Before taste, I have to consider the standards I have in place, which are more important than whether the produce is pesticide-free or not.
Why we value deliciousness and peace of mind over farming methods
What do you think about when choosing vegetables as a restaurant?
Recently, we've been seeing more and more words like "pesticide-free," "organic," and "naturally grown." They sound like they're good for your health and kind to the environment. I think many people have that image, and it's true that there are actually some producers who are making great efforts.
On the other hand, when you are working at a restaurant,
I feel that there are realities that cannot be fully explained by the name of the farming method alone.
What we value most is that the produce meets Japanese standards, rather than whether it is a special farming method or not.
And among them, choose vegetables that are truly good in taste and condition.
Currently, we mainly purchase vegetables from Tachikawa, checking to see which ones are in the best condition at the time.
Japanese vegetables are subject to strict management as a premise.
Vegetables sold in Japan are subject to extremely strict standards regarding pesticide residues and safety. The types of registered pesticides, their use, and residue standards are all strictly controlled, and most vegetables meet these standards by the time they hit the market.
Residue standards are set based on the amount that will not affect your health even if you eat it every day for your entire life. In real life, it is rare to eat the same vegetables in extreme amounts over and over again. With that in mind, I believe that there is no need to worry too much about the level of residual substances in everyday meals.
Of course, it's not zero risk, but when you calmly consider the magnitude of the risk, it feels like being too afraid of eating itself is straying a little from the original role of food.
Pesticides are now quite different from the "old image"
When people hear the word "pesticides," many of them may imagine them as something that is bad for the body. This is due to the pesticides that were used from the Showa era through the mid-Heisei era, when they were highly effective and had a major impact on the environment.
At the time, securing a high yield was the most important thing. It was a time when people experienced food shortages, so the priority was to make sure the pesticides were effective. As a result, some pesticides are now banned, and some were considered problematic due to their impact on the environment.
However, in the Reiwa era, the contents of pesticides have changed considerably.
Currently, the mainstream pesticides are pinpoint pesticides that target only specific functions of pests and pathogens. The amount needed is smaller than in the past, and more are designed to be easily decomposed in nature. In addition, with advances in technology such as precision spraying using drones and GPS control, we are evolving towards using only the amount needed where it is needed.
Furthermore, agriculture today does not rely solely on pesticides, but is increasingly adopting "integrated pest management," which combines various methods such as utilizing natural enemy insects and developing disease-resistant varieties. Pesticides are gradually being positioned as just one of these methods.
In other words, we are no longer living in an age where we can simply say that pesticides are the same dangerous things as they were in the past.
However, it is not necessarily the case that all farmers in Tachikawa are using the latest pesticide application technology and precise spraying methods.
In small farms near cities, traditional methods are valued,
Many farmers are trying to reduce the use of pesticides as much as possible.
Cultivation methods vary from farm to farm, and each farmer chooses a method that suits their own philosophy and environment. That's why I don't judge based on the name of the farming method alone, but rather, I make sure that it meets the standards.
We check the condition of the vegetables on that day before purchasing them.
Is eating becoming a time of anxiety?
What really bothers us is that eating itself becomes a time of anxiety.
If we think too much about whether something is okay or bad for us, meals will lose their inherent enjoyment and comfort. Meals are meant to be a time to take in nutrients, but they should also be a time to relax.
Excessive anxiety and tension can be a burden on the body. No matter how good the ingredients are, if you continue to eat while feeling nervous, the meal will change from "healthy" to "tension."
That's why we don't rely too heavily on "special farming methods," but rather place great importance on the attitude of first trusting the social system that "meets the standards," and then selecting produce that is of good taste and condition.
Cooking is not an "end" but a "means"
What is important here is that I am not a "chef" but rather
"I am someone who creates a place called a restaurant."
Cooking is important, of course, but cooking itself is not the goal.
We believe that food is merely a tool and a means to create a comfortable experience for our customers.
It is up to the people to decide how to utilize the food.
What kind of thought goes into selecting ingredients? Why do they use these seasonings?
How do you feel when you serve a dish?
With this background, cooking is not just food,
It becomes part of time and space.
And the value of a restaurant is not determined by its food alone.
cooking
service
space
Only when these three are in balance can
It will be an experience that will make you want to come back again.
Even if one of them is outstanding, if the other is lacking,
It doesn't create a sense of overall comfort.
While I am refining my cooking, I am also thinking about how to deliver it.
What kind of space will you enjoy it in?
I believe it is the role of restaurants to consider all of this.
Our own "just right" position
Rather than relying too heavily on the name of a particular farming method, they trust in Japanese standards and advances in agricultural technology as their foundation, and then select the vegetables that are in the best condition and that will be deliciously used in cooking from among those harvested in Tachikawa's fields.
That doesn't mean we're taking anything lightly or compromising.
We strive to strike a balance that avoids excessive anxiety, but also avoids indifference, allowing diners to enjoy delicious food in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.
Cooking is a means.
It's people who make the most of it.
And the value of a restaurant lies in providing these three things: food, service, and space.
Based on this way of thinking, I would like to continue to build up each dish and each moment of my life every day.