Fish Knives and Steak Knives

AidaI had to dig these out of the storehouse, covered in dust, just for today (laughs). Many of them are from the early days.

YoshidaThank you. I imagine your storehouse must be a treasure trove of wonderful cutlery.

AidaThese three on the left in the photo above are fish knives. For fish, it's not about sharpness, but about using them to press and cut. And here's something a bit unconventional, these are called 'steak knives' (the three on the right of the fish knives) and they have serrated edges. Though they aren't commonly used in grand maison restaurants.

YoshidaDoes that mean they don't serve meat with sinew?

AidaIndeed. Seeing things like this makes me think the French are a hunting people. Europeans apparently enjoy the sensation of tearing meat with their teeth. That's why they don't favor soft, yielding foods like mochi or tororo. They value a crisp, crunchy texture.

YoshidaSo 'tofu,' which is popular there as a healthy food, is the exception?

The Versatile Maverick: The 'Sauce Spoon'

YoshidaThere are sauce spoons, like the one in the photo above, aren't there? I feel like these are the most practical cutlery for home use. I don't think I've seen them in Italian cuisine, are they unique to France?

Christofle: The Quintessential Silverware Brand

Yoshida(The sauce spoon is also Christofle) Actually, we use Christofle cutlery for our guests too. I was happy to find we had the same.

AidaThose are called 'Perles,' aren't they? They're simple and elegant. As you may know, the small hallmark indicates that the material is nickel silver and certifies the thickness of the silver plating. While some Christofle products lack this hallmark, these are plated with 40 microns of silver.
In Europe, silverware is considered an heirloom, passed down from parent to child, to grandchild. This is why many pieces are engraved with royal crests or initials. In the past, nobles would pawn their silverware to supplement their income when their finances faltered.

The Luxurious Caviar Spoon

YoshidaThe handle is silver and the body is horn. I've been admiring it since I arrived; I thought it was a product of great richness.

AidaI thought you would like this one, Maki.

YoshidaI want one, but it feels a bit ostentatious to own this just for eating caviar (laughs). I have bought caviar spoons as gifts before, but never for myself. Speaking of which, I've seen horn caviar spoons, but this is the first time I've seen one made of combined materials.

AidaBuffalo horn is used so that it doesn't feel cold when eating and doesn't alter the taste due to ionization. It's a utensil specialized for the function of eating caviar. Perhaps grand maison restaurants are defined by having such elaborate items for occasions that may rarely arise (laughs).

YoshidaBut sometimes guests request specific ingredients, don't they? In that case, you'd need to have these kinds of items on hand.

Carving Knife with Wild, Ornate Decoration

YoshidaThis looks like quite an old piece of tableware. Is it still in use?

AidaNo, it's not. It's a German-made carving knife with a handle made of deer antler. My uncle, the second generation owner, bought it in Europe in the early 1950s. You certainly don't see designs like this in current production.

YoshidaIt's so cool (I want it)! I suppose this level of ornamentation is a symbol of affluence. Items like these were originally custom-made, so it was considered stylish to commission your favorite artisan to create something elaborate.

AidaAnd having tools crafted from the antlers of deer they hunted themselves. It evokes the game meat cuisine of a hunting culture.

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



Profile

TERAKOYA Owner Chef
Mitsuo Aida

Born in 1965, Mitsuo Aida grew up in his family's restaurant, TERAKOYA. Surrounded by food from a young age, he entered the culinary world at 19. He developed his unique cooking style almost entirely through self-study and took over as the third-generation owner-chef of the restaurant in 1991. With over 3,000 original dishes to his name, he has appeared on cooking shows such as 'Iron Chef' and is highly respected by culinary magazines.