I’ve recently short listed a number of cooking techniques in which I want to further my understanding. The science of cooking extends well beyond what has been popularized in the media; limiting it to culinary foams, gels and the likes. In the last couple of years there has been a movement by a number of high profile chefs around the world to re-examine some of the most tried and tested culinary techniques. In doing so there has been a revival of the importance of techniques including something as old as smoking and curing.

I’ve started off my list with smoking and curing which I think is rather appropriate given that it is a technique possibly discovered as long ago as the stone age. So after a few weeks of reading (mainly Kieth Erlandson’s; Home Smoking and Curing, and Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking) as well as a lot of online research, I’ve put together all the basic information you need to know about smoking and curing if you wish to learn more or even try it out yourself.

Smoking was initially used as a method of preservation and extending the life of food. The process does this in two ways; first of all it turns out that smoke can mask a stale fishy smell while also preserving both the fish and its flavour, secondly the burning wood produces chemicals which have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Nowadays foods are both cured and smoked in a much milder fashion than they were back in the day, this is because smoking is mainly used for flavour now as opposed to preservation.

Most products which are to be smoked will be pre-salted (in dry salt or a brine) and dried. The pre-salting will usually take a matter of hours but can last days. This process allows the product to pick up a little salt while also drawing out the proteins to the surface (in fish it is most notably the myosin that is drawn to the surface).

The brine strength can be varied according to the type of product being used, however the most commonly used brine is an 80% solution which is 1.2kg of salt to every 4.54 liters of water. When brining the best type of vessel to use is either made of plastic or the more  traditional wood, as metal containers can taint the flavour. Another important point is that fish and meats should be brined separately, as fish will taint the flavour of the meat products in the brine. Finally its an issue of time and temperature; when using a strong brine (such as the standard 80% solution) only a matter of a few hours are required and therefore the temperature of the brine is not too important (anything below room temperature is fine), however when a long brining process is involved the brine should first be chilled to about 1.5C before the product is immersed, and then refrigerated throughout the entire brining period.

The next step is to hang the meat or fish and allow it to drip dry, this helps get rid of any excess moisture and reduces the smoking period required.When fish is treated in this way the myosin on the surface forms a shiny gel or pellicle that will give the smoked fish a nice golden sheen. According to McGee; the gold colour is created by browning reactions between aldehdes in the smoke and amino acids in the pellicle, as well as condensation of dark resins from the smoke vapor.

Salmon sides, poultry, game, venison and beef are recommended to be hung for 24 hours in a room at a temperature of around 21C. Humidity will play a role in the period required, so variations may be required. Also; small birds, beef, venison and fish should be protected from drying wind, which can cause a hardening of the outer layer forming a case.

Once the product is cured and pre-dried, it is ready for smoking!

Cold Smoking:

Some cold smoked products are ready to be consumed ‘raw’ – straight after the smoking process is completed, smoked salmon and beef fillet are good examples. There are other cold smoked products such as cod fillets and haddock which require further cooking post smoking.

As cold smoking does not ‘cook’ the product it is usually done at temperatures of around 10C and 29C (50F and 85F) using wood chips or saw dust as opposed to burning logs. The low temperature avoids hardening the surface and forming a barrier to moisture movement from the interior. It also allows the product to lose some moisture and become denser without being cooked. This is particularly important for fish, as the flesh is so delicate that excessive heat would denature connective tissue collagen and the whole fish would flake to pieces.

The loss of moisture is essential to the smoking process, and the more moisture lost the greater the keeping qualities of the final product. For salmon, the finished product must lose about 17 to 18% of its weight, kippers should loose around 14 to 18%, trout should be slightly higher at around 20% and beef fillet should be even higher at around 20 to 25%.

Hot Smoking:

Hot smoked products under go the same processes described above; from curing to cold smoking. Once the product has been cold smoked it is then cooked at temperatures which gradually rise to around 82C (180F) and never higher than 93C (200F) in the case of fish. Care must be taken in the initial cold smoking that temperatures do not exceed 29C (85F) as fish will form a hard case, preventing further smoke penetration and adequate loss of moisture.

