A Source of Comfort in Good Times and at the End of Life.
Ginza 8-chome, near Shimbashi, on Namiki-dori.
Following only a small sign with the "MG" logo, you descend a narrow staircase, wide enough for one person, to discover a space with a 4-meter high ceiling.
Owner-chef Toru Wachi, who has created unique signature dishes that go beyond French cuisine,
including various meat dishes, Tuscan fried potatoes, and dishes with exotic seasonings.
Known as a traveling chef, his activities are diverse, including TV appearances, publishing cookbooks, restaurant production, and advising on food and regional revitalization.
Mardi Gras, meaning "Carnival," celebrates its 24th anniversary this September.
Let's delve into Wachi-san's true character as we look back at his journey so far.
Wild Boar Tacos & Impressive Steaks
We begin our interview, looking back at Wachi-san's life. No, with nearly 40 years as a chef and having traveled to over 30 countries, I have a feeling this will be a long one. I can see delicious ingredients in the open kitchen. So, let's start with a food shoot (= pre-meal).
Wachi-san prepared two of his specialty meat dishes. The first is confit of wild boar belly and shoulder loin from "MINEOKA GIBIER" in Chiba Prefecture. It's then seared to a fragrant crisp and served as tacos. The salsa, piled so generously you can barely see the meat, is made with organic vegetables from "Kaze no Oka Farm" in Saitama Prefecture, and the wheat flour used for the taco shells also comes from the same farm. Serving it on colorful plastic taco holder plates bought in America is typical of Wachi-san's playful spirit.
The other dish is a steak made with "Wa no Kanade" Wagyu sirloin from "Nagomi Nōsan" in Yamagata Prefecture. A 500g block is pan-fried alone.
"Return it to room temperature, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Many chefs avoid pepper because it can lead to a burnt smell, but it's not a problem if you add aromatic vegetables over medium-low heat and cover it for the first side. Let it rest for the same amount of time it was cooked, and finish it with residual heat."
The internal temperature is stopped at about 55°C, and it's ready to eat when it reaches about 60°C from the residual heat of the indirectly placed pan. With years of experience, he knows this without using a core temperature thermometer, but for the interview, he deliberately measured it.
"I was worried it might be off, but it's good. See, it's fine, right? (laughs). Meat this thick is actually easier to cook; it's harder to cook thin meat perfectly."
It's wild and voluminous, but "Wa no Kanade" is characterized by its light fat, making it easy to eat without feeling heavy. Furthermore, the fresh mini tomatoes generously served under the meat provide an excellent palate cleanser.
"There are red, yellow, and even San Marzano types, and despite their small size, they are rich in umami and delicious."
Returned from France, only to turn right back to France
Now that we're re-energized, let's restart the interview. First, I'd like to ask about Wachi-san's childhood.
"My father was in construction, my mother was a nurse, and I was an only child. I was born on Awaji Island due to my father's work, but we soon moved to Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture. My father was often away on business trips, so it felt mostly like a single-parent household. Influenced by my modern mother, I took oil painting and violin lessons in elementary school. I still enjoy drawing. Occasionally, my mother and I would go to Tokyo, eat curry at Shinjuku Nakamuraya, and buy books at Kinokuniya Bookstore, which I always looked forward to."
"I played sports like baseball, swimming, and tennis to a normal extent, but I was more interested in culture like music, fashion, art, and theater. In junior high, I played bass in a band and hunted for used records. In high school, I was in the art club, drama club, and tennis club simultaneously. Because Tsukuba had many foreign university students and researchers, I became interested in English and took lessons from a Kenyan exchange student. I was treated to mutton stew and English tea, which fueled my longing for foreign countries."
English antique pendant light
He pondered how he could live overseas, and the answer he arrived at was "to become a French chef." Since going to France was his primary goal, he chose Tsuji Culinary Institute, which had a study abroad program in France for second-year students, and studied at the Osaka campus for his first year.
"I rented an apartment that was 2 tatami mats big and cost 10,000 yen a month, which was incredibly cheap even back then. For my part-time job, I worked in the dessert section of a cafe, scooping soft-serve ice cream and assembling meringue for baked Alaska. I could use the cafeteria of the company that ran the cafe, and university students in the same apartment often treated me, so I saved on food costs. Most of my part-time earnings went to clubs on weekends. I even bought clothes because there was an entrance check. I played a lot, but I did study decently at school."
He has been a fan of Hakusan Megane eyewear since his teens. He usually rotates between about 6 pairs depending on the situation.
And then, his long-cherished wish to go to France came true. At that time, the curriculum involved studying at school for the first six months and training at a restaurant for the latter six months. He enjoyed studying at school and traveled alone to Italy and Spain during summer vacation. Being a keen language learner and not easily intimidated, he actively communicated using English, French, and a smattering of local languages, quickly making friends with strangers.
His training placement for the latter half was at the one-Michelin-star restaurant "Le Rempart" in Burgundy. He lodged at the owner's house and shared a room with a French service staff member, which allowed him to improve his French not only in the kitchen but also through daily conversations.
After a year of experiences that he remembers as "nothing but good memories," Wachi-san returned to Japan, only to promptly turn right back to France in the same month.
"I just wanted to live in France. Then and now, I'm the type of person who can't help but act on an idea once I have it. However, at that time, I only had a short-term tourist visa, so I based myself in a cheap hostel and looked for a job. I even found a restaurant I could get into through an introduction, but ultimately, I gave up and returned to Japan."
What I wanted to learn was humanity
His first job back in Japan was at "Hiramatsu-tei" (Restaurant Hiramatsu), where he was initially assigned to the patisserie department. He found it tedious, as it involved only precise measurements of ingredients down to decimal points, but he says it "allowed me to see a different world from cooking, and in retrospect, it was a good experience."
Next, he wore a black uniform and worked front-of-house service. He was valued for his ability to converse with foreign customers and take orders for high-end wines and cheeses.
Furthermore, he gained skills in various departments in his twenties, including serving as a chef at the sister Italian restaurant "Vinocchio."
"When I was 27, I trained for three months at 'Vivarois' in Paris. What I wanted to learn wasn't recipes, but the mindset and humanity of the family and staff, including owner-chef Claude Perrault. Chef Perrault was very gentle, loving, and someone who adored ingredients.
I was also impressed that the service staff handled the shopping at Rungis Market. They had the same knowledge and discerning eye for ingredients as the chefs. There would be exchanges like, 'I got some great sole today,' and 'Then let's make a tourte.' The chefs, service staff, and even the customers all built healthy relationships, and the beauty of that left a deep impression on me."
Part 2 -----
After serving as chef at "Grape Gumbo," which was ahead of its time, he opened "Mardi Gras." He talks about the reasons for traveling the world and the ideal form of a restaurant.
