[Eme] Established in Musashi-Koyama for 7 years. Providing a rich lifestyle through cuisine (Part 2)

- Yasumichi Muto has experience working in a variety of business formats in Japan, including a charcuterie in the Basque region of France and a Japanese restaurant in New Zealand. He began writing down his vision for his ideal restaurant in 2007, and opened "Eme" in 2018. His plans run into several volumes. Part 1 is here A notebook for realizing your dreams After returning from France, he worked as sous chef (assistant chef) at Madame Toki in Daikanyama for around three years, saving up funds to open his own restaurant (he then went freelance and started looking for a property). Before moving to France, he had been writing down in a notebook what kind of restaurant he wanted to open. "I write about all sorts of things that can be used as hints for creating a restaurant, such as the concept, service style, menu, interior, fixtures, and equipment of the restaurant. I also write about things that I don't want to do or shouldn't do, and inspirational words from top chefs and celebrities. The notebook is filled with pages of "Logos & Tips" filled with quotes from famous chefs, and the menu ideas are accompanied by detailed illustrations. By putting my vague thoughts into words, I can organize them, see what I need to do, come up with ideas, and above all, it increases the chances of making my dreams come true, so I would recommend it to young chefs. For example, I wrote about my ideal restaurant, which should have 'greenery and flowers all around,' 'a raised entrance,' and 'a warm, antique atmosphere,' and all of these have now come true." Antique plates from France's Saint-Amant and Belgium's Boch Frères Keramis, as well as beloved pieces by contemporary ceramic artists such as Suzuki Minoru, Kubota Yuki, and Konno No Fuko. Since his first visit to a flea market in France, where he was captivated by the antique tableware and glassware, he has been returning to France almost every year on vacation, gradually collecting pieces with the hopes of one day using them in his own shop. In addition to French items, he also uses tableware made by contemporary ceramic artists, such as nostalgic Showa-era Noritake and Mashiko ware, which goes well with French cuisine. "I like the idea of learning from the past and creating something new, and I love handcrafts. That's why I combine old and modern items, and I've also set up a sales corner in the store where I sell original Bath Linen aprons, my favorite seasonings, and hand soaps with natural scents. Is this a bit unusual? I don't really think of my restaurant as "my castle," nor do I see it as a place that only serves food. That's why I actively hold events such as wine tastings, dinners with vegetable producers, and collaborations with ceramic artists and flower designers. I think it would be more fun for both the makers and the customers if it were used as a place where various people and things could interact. At the very least, I get a lot of stimulation and it's a lot of fun (laughs)." Creating a taste that suits Japanese tastes through the selection of ingredients and aroma techniques The first dish we had them prepare was their signature dish, "Axoa Puff Pastry." Axoa is a local Basque dish that means "chopped." It is a stew made with minced meat, bell peppers, onions, and piment d'espelette, a chili powder unique to the Basque region. While veal is often used, Aimé uses pork and also adds a small amount of pig's trotters and sweet chili peppers. Pigs trotters, which are rich in collagen, bring out the umami and juiciness of the meat, and have the advantage of not being fatty, so the dish is not heavy. Piment d'espelette is served on the plate so that you can add more or less to your liking. Also, while in the Basque region achovies are usually served with rice or potatoes, Muto has created a pie crust, which is an original technique. He says that the dressing (the egg spread on the pie crust) is made from a mixture of boiled down coffee and egg yolk, which gives it a beautiful brown colour without affecting the flavour. "While Basque cuisine such as ashore, garbule, piperade, and gateau basque are our specialty, we also want to convey the charm of classical and authentic French cuisine. Puff pastry dishes are one of the best examples of this. However, dishes like the Wellington-style, made with beef fillet wrapped in foie gras and mushroom duxelles, or the heavy sauce made with game meat, are quite luxurious and out of the ordinary in both cost and taste. I wanted to offer a more convenient, lighter pie dish that could be eaten all year round, not just in winter, so I created this pie wrapped in achovies and served with chicken jus sauce. It was so well received that it has become a staple. I always recommend it to first-time customers." The other dish is "Poached Golden Eye Snapper with Vegetables." The golden eye snapper is grilled on a grill, while the vegetables, including cucumber, radish, and turnip, are parboiled and then quickly grilled in a frying pan. The vegetables are grown at Kaze no Oka Farm, an organic farm in Ogawamachi, Saitama Prefecture. "Each vegetable has its own vibrant character and is delicious," says Muto. The sauce is made from beurre blanc with the addition of mouginille (a flavored oil with a lemon-like aroma and a slightly spicy taste) and parsley oil. "Even though I use butter, the aroma leaves a light feeling after eating. Not just in this dish, but for me, aroma is a key point. I want to emphasize freshness, so I pay close attention to balance, for example by refraining from using the sweetness from the aromatic vegetables in the sauce-based stock, as it would interfere with the flavor." ~aimer~ Aiming to be a store filled with love Muto rarely cooks at home, preferring to enjoy his wife's home-cooked meals with wine. On his days off, he visits vegetable and wine producers and stops by the local public bath. He also likes to go to small theaters to see performances with his wife, who is a dancer and early music player. He visits restaurants that catch his eye, regardless of genre. He wants to know the secrets of long-running establishments, as well as the appeal of young, vibrant establishments, so his "list of places he wants to visit" is endless. He says he's not the type to frequent the same restaurant multiple times, but he's a fan of Nagano's French restaurant "Shibu Onsen Shokudo Gonki," and says he plans to continue visiting regularly. Well, we're nearing the end of the interview, so here's the last question. --What is a "delicious" restaurant to you? "It's a place where you can share and receive loving thoughts. The thoughts of the producers of ingredients and wine, the handiwork of the tableware, flowers, and furniture, the hospitality of the servers, and the expressions of the chefs... everything is based on love, and this restaurant is where that love is placed on the plates and in the space. "Such a store gives you a sense of genuine happiness and fulfillment. The name Aimer comes from the pronunciation of the French word "aimer," which means to love, to like, or to cherish, and I truly aim to create a store filled with love." Writer: Yumiko Watanabe / Photographer: Tomoyasu Uaki

A notebook for realizing your dreams

武藤 恭通

武藤恭通