Meat, game and poultry are generally easier to hot smoke than fish, as they are more tolerant of variations in temperature and can be smoked at as high as 115C (240C). Nonetheless even these products can become spoilt by overcooking, by becoming unacceptably dry which results in a poor texture and loss of the smoky flavour.

I was browsing through my book collection today and picked up Molecular Gastronomy: exploring the science of flavor. Although I’ve owned this book for years and read through it on several occasions, it is still as interesting to re-read. The chapters are sort but sweet and filled with so much knowledge which seems almost essential to any chef or avid home cook. It is filled with practical tips, insightful observations and suggestions. To get the most out of the  book you it helps if you have a fairly decent knowledge of the cooking methods and techniques.

The author Herve This (This – pronounced Tees), is a renowned physical chemist who has worked with the likes of multi Michelin starred chef Pierre Gagnaire, and the very man who  coined the term ‘Molecular Gastronomy’. This book was the first of his books to have been translated into English.

The book begins by reexamining and debunking a variety of time-honored rules and dictums about cooking and presents new and improved ways of preparing a variety of dishes from quiches and quenelles to steak and hard-boiled eggs.

The book then goes on to discuss the physiology of flavor and explores how the brain perceives tastes, how chewing affects food, and how the tongue reacts to various stimuli. Examining the molecular properties of bread, ham, foie gras, and champagne, the book analyzes what happens as they are baked, cured, cooked, and chilled. Looking to the future, This imagines new cooking methods and proposes novel dishes. A chocolate mousse without eggs? A flourless chocolate cake baked in the microwave? “Molecular Gastronomy” explains how to make them. This also shows us how to cook perfect French fries, why a souffle rises and falls, how long to cool champagne, when to season a steak, the right way to cook pasta, how the shape of a wine glass affects the taste of wine, why chocolate turns white, and how salt modifies tastes.

François is a highly acclaimed sommelier, best-selling author and instigator of the new aromatic discipline “molecular food harmonies and sommellerie”.

In 2009, François released the first results of his scientific research on “molecular food harmonies and sommellerie” in his book Papilles et Molécules – La science aromatique des aliments et des vins - the book was published in English as Taste Buds and Molecules – The Art and Science of Food and Wine in 2010. An instant hit in Canada, it quickly rose to the top of the best-sellers list of the year. In February 2010, the book was awarded the prestigious accolade “WORLD’S BEST INNOVATIVE FOOD BOOK” at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Paris.

His innovative work, involving culinary creation and food and wine harmonies, has awakened much interest in the gastronomical universe, making him a highly sought-after consultant to some of the greatest chefs in the world. Since 2008, François has been working with Chef Ferran Adrià and his team from elBulli. Their collaboration resulted in over 30 dishes that were included the 2009/2010 menus.

And if that’s not enough a documentary film entitled “The fabulous story of Taste Buds and Molecules”, directed by Patrice Sauvé, is currently being filmed and will air world-wide in 2012, on the Documentary Channel. A weekly television show based on the aromatic endeavors of Taste buds and Molecules, is also currently in the works!

Links:

Francois Chartier website

Taste Buds and Molecules website

When Hyatt Hotels decided to launch their new brand of hotels – Andaz, they chose London’s trendy East End as their first global location. 11 Andaz Hotels will be open by the end of 2012, including locations which have already launched in Shanghai, New York, San Diago, and Hollywood as well as upcoming locations including Amsterdam and Costa Rica.

Andaz Hotel - Living Room

The Andaz concept is taking a different approach with the guest’s experience, this includes features such as a reception which is refer to as the ‘Living room’ in which guests are sat on couches and offered canapes while being checked in on Ipads. The Andaz is also very focused on integrating into its local surroundings, they have done this in East London by inviting local artists to design certain elements which are scattered throughout the hotel. In addition each room comes with its own ipod dock, and if customers wish they can have an ipod sent to their room which is filled with music by local East London DJs.

