Opened in 1964, Hotel New Otani is known as one of the three great hotels of Japan. It has from the beginning been a driving force in Japanese food culture, and in 1984 it was the only hotel in the world to open a branch in Paris with the French restaurant Tour D’Argent.
In the main dining facility Bella Vista, it launched “New Edo Western Cuisine” as a new idea of food culture. This year from April until the end of May, it operated a collaboration with Chef Kiyomi Mikuni, a giant in the Japanese-French world. I spoke with head chef of the hotel Shinsuke Nakajima, and with Chef Kiyomi Mikuni, who supervised the menu.
Evolution of the western cuisine that is a pride of Japan into the new genre of “New Edo Western Cuisine”
What led you to propose the idea of New Edo Western Cuisine? Tell us about the purpose of this new genre which you created in collaboration with Chef Mikuni.
Chef Nakajima: At the heart of it is my desire to communicate the unique food culture of Japan to the world. I arranged familiar western cuisine and the carefully selected ingredients and techniques unique to the hotel in order to create an evolved form of Japanese-style western cuisine, which I called “New Edo Western Cuisine.”
With signs of the COVID pandemic subsiding, overseas guests have begun returning to our hotel. Because we expect inbound demand to grow further, I will be pleased if we can increase the number of people who recognize that Tokyo is home to such wonderful cuisine.
The collaboration menu incorporates the unique French essence of Chef Mikuni, but it is primarily focused on the basic framework of western cuisine. At the same time, it is a menu that is both new and nostalgic, with dishes such as omelet rice topped with foie gras and hamburger steak featuring apples as a secret ingredient.
Chef Mikuni: Over the past few years, dishes such as omurice [omelet rice], fried prawns, and fried cutlets have gained popularity overseas, primarily in London and New York. Japanese-style western cuisine is becoming a food culture that we can proudly present to the world. I hope that even overseas residents who have experienced western cuisine in foreign countries will also enjoy this New Edo Western Cuisine.
This menu makes extensive use of Japanese ingredients from Tokyo and other regions. We are particularly selective with our vegetables, and pay attention to every detail. For example, we use wasabi that was grown in the pure waters of Okutama. In fact, there are more than 10,000 farmers in Tokyo, who produce large quantities of excellent vegetables and fruits. One goal of New Edo Western Cuisine is to promote the wide variety and depth of these Tokyo ingredients, and this is an important message we want to communicate to the guests.
What sort of diners do you hope will experience New Edo Western Cuisine at Hotel New Otani?
Chef Nakajima: In addition to guests from overseas, I also hope that it will be experienced by Japanese guests as well. It is a new form of western cuisine, and the flavors are easily enjoyable by people of all ages, from young children to senior citizens. I also hope that people will come who want to understand the appeal and possibilities of ingredients grown in Tokyo and other parts of Japan.
Chef Mikuni: I ran a western restaurant in Kyoto for 10 years, and I was impressed by how many of the customers appeared so relaxed as they enjoyed western cuisine. I think that “sense of reassurance” is a strength of Japanese-style western cuisine that French cuisine does not have. Bella Vista does not have a dress code, and is a place where people do not have to be stiff and formal. At the same time, the interior décor is sophisticated, and the service is high-quality. I would recommend it to people who are looking to enjoy a meal just to celebrate an ordinary day.
One of the signature menu items is the “Kohada potato salad.” Where else have you focused on Tokyo style foods?
Chef Nakajima: The sea bass that we use in the carpaccio is also caught in Tokyo Bay. One feature of this collaboration menu is the use of many Edo Tokyo vegetables. That was Chef Mikuni’s idea.
Edo Tokyo vegetables are certain varieties of vegetables that were cultivated in the Tokyo area from the Edo Period through the mid-Showa Period. Although there are many varieties that have disappeared, there are also some where the seeds have been protected and cultivation carried on. Currently there are around 50 varieties, such as Nerima daikon radish.
For our New Edo Western Cuisine, we prepared a salad bar featuring these Edo Tokyo vegetables. I hope that people will take this opportunity to experience the delicious flavor of traditional vegetables.
Chef Mikuni: Ingredients from Tokyo are also used in our sweets. The “Edo strawberry parfait” uses sweet bean paste from the famous Taiyaki Wakaba shop in Yotsuya. In fact, many Europeans and Americans do not like sweet bean paste. As we hope that it will be enjoyed by as many people as possible, the parfait combines cream and ice cream that go well with the sweet bean paste. A key point is that the appearance is very simple, and the style is instantly familiar to people. Our “New Edo sweets variety set” includes milk gelato made using Jersey milk produced on Hachijojima. This is a dish which will help people understand that delicious milk is available even in Tokyo.
The New Edo Western Cuisine fair continues until the end of May. What are your plans after it finishes?
Chef Nakajima: We are planning a collaboration with Chef Mamoru Kataoka from Al Porto in July and August, and one with Chef Tsutomu Ochiai from La Bettola in September and October. Both of these chefs are great talents in the world of Italian cuisine, and have been actively involved in developing a menu featuring primarily western cuisine. I hope you will look forward to seeing how Japanese-style western cuisine and Italian cuisine combine to create a new world perspective.