“The Okura Tokyo” will begin a new era in September 2019. The new Okura will consist of two buildings, the Okura Heritage Wing and the Okura Prestige Tower, and will continue to evolve while preserving the essence and traditions of Okura. Twelve stories that reaffirm the charm of Okura and explore the new The Okura Tokyo.
One of Okura's answers has become clear: how to give form to tradition and innovation.
``La Belle Epoque'', a French cuisine that has been popular for many years, will be reborn as ``Nouvelle Epoque.'' "Nouvelle Epoque" means "new era" in French. As the name suggests, this is a dining place where you can enjoy the food, service, and space that symbolize Okura's new era.
Tetsujiro Takahashi has been appointed as the head chef, and his cuisine is based on the fusion of Japanese and French cuisine. When thinking about a new restaurant, Chef Takahashi first focused on Japan's terroir. In Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture, we have a contract with a vegetable producer exclusively for The Okura Tokyo. The vegetables grown in Noto's mineral-rich soil are said to have a flavor and presence comparable to those in France. Vegetables grown through careful farming by producers are full of vitality. He says he will use this power to bring out new possibilities for French cuisine. Nouvelle Epoque is a restaurant that uses French cuisine to express the individuality and characteristics of each region of Japan, and aims to become an ambassador for Japanese ingredients.
Tetsujiro Takahashi has been appointed as the head chef of Nouvelle Epoque.
``When cooking, I try to keep it healthy and gastronomic.Healthy is one of the keywords that I particularly value.I'm also thinking of incorporating Japan's unique fermentation culture.At the same time, what I want to cherish is... It is an accumulation of flavors that Okura French has cultivated up until now.We will not change the fundamentals of fond de veau and jus, but we will introduce unprecedented combinations such as combining meat with seafood and the umami created by synergistic effects. ” said Chef Takahashi.
The ``Foie Gras with Rose Pierre de Ronsard'' shown in the top photo is an appetizer made of foie gras mousseline shaped like a rose flower. Flavored with fresh foie gras and cognac, the classic yet unexpectedly light melt-in-the-mouth texture completely changes the impression of foie gras. Pierre de Ronsard was a French Renaissance poet. He left his mark by singing about roses and the fragility of youth, and is even given the name of a rose. I get a glimpse of Chef Takahashi's direction in cooking when he gives this name to a dish.
At Nouvelle Epoque, he will give a presentation using the gueridon, which is now rare even in France. Gueridon is a demonstration of service skills such as cutting meat and flambéing on a wagon, and Okura will demonstrate Japanese-style gueridon, such as beautifully presenting ingredients before cooking.
The fixtures are plates made by Saffron, a company from the Limoges region of France, and cutlery made by Puyforcat, also a French company. The steak knife is from Fujijiro's ``Wakizashi'' series, which was customized for the Nouvelle Epoque. We create modern tables that bring tradition to life. The interior will also be completely renovated by architect Yoshio Taniguchi. The interior design is reminiscent of the Art Nouveau era, while the atmosphere is natural, modern, and open, with Japanese spatial structure in mind. The open structure allows for a view of the garden extending to the north of the site from the seating area, giving a sense of a bright new era. ``I want to serve French cuisine that people will say was delicious and enjoyable,'' says Chef Takahashi. There is no doubt that Nouvelle Epoque will create a new image as one of the faces of The Okura Tokyo.
Photography by Mutsumi Tabuchi
Stories
Premium X
12 doors that unravel Oak Rhythm
Premium X