So as part of this focus on a more alternative approach, the restaurants were a main focus of interest – See the Andaz Dining website here. In comes Martin Scholz, who for the last 2 years has focused on ensuring that Catch Restaurant – a seafood focused outlet has become one of the UK’s leading sustainable restaurants, using only the finest of UK responsibly sourced produce.

I sat with Martin to discuss his work, sustainability, menu development and his general outlook on the restaurant industry.

Ok so lets start at the beginning, why did you become a chef?

Well I definitely wasn’t fated to be a chef in the beginning, my parents own a carpentry business which I was in line to take over some day. As it happened, at school we were given a week to train in a business of our choice, I chose my aunt’s restaurant.

I remember being very impressed by the fresh fish (which ironically  I had hated to eat till I was a teen) and the delicacy of the produce from the sea and I also took very well to the nature of the work in a kitchen.  I grew up by the sea in North Germany, I love to sail, I love being by the water, and this has all instilled within me an appreciation for seafood which will stay with me forever. Becoming a chef just suited me from many perspectives and so that’s what I chose for my apprenticeship.

So is this why sustainability is so important to you?

Yes it’s why I am so passionate about it, but it wasn’t the trigger that got me on the path. When I came to London I was relatively unaware of the depth and breadth of the issues we are  facing regarding the depletion of fish stocks. Once I took over Catch Restaurant (at the Andaz) my attention was brought to such issues by groups like Fish2Fork. Once I became aware of issues such as bycatch, illegal fishing and the shear number of endangered species I became heavily focused on educating myself on the topic. From this point on I began dedicating a lot of my time towards how we sourced our produce, this began with a lot of research, we changed a lot of our suppliers and then begun developing closer relationships with our new suppliers, who we felt are more in line with our philosophies.

Sustainability is the future of everything in the world, not just fish or food in general. As with most people I want my children to have at least what I had growing up and that is a good environment. There is a global trend in most developed countries towards ‘being green’ , but there is still a long way to go and sustainability, recycling and other such issues need to move from being trends to the norm.

How does all this impact your menu development?

Seasonality is always the first consideration, its like an artists colour palate.

By knowing what ingredients are available it allows me to then become inspired as to the direction that the menu will take. Following this, price is the next concern. It is very important to me that our guests receive great value. To me; the most expensive ingredients are no more valuable that lesser ‘valued’ produce. It really is down to the chef and how he uses the ingredients, its more challenging, but the results are more rewarding for both the chef and the guest.

Cured Salmon, Cucumber jelly and Pomello with Keta Caviar

Next comes flavour pairing, this ties back to the first step and involves looking at what produce is available to us at the given time of year and then bringing the appropriate flavours tougether (i never see the dish on the plate until i’m actually testing the dish and plating it, I go purely on flavour initially) .

Finally as a chef you put your own signature to the dish.

And what is your signature style?

Through Catch I’ve started to come into my own and find my style. I think a signature style is something that a chefs develops over time and it matures.

Albacore Tuna with goats cheese tortellini, cherry tomato chutney and black olive tapanade

So far my key signature elements are sustainability, simplicity and  less is more. Funnily enough, when I came to London, I actually drew back more on my roots which are North German and Scandinavian.

Right now I am very focused on seafood, but I don’t want to limit myself and am still working towards figuring out the direction I will mature into.

Where do you see the future of culinary trends?

Well these things change all the time, but as it stands; Asia is having a major influence on food all over the world. Other than the obvious differences in terms of ingredients and flavour  pairings, it is their simplicity and appreciation for ingredients that distinguish Asian cuisines. In European cuisine we tend to ‘over complicate’ dishes and take ingredients and do a lot to them, Asian cuisines tend to appreciate the natural characteristics of each ingredient used and don’t alter or change them too much, they simply aim to enhance its natural state. I am a big fan of Vietnamese, Cantonese style food, very fresh, clean and simple, but very flavorsome.

I know that you like London, so what do you think the outlook is like for the restaurant industry here?

London’s restaurant industry is so interesting, it’s relatively new in some ways, but is steeped in tradition in others. There is a lot of young blood coming up in the industry (i’d like to consider myself in that category as i’m still only 29), which are bringing a lot of new ideas to the table, in terms of their food, philosophies and kitchen management style.

