nabeno-Ism, what kind of story and concept was in your mind?
Creation of restaurant cannot be boring. No need to say that food must be delicious, the most important thing is to have good service and atmosphere to make people want to visit again. So it is necessary to give a joy beyond our food delicacy. What I want to do is to create a comfortable space. Just like there are many customers staying quite long time at counter seats on the third floor. I feel really happy when they say, “Wow! It’s so comfortable. The view is so fantastic that I forget the time.”
The concept is to get customers interested in Asakusa. For example, getting out from Asakusa station, you will see lantern shops, handcraft shops, soba restaurants and dojo restaurants along the avenue. There are many craftsmen, so you would reach Nabeno-Ism while enjoying the walk around this area. And many people would visit Asakusa temple after lunch, to find kaminariokoshi (traditional Japanese rice crispy) that they had at Nabeno-Ism. I am thinking about making an Asakusa ingriedients map in the near future and I am working on it.
— Is there any concept contained in cuisine courses?
Lunch and dinner courses are slightly different in detail, but both have many concepts in the first three dishes. The concept for the first dish—Gazpacho, is the combination of region and restaurant. Marinate of green olive, with canapé in the middle, added by the mixture of kaminariokoshi and butter. It’s good to go with aperitif.
Nabeno-ism’s Amuse Bouche
The second one is sobagaki (buckwheat dough ball), which is my signature dish. The symbol of soba flour (buckwheat) culture, in France, is the famous galette in Bretagne, from which that Japanese and French soba flour cultures are somehow connected. This was inspired by Mr. Robuchon, and rather, my wish to create a dish that can compare with Gelée de Caviar—the dish once completely shocked me. So it was actually a challenge for myself. Sobagaki for dinner comes with caviar, which is my original style to enjoy caviar. Also, this sobagaki is a dish that requires a high handling skills towards cooks. I use French Plaque (traditional French cooktop), the pan has to be copper to convey heat effectively, and the whipper has to be silicon to avoid the metalic scent. Those three makes the best combination to create a perfect dish. Also, I consider the signature dish is something like people might immediately figure out who made it, so it’s necessary to make an impact to make our guests say, “This is the very dish of Nabeno-Ism! ” Speaking of Mr. Paul Bocuse, we think of Suzuki’s wrapped in pie pastry as his signature dish. Mr.Joel Robuchon, we think of Gelée de Caviar or Agneau Pastoral. Such direction making or character design are very important when running a restaurant.
Nabeno-ism’s “Sobagaki”
Nabeno-ism chef
The third dish is an integration of traditional French and Edo ingredients. For example, autumn menu includes French pigeon and eggplants made in Kyoto. As for this season (interviewed in January 2017), French black truffle and traditional Edo vegetable— Senju spring onion. Spring menu may include comte cheese or mimolette cheese made in Jura, France and Japanese seafood and wild vegetables. After that, at dinner, there will be two dishes carrying the sense of The France. The cuisines that carry the flavor of France that cannot be made without foie gras. Next, there will be fish, meat cuisines and dessert.
A greeting from the chef to Pocket Concierge’s customers
The coming year is the 30th anniversary for me, working as a chef. I want to embrace more challenges as stepping into my sixties. Basing on all my precious experience, I am ameliorating everyday to keep the peak state of myself, to provide the best space and meal for our guests. We look forward to having you here in the near future.
Know more about this restaurant here＞＞＞Nabeno-Ism (Nabeno-Ism（ナベノ-イズム）)
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