TERAKOYA's meticulous cuisine brought an involuntary smile to my face

YoshidaWe were introduced at a party held at the beer restaurant ‘Pilsen’ in the former Kyu-Jokyu building. That’s how our acquaintance began.

MaAfter that, we went skiing together.

YoshidaActually, my parents used to bring me to TERAKOYA quite often when I was a child. When I tasted your food again recently, I thought, ‘This person is crazy!’ (laughs), in a good way, of course. Just like with making things, if you do everything with a calculation of profit and loss, it becomes increasingly uninteresting. But your food, Mr. Ma, spares no effort or time in any aspect. I was astonished.

MaThank you. I do it because I want to (laughs). By using the finest ingredients, the best ideas, and putting in the most effort, we can please our customers by offering it at a more reasonable price. It’s a cliché, but I truly believe that’s the best approach.

YoshidaI see, I understand perfectly. Like the dishes you served today, your cuisine has a visual appeal that makes one think, ‘Wow, what is this?!’ while also genuinely making one think, ‘That looks delicious!’ Each dish seems to have its own rhythm.

MaWe create with precisely that concept in mind, so I’m delighted you feel that way. Just as your personality shows in your work, Maki, one’s personality also comes through in their cooking. Whether it’s full of playfulness or aiming for a perfect bullseye.

An appetizer of shrimp, white fish, and raw octopus sandwiched with pasta flavored with tomato and herbs, and yellow turnip. To the left is ‘Shellfish Milk,’ made from almonds, clams, and cream. The decorations on the plate are made with black olive and beet sauce. The layered effort, the beauty of the dish, and the variety of flavors are astonishing.

I Don't Want to Stick to the Textbook!

YoshidaYou change your menu every two months, and you never put a dish back on the menu once it’s been served, right? What’s your thinking behind that?

MaI think it’s the same in any business, but if you create a signature dish or a dish that represents you, you stop learning, or rather, you end up just re-serving the same thing. This then diminishes the customer’s desire to ‘come back again.’ (Constantly updating the menu) is to make them curious about what they’ll find next time, and how it will have evolved. It’s a pressure that inspires me to come up with better ideas and put in more effort. It might be similar to when designers release new works. You, Maki, also have a strong antithesis towards the notion of ‘this is just how it is,’ don’t you?

MaI agree. This is a funny story, but a certain aspiring chef was making a béchamel sauce. He stirred the pot for 40 or 50 minutes, and then repeated the same process… Then one day, he asked a senior chef, ‘What’s the point of this?’ The senior chef replied, ‘We’re cooking out the flouriness.’ So he asked, ‘Then what was the point of the previous boiling?’ And the answer was, ‘To cook out the flouriness…’ In other words, the act itself becomes a ritual. The task becomes the objective. This is a common story in restaurants with long histories or kitchens with strict hierarchical structures.

YoshidaHmm, I feel sorry for the young people undergoing that training.

An appetizer using Japanese ingredients like cod roe, flatfish, and Suizenji nori, finished with a white balsamic sauce. The unexpected flavors and beautiful presentation make this a masterpiece brimming with artistic sensibility.

Warm Service in a Luxurious Setting

MaRegarding service, I strive to provide warm service in a luxurious setting. However, it’s important not to get too close to the customers. Service is about hospitality, and I want to cherish that feeling. Even if conversations arise during the meal and a friendly atmosphere develops, I believe the most comfortable relationship is one where we return to the customer-restaurant dynamic at the end and see them off. This is true even for very close acquaintances.

MakiI’m glad we met at a party (laughs).

Special Edition Dialogue: Everyday Good Design
TERAKOYA Mitsuo Ma x M.Y. LABEL Maki Yoshida: “Grand Maison and Its Cutlery”.....(2)To be continued

The main dish features roast fillet of young female Ezo deer, sourced from Hokkaido, served with a sauce made from deer bones. The accompanying dish of the foreleg meat stewed with chestnut gnocchi offers a different texture, both dishes fully embodying the wildness and rich flavor of game.

Profile

TERAKOYA Owner-Chef
Mitsuo Ma

Born in 1965 in his family’s restaurant, TERAKOYA. He was exposed to food from a young age and entered the culinary world at 19. He developed his own cooking style almost entirely through self-study and took over as the third-generation owner-chef in 1991. He has created over 3,000 dishes and appeared on cooking shows such as ‘Iron Chef.’ He is also highly respected by culinary magazines.