There are a growing number of Michelin star chefs coming into London. As a chef I would love to receive such an accolade, however I feel that in London many restaurants receive such awards based on a lot of criteria other than just the food. What is most important for me is that guest’s enjoy the food at our restaurant, any other awards or accolades are a bonus.

You mentioned new management styles, what is your management style?

I like to think I lead by example, I am a workaholic and I expect my team to rise to the challenge.

Where do you see your future?

I like working in the hotel industry, and I like working with Hyatt. I have been with the group since 2007 and intend to continue my growth with them for as long as both the Hyatt and I are happy with the work we do together. I have worked with the Hyatt in Berlin, Qatar and London, I intend to move on with them at some point, but I have really come to like London a lot and believe I have developed a really good understanding of the market and culture here, so I will definitely return at some point.

The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the fisheries policy of the European Union (EU). It sets quotas for which member states are allowed to catch what amounts of each type of fish, as well as encouraging the fishing industry by various market interventions. In 2004 it had a budget of €931 million, approximately 0.75% of the EU budget.

However a report by the Court of Auditors, which was drafted late last year, is said to highlight a “string of failings” in the CFP policy and its implementation.

It says the policy has neither protected fish stocks nor exploited potential capacity for fishing fleets. The report states that despite the huge amounts of taxpayers cash spent on the policy, €1.7bn has been wasted since 2002 on vessel decommissioning with “no tangible results”.

It goes on to say that 90 per cent of fish stocks are over fished, that 30 per cent of these are over safe biological limits and some 100,000 jobs have been lost in fishing to date.

Another major issue is bycatch. Bycatch refers to fish caught unintentionally in a fishery while intending to catch other fish. Fleets sometimes throw fish back, usually dead, because they have exceeded their quota or have inadvertently caught less valuable species. It is estimated that for every one pound of seafood that makes it 5 pounds of seafood is thrown back overboard. In the EU about three-quarters of fish stocks are estimated to be overfished.

According to a recent report by the New Economics Foundation restoring fish stocks to health would create jobs and increase the income of Europe’s fishing fleets by £2.7bn a year. The NEF also reported that if stocks were allowed to recover, more fish would actually be caught in future than are caught at present, estimated at approximately 3.5 million tons. It also estimated that this would result in the creation of 100,000 new jobs in the fisheries sector.

In February 2012, UK MPs refused to ban the controversial practice of discarding surplus fish back into the sea. Therefore fishermen are allowed to continue discarding edible fish at sea, despite public pressure to stop the wasteful practice.

A high-profile public campaign led by the chef Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall has called an end to the discarding of fish. Partly in response to the campaign, the European commission has proposed a phased-in ban on discards, which the UK government has backed in Brussels. But the environment and rural affairs committee called in a report published on Friday for the practice to be allowed to continue until 2020 at least. The MPs said it had not been proved how many fish died after being discarded and called for more research. They cast doubt on whether it was possible to end discards.

“We are concerned that, by deciding to implement a discard ban swiftly and without full engagement with stakeholders, the commission risks creating a scheme that will be unworkable, or worse, will merely shift unwanted fish in the sea to unwanted fish on land,” the committee said.

Anne McIntosh, who chairs the committee, said: “Everyone is appalled by revelations about the levels of discarding. We heard first-hand from fishermen in Hastings how frustrating it is for them to have to throw back perfectly good cod into the sea. The commission is right to want to tackle this, but we are concerned that a kneejerk reaction to the public outcry will do more harm than good. The last thing that we want to see is unwanted fish in the sea becoming unwanted fish in landfill.”

So this gives you an idea about the current situation, however during my research I came across this fantastic animation entitled The Story of Sushi (by Bamboo Sushi) which really does a much more entertaining job of telling the story.

Why the restaurant industry is missing out on a key ingredient!

