Cenci is an Italian restaurant located in a quiet place a little far from the center of Kyoto, right next to Heian Shrine. The ``World's 50 Best Restaurants'' is known as the ``Academy Awards of Food.'' This restaurant is gaining attention as it was ranked 50rd in Asia's 43 Best Restaurants. In the second part, we spoke with owner-chef Ken Sakamoto about what he thinks restaurants should be like in the future.

Reaffirming the significance of restaurants on the world stage

The restaurant competition "World's 7 Best Restaurants 2022" was held in London in July this year. Ken Sakamoto, owner and chef of Cenchi, which was selected as one of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, also participated in the local event. He says he has been a great inspiration.

“It was truly a spectacular sight to see all the top chefs from around the world lined up in front of me.The world's top chefs gathered together in one place, exchanging various opinions, and everyone was delighted to receive the award. It was an experience where I could really feel the passion they have.”

While interacting with local chefs from restaurants that actually made it into the rankings, Chef Sakamoto particularly noticed a global trend toward ``restaurants that are socially conscious.''

``I felt that there were more restaurants that were conscious of sociality and the community they belong to, rather than restaurants that focused on luxury.It's really wonderful that restaurants all over the world are starting to change in that direction right now. I think"

This is something that Chef Sakamoto himself feels every day here in Kyoto.

The role played by chefs who live with ingredients

If we recall before the coronavirus, combined with the increase in inbound tourism, restaurant prices were gradually increasing. At one time, there was a strong emphasis on the rarity of ingredients in order to create a menu that was worth the price and to create distinctive dishes.

``For example, there were cases where one store bought up all the sea urchins that could only be harvested in small quantities, and only the good part of the flesh of the red sea bream was used.''

This means that usable parts such as heads are discarded, and the price of rare ingredients is needlessly increased.

``As chefs, we cannot cook without ingredients from the sea and mountains. Although we are in a position where we experience this first-hand, we don't even think about the circulation of ingredients, and we pay close attention to things like customer costs and turnover rates. I ended up doing the exact opposite.However, if I am going to continue working as a chef, I think it is absolutely no good if we don't think about creating a society and structure that will be passed on to the next generation.''

“Fish from Kyoto is not consumed in Kyoto,” Chef Sakamoto told me. Even though Kyoto has many fishing ports on the Sea of ​​Japan side, such as Maizuru, they do not enter the Kyoto market. Most of the fish that are landed end up being transported to Tokyo's Toyosu Market, where they can sell for a high price. This also raises the issue of the fact that local production for local consumption is actually not straightforward.

“For example, if we were to consume crab only in the area where it was produced without sending it outside the prefecture for a certain period of time when it is in season, we would be able to reduce the amount of crab caught and make it possible to consume it locally.If it can only be eaten locally, then other It's also a reason to go from one region to another, so it raises expectations for local gastronomy, rather than relying on transportation costs and expensive ingredients to raise unit prices. I think a restaurant can be created based on the individuality of the chef."

A place to understand and communicate about the environment and society

In fact, although Japan is said to be a major fishing nation, the fact is that its catch has already declined by more than one-third since its peak in the 1980s. Without the blessings of nature, we as chefs would be unable to express anything. With this sense of crisis in mind, last year I invited fisheries-related people as the founder of Chefs for the Blue, a team of chefs in the Kyoto area who think about sustainable seafood resources from the perspective of the food industry. We have also begun holding study sessions and educating consumers.

“Honestly, up until now, I feel like we have been just trying to get what we want from everywhere.It is only now that we have realized that resources are limited and started to be conscious of ourselves, society, and the environment. These past few years. But I feel that I have to share what I have learned."

Like Cenci's menu, which only lists the ingredients, you can focus on the ingredients before cooking. Chef Sakamoto believes that if guests who visit the restaurant talk about it in their own communities, the information will spread little by little.

``Even if you hear on the TV news that fish stocks are decreasing, it may not really make sense to you.However, if someone close to you is working on it, there is a higher chance that people will take it as their own problem. I believe it is our mission to create

The beef used in the main dish is from cows that have given birth before. There is also meaning in there.

“We use meat that has been aged by experienced butchers from multiparous cows.Due to the quality of their meat, multiparous cows are often used as pet food, but with proper aging techniques, they can become delicious meat. . We can provide new value."

It's not meat that melts in your mouth like A5 rank beef, but the meat has just the right amount of marbling and is overflowing with flavor with every bite. As a chef, I focus on the environment and raise its social significance. I think it can be said that this means that the dish ultimately enhances the persuasiveness of the dish and brings new discoveries to the taste, which is expressed in each dish.

We believe in the power of food to change society.

In addition to the food, what I value as the owner-chef is the environment of the people working at the restaurant.

Geranium, a restaurant in Copenhagen, Denmark, which topped the list of the world's 50 best restaurants, is only open four days a week. Just as the company is giving maximum consideration to the working environment of its staff by taking long holidays during the vacation season, Cenci has also introduced a two-day work week for its staff, allowing them to take long vacations in the summer and winter.

In addition, ``Manina'', a shop that opened in May of this year and sells pasta sauce and granola, focused on creating a comfortable working environment for women. The program takes into account women's life stages, such as allocating time that is physically reasonable and balancing work with child-rearing.

``I think it would be great to have the opportunity to have farmers help out at our restaurant during the off-season. By learning how the vegetables they grow change shape, they can make some improvements in production. I would be happy if this could be a hint, and it could also be an opportunity to fill in the shortage of human resources at restaurants.”

Don't take your eyes off the various food-related issues and think about your next move. Chef Sakamoto never stops coming up with ideas.

Provide delicious food to visiting guests. To achieve this, creative recipes and advanced cooking techniques are certainly important. But beyond that, Chef Sakamoto says, ``What I want to convey is the people behind the scenes and the environment in which the ingredients are produced.''

“A restaurant is a place where you can listen to the voices of both the primary industry and consumers, and connect with each other even if they are far away. That is the great strength of a restaurant. That is why I work in the food industry. I believe that it has the power to change society."

Cenchi is a restaurant loved by Kyoto and recognized around the world, based on the belief that "local pursuits lead to global." I look forward to seeing what the flowers will look like as they begin to open.