A new way to enjoy gastronomy.

Since the opening of "MAISON CINQUANTECINQ" in front of Yoyogi Uehara Station in 2010, "Gris", "Lanterne", "9STORIES", and "Bar à vin MAISON CINQUANTECINQ" have opened successively in the neighborhood, and this March In March of this year, he opened "AELU," a restaurant that also functions as a gallery and a restaurant. First of all, please tell us about the position of this store and how it differs from your previous stores.

mountain rangeWe have been creating restaurants with a natural awareness of overseas markets, but it is time to create a place that will please chefs and friends from France and other countries when they come to Japan, a place that will inspire them in some way, and a place where we can communicate our own identity as Japanese people. We wanted to create a place where chefs and friends from France and abroad would be pleased to come to Japan and where we could provide some inspiration to them.

Up to that point, I had always been a wine drinker while eating, but I was getting into sake just as I found the property, and I started thinking about what I could do with the new generation of sake makers who are advocating new ways to enjoy sake, such as pairing it with food. It's still a bit of a trial and error process, but we hope to gradually give shape to the theme of sake and our favorite dishes.

You are not specializing in French cuisine, but rather serving Japanese-inspired dishes with a Japanese flavor, while still offering dishes and sake that are uniquely Maruyama's. Is there a unique gastronomy there as well? Do you have your own unique gastronomy (a system of food culture that includes cuisine, art, science, etc., with a focus on food)?

mountain rangeYes, that's right. We always want to offer something new, and all of our staff members are committed to this with solid skills and a firm philosophy behind them. While we are required to have a craftsman-like temperament in our approach, we also consider trends in all aspects of cuisine and the moods of our creators, and select and choose what is best for the times. Perhaps this is similar to the work of a fashion stylist.

I see that such senses are the driving force and inspiration behind the creation of a new store. The store also has an element of a gallery, and you are currently (at the time of the October interview) holding an exhibition related to tea bowls, right?

mountain rangeBefore I started the restaurant, I had the stereotype that French food was served on plain white plates, but as I learned about current trends, I started using gray plates and plates made of stone-like materials, and as I met the artists in person, I got more into it. I bought a great deal of things myself. Since this is a place that offers such things, I have to buy them myself to see for myself how they work.

I used to love music and worked in a record store with a café, so I thought that the process of selecting plates was similar to the process of selecting records. Unlike the practical functional beauty of plates, I am attracted to the beauty of plates when they are displayed on a shelf, and the pleasure of collecting them. This is another point that is similar to the record. I like music and art just as much as cooking, so I thought it would be nice to create a mechanism for customers to enjoy them from this perspective, which is why I set up the gallery.

It must be difficult to maintain the quality of the food and hospitality of a restaurant that has so many unique restaurants, including "AELU," which is the location of this interview.

mountain rangeI have been telling the staff that they should not rely on the appearance or interior design of the restaurant, but rather that they must think the food is "delicious" even if they eat it in a cardboard box and a mandarin orange box. This is an extreme example, but that way we can pursue the essence of the cuisine. First and foremost, the food must taste good, and only after that can you enjoy the presentation of the food on the plate, as I mentioned earlier. It is the same with catering. It is no good if the food is only visually appealing.

Passing on such skills, or rather, maturing the team, has always been an issue for me, now and in the past. As the number of restaurants increases, the number of opportunities for me to be present at each restaurant gradually decreases. I am always looking forward to taking the leadership role as a manager, and at the same time, I want to make sure that the benefits and welfare programs in the culinary world, which is said to be a harsh environment, are also fulfilled.

What kind of goals do you have for the future? Do you have any such prospects?

mountain rangeI am currently working on several restaurants, each of which has a different style. However, I would like to continue to explore and propose new ways of being, value, and experience for restaurants without categorizing them as restaurants or izakaya (Japanese style pubs).

We want to create a place that is respectful of cultural backgrounds, yet always new and enjoyable for both our team and the customers who visit us. We want to continue to create restaurants and menus that are sustainable, not spur-of-the-moment.

AELU," which you visited this time, plans to expand its terrace space in the future, so you can eat outside when the weather is nice, and if there is an opportunity, we would like to hold workshops in conjunction with the gallery. Please look forward to it.