The restaurant business is no spring chicken, it has a history which dates back to the 1700s and a track record which proves that the business model is in general a viable one. The restaurant industry has evolved over decades, creating a vast array of dining categories, ranging from fast food, casual dining to fine dining, the upper end of more niche-tailored varieties. It’s been stirred up by a generation of more demanding, more discerning ‘foodies’ with a greater refinement and appreciation for what the food experience should be about. We’ve also witnessed a huge growth in the types of cuisines brought to us by talented chefs, relying on creativity as much as skill, who have recognised the gaps in the market and responded by modernising and updating dishes, fusing different cuisines together and making use of our understanding of food science to introduce diners to new textures and sensations for their more refined palate.

Looking at it in these terms it seems we have come a long way, however there are aspects of the industry which have failed miserably to develop where other younger industries have excelled. The area I am focusing on here is fine dining and its lack of development towards harvesting Human Capital. The restaurant business is labour intensive, both in the front and back of house. So why is this such a neglected area?

Much of this stems back to the origins of the fine dining restaurant business coming from domestic help. In a nutshell; fine dining’s origins lie in the homes of the wealthy European houses from around the 1700′s onwards, post French revolution many top chefs who had honed their skills, and funded all their culinary endeavours in these houses, were left high and dry, trying to find a way to make a living with a skill that had no real value to anyone other than the rich. The restaurant business developed and began to really flourish. To bring prestige to the trade and develop it into a ‘respected’ profession Chef guilds where established and culinary schools opened. Escoffier (1846 – 1935) introduced the concept of splitting kitchens into various sections to improve the flow of work and encourage labour specialisation. He also introduced the brigade system, creating different positions and ranks in the kitchen, all of this was aimed at creating a more formal structure and re-enforcing the idea of making cheffing a respected profession.

Despite the developments made, it would be a distortion of the truth to say that a kitchen is now a professional business environment to work in. Employers continue to provide unattractive working conditions, in an era all about the ‘work life balance’. The kitchen remains a volatile environment with a ‘school yard’ mentality, where bullying, vulgarity and pranks are a part of everyday working life in many cases. It is still common practice for senior ranks to use an autocratic leadership approach, to coerce their staff and rule by fear. A hierarchical system is still very much in place with lower ranking chefs referring to their seniors by the title ‘chef’ (unlike in any other organisation other than the military). Staff turnover is high (in general the average length of tenure for a kitchen employee within a kitchen is one year to two). This contributes towards creating an unstable environment, low morale, increased recruitment and training costs, disruptions in consistency and, more importantly, a loss of talent and knowledge, as employees defect to the competition, which raises even more concerns.

It seems that the movement to develop the status of being a chef seemed to come to a stand still at some point. Now chefs are respected for their celebrity status rather than professionalism. You see many celebrity chefs hailed as heroes by their followers yet considered tyrants by their peers.

So where is the key to future development? What are practical solutions for these issues which will enhance the creative process and improve the overall standards? From my personal experience both outside and inside the kitchen the way forward lies in the investment in human capital and improving staff retention. As restaurants run on tight margins the solutions must be financially viable and easy to implement. Time constraints will also apply as it is imperative that the initiatives implemented do not disrupt the day to day operations.

The following are initiatives which meet these requirements and are aimed at further developing the kitchen and the professional status of being a chef in today’s world.

· Create a Culture of Shared Values: First of all we must begin by developing a solid foundation and this comes in the form of establishing a professional business mind set in the kitchen where chefs are encouraged to see value in their own job. The idea is to create a culture in which vulgar language is unexceptable (as it creates tension, and is unproductive), respect among all ranks is expected and knowledge sharing is formalised by creating a knowledge sharing database, forums (both on and offline) where staff can share ideas and recipes as well as post articles which they have come across and recommend books and restaurants to one another.

· Devise a 360 Degree Orientation Programme: Training chef’s to adapt to the restaurants style is of great importance. A week long induction program in which new comers are trained in the head chef’s culinary style, cooking methods and plating, followed by training related to understand the restaurant’s food costs and methods of managing inventory and wastage. Section head’s (Chef De Partie) must be trained in the following areas; time management, coaching and mentoring skills, communication and management. Anyone who has worked in a multicultural environment will also see the benefits of introducing a cross cultural training program to improve communication, understanding and tolerance between staff members.

· Empower Your Team: Following on from the previous point; developing systems in which section chefs (Chef De Partie) and sous chefs are responsible for the career development of the staff they have in their section. Providing these chefs with tangible tasks which ensure they are training their staff and role modelling the desired behaviour. As most of the training will be practical it is important that the head chef plays an active role in assessing the development and provides them with constructive feedback.

· Set Up Efficient Documentation Procedures: Improve documentation, by this I mean keeping accurate records and checklists for each section. The best example of this is the systems I currently use for my fridge and freezer storage. I use an inventory sheet which is recorded once a week and then updated as and when items are added and removed providing me with a running, up-to-date inventory of all the stock I have at all times. This allows me to make a more informed decision when ordering. In addition I keep a record of sales by recording key components of my mise en place before and after each service (this also serves as a great method of ensuring I am fully stocked for the service to come). Overtime this raw data is entered into a spreadsheet and turned into meaningful information which allows me to track the activity on my section, best sellers, slow moving items etc. once again this translated into more informed decisions when ordering stock and provides a good idea of wastage and guidance for developing new menu items.

· Create a Culture of Team Effectiveness: Developing the team by using activities and games. As structured as kitchens are from an authoritarian perspective they do have a casual attitude which lends itself to alot of personal relationships developing (both positive and negative). The idea of actively developing a team which works well together as a close nit unit is imperative to the overall development of the kitchen and to encouraging longer tenures. The best example of this that I have come across was Genghis Khans hunting games. During the seasons in which his army was not at war, Genghis Khan would create large scale hunting games which would last for weeks. The army would be split into teams all hunting a target through different terrains until they met at a central point. The idea was that these games improved the skills they needed to fight well in war, including tracking, survival and team work while allowing them to engage in an activity which they found enjoyable. Why not set tasks for the kitchen team to work together on developing dishes in which the winning dish is put on the menu or create challenges which require them to use practice their cheffing skills. Ultimately the goal is to bring them closer as a team while practicing the skills that will improve their work.

· Set Up Career Development and Training Programmes: Currently the majority of chefs will either go to a culinary college or join a restaurant as an apprentice and work their way up. Their progression is dependent on three components: 1. Their technical ability, 2. The length of period they have been in their current position and 3. Opportunities within the kitchen as and when they arise. Unfortunately there are many cases in which this system results in good chefs being promoted into bad managers. It’s somewhat ironic that the skills that make a particular employees stand out and thus get promoted for, are often the skills that hinder them when they get promoted to management positions. Rising through the ranks in a kitchen is more of a sporadic, natural occurrence as opposed to a planned move in which the chef is coached and trained to develop management skills (ie; team building, delegation, planning, HR utilisation etc) in order to take up a senior position successfully. Establishing career and training plans for your staff will improve staff retention and ensure that your employees are effectively placed in their positions. In doing so you retain the knowledge and talent which you have invested in, the longer these team members stay with you, the greater your return on that investment.

In today’s kitchen we are far away from an idealistic silicon valley ‘utopian’ work environment and this may not even be a feasible goal for this industry however that is no reason to stick with the status quo. These are just a few easy to implement ideas to spur on an evolution within the kitchen rather than a revolution and to improve the kitchen from all perspectives. As with all businesses, restaurants will benefit from having better trained, more focused and satisfied employees.

Just like the icing on the cake – it’s a top down process! The key to the success of these ideas will always lie with the Management Team. The motivation for success and development must come from the head chef/ restaurant manager and trickle down to all team members. As a chef de partie, you are a supervisor, as a sous chef you are a manager, as a head chef you must be a leader.

In many ways the whole path which lead up to me getting to Tokyo was based on a series of well timed coincidences which resulted in me being put in touch with Mr Dietmar Kielnhofer, the very charismatic and astute General Manager of the Tokyo Westin Hotel. After exchanging a few email between Dietmar, Damian Cooper (Westin’s F&B Director) and myself, the idea of me travelling over to Tokyo to cook a private 6 course dinner in their restaurant ‘Victor’s’ was conceived. As part of the plan I would also get to spend time in their kitchens, learning about Japanese cuisine.

All I can say is: its amazing how things come about. This was an opportunity of a lifetime. In hindsight I see the trip being broken down into 4 main categories; the food I ate; learning about Japanese cuisine and food culture; discovering Tokyo and of-course the dinner I cooked. So in that order:

The food:

The Westin Hotel, has four restaurants two of which have previously been awarded Michelin stars. I was fortunate to eat at all four outlets; two of which have entered into my ‘top 10 dinners i’ve ever had’ mental list. Both the Mai Japanese restaurant and Ebisu Tepanyaki restaurant were outstanding, and in many ways blurred the line between the topics of ‘what I ate’ and ‘what I learnt’; as both meals were eye opening, insightful as well as delicious. (Pictures of the dinner I had at Mai are available on this link with descriptions of each dish.)

The Westin’s Executive Chef Toshio Numajiri invited me for dinner at the Ebisu teppanyaki restaurant, which is the second of my all time favorite dinners. The meal consisted of several courses which included lobster, abalone (cooked in a salt crust on the grill) and the restaurant’s own Ebisu beef which was as you would expect ‘melt in the mouth’ type beef.

Numajiri-san was also kind enough to organise a lunch for both me and the Head Chef of Victor’s Toyoki Furuya, at none other than Joel Robuchon’s 3 Michelin Starred restaurant (located right across from the Westin). I believe the pictures speak for themselves, in explaining what a great meal it was. A unique interpretation of French cuisine bringing Japanese ingredients and thought into each dish.

At the opposite side of the dining spectrum I finally have to mention the ‘street food’; Yakitori Alley as it is called consists of several very small eateries serving a variety of grilled skewers including chicken, beef, vegetables and chicken cartilage (very interesting texture which reminded me of the sheep neck soup I had in Cairo). But most of all I have to admit to the ramen addiction I acquired. I over came any inhibitions I may normally have about walking into a small eatery and staring at a machine (where you select the dish you want and get a ticket with your order) covered in Japanese writing to order the ramen. I can’t exactly explain my instant love for ramen in Tokyo, but that didn’t stop me from slurping down a bowl every time I left the hotel for a month.

Learning about Japanese cuisine and food culture:

My first day in Tokyo was mostly spent in Victor’s, the Westin’s French fine dining restaurant. I was there to get to know the team, get an idea on how the kitchen was laid out and the flow of service etc. as I would be cooking my dinner from this kitchen with its team. But I also came away with a better idea on Japanese chef’s culinary mind set; the menu is typically French, however in it’s execution, presentation, plating and so on it is clearly French cuisine from a Japanese perspective. The colours are vibrant, flavours subtle, much lighter ‘cleaner’ flavours generally,  simple and very picturesque on the plate. I saw similar traits in Mai, the Westin’s Japanese restaurant, where I spent two weeks.

A selection plate at Mai

The sequencing, ingredient pairings, focus on freshness, respect for ingredients and attention to detail in presentation are all integral parts of Japanese cuisine. But nothing strikes you more that the simplicity with which all of this is brought together.

Unlike with many other cuisines (French in particular) the aim is not to enhance an ingredient’s flavour and appeal by deconstructing it, pairing it with similar or contrasting ingredients and then bring it all together on one ‘masterpiece’ of a dish. The main focus with Japanese cuisine seems to revolve around doing the least you can to disrupt what is already a beautiful, fresh, naturally delicious ingredient (in many cases full of umami).

On the topic of umami, I found out that Japanese chefs generally tend to steer away from using Mono-Sodium Glutamate , which surprised me as I had assumed this umami enhancing additive would be quite popular, partially because Ajinomoto  (the company which is a major producer of MSG) as a brand has found its way into Asian language dictionaries as a half-synonym for MSG. But when I discussed the use of MSG with Japanese chefs they all seemed to feel that Japanese guests could detect MSG in their food and that this implied that the ingredients being used are not fresh enough and therefore lack their own natural umami. I found this very interesting as it is disliked in western cuisine due to nonexistent health related issues. Read more about MSG here.

Mai kitchen team

From the time I spent in the Mai kitchen; apart from having lessons in making dashi (Japanese stock made from konbu seaweed and bonito flakes), making maki and nigiri etc, i came away with some very interesting insights into Japanese food culture. I want to share a few of these as I feel they really emphasis the difference in the way food is seen and consumed in Japan:

1. As shrimp have an ‘arched back’, eating them is symbolic of living till your old and hunched over
2. Soba noodles are eaten alot during New Year as their length is symbolic of long life
3. Konbu (seaweed) wrapped fish is symbolic of education, as visually they look similar to scrolls
4. Fish (inc. shellfish- but not sashimi) should be presented with the ‘head’ pointing to the guest’s left
5. Always try to display lines on crockery (wood grain or lines) horizontally
6. Red snapper is used for ‘joyous’ occasions
7.  Lotus root has positive connotations, as seeing through the holes is symbolic of seeing into the future

Discovering Tokyo:

Tokyo is everything it’s said to be. Although it is modern and ‘westernised’ and therefore not an accurate reflection on the rest of the country (as London is no reflection on what the rest of England

The landmark at the start of Kappabashi

is like), there are still some key underlying factors that are uniquely Japanese and distinguish the city. By day two I had started to use public transport and once I had it figured out, there was no stopping me from trying to get lost in Tokyo, going for long walks all over. It’s amazing how safe Tokyo feels at all times of day or night.

My favorite adventure has to be going to the Kappabashi-dori. A long street lined with back to back restaurant kitchen supplies shops. Anything and everything you could possibly need or want for your kitchen is available. This place is your bank account’s worst nightmare as there is so much equipment that you suddenly feel you ‘need‘.. especially with all the amazing knives, some of which are truly spectacular.

And ofcourse no trip to Tokyo would be complete without going to Tsukiji fish market. I was lucky enough to be taken around the market by Saito-san, the Head Chef at Mai. Fantastic place like no other market i’ve ever been to. The tuna almost seems like the main attraction, with jaw droppingly large tuna on display, however the market has far more to it and takes a while to get through.

The dinner!

Ok finally the dinner I cooked. We did a couple of tasting before the event to make sure the tastes and portion sizes would all be suitable for Japanese palates and so that the kitchen team were all on point for the big night.

I’m glad and (really relieved!) to say the dinner was a big hit. For a few days following the dinner some very complimentary emails were going back and forth from those who attended the dinner.

Here’s a brief overview of the menu and wine pairings:

Amuse bouche: Smoked portabello mushroom porridge with black truffle and parmesan foam - Moet & Chandon (NV)

First Course: Scallops seared with curry salt, cauliflower couscous, cauliflower puree, mango-chilli dressing and caviar - Poilly Fume La Demoiselle (Fr)

Second Course: Squid ink risotto with pan fried squid and Chorizo foam - Chateau Meyney (Bordeaux Blend) (Fr)

Third Course: Lobster with carrot and citrus puree, bisque jelly, seasonal vegetables and coriander oil - Bourgogne Rouge Domaine Gillot Broux (Pinot Noir) (Fr)

Fourth Course: Hoisin duck cake in Japanese bread crumbs with rocket salad, pickled cucumber and sweet chili caviar - Kim Crawford, sauvignon Blanc (NZ)

Dessert: Rose mascarpone cream with soft cloudy apple jelly, hazelnut crumble and candied rose petals - Coteaux du Layon – Dessert Wine (Fr)

So just a quick thank you to Dietmar Kielnhofer, Damian Cooper, Chef Toshio Numajiri, Chef Toyoki Furuya (and all the team at Victor’s), Chef Masahiko Saito (and all the team at Mai), Daigo Yamashita, Naomi Takahashi and Yohei Osada (for being very patient, teaching me about Japanese food culture and translating everything in the kitchen for me).