Initiated by Chef Tetsusaka Matsushima's Call for a Charity Project

Dubbed "Association Solidarite Chefs pour le Japon," this charity project for reconstruction support was initiated by Tetsusaka Matsushima, a chef active in both Japan and France. On March 11, 2011,—Witnessing the crowds of people walking home along Meiji Dori in front of his restaurant, "Restaurant-I," in Jingumae, Tokyo, on that fateful day, Matsushima immediately prepared a warm soup using remaining ingredients and vegetables from his suppliers, opening his doors to distribute it to everyone.


"The French are sociable and love good food. They have no reservations about charity dinners. I'm happy if the money raised can be delivered to the affected areas in the form of delicious soup," says Matsushima.

Soup Stock Tokyo is supporting this charity project in Japan. Even a year after the earthquake, with many still facing uncertain days, they aim to provide warm, heartfelt meals to those in the disaster-stricken regions. A portion of the funds raised from the charity dinners is transformed into soup (or curry) developed in collaboration with Chef Matsushima and delivered to the affected areas. In November 2011, approximately 6,200 servings of "Minced Chicken and Vegetable Curry" were delivered, followed by 500 servings of warm vegetable soup on Christmas Day. They plan to continue this initiative.

Special Menu "Soup de France" Introducing France's Rich Culinary Culture to Japan

Through this charity project, the company was touched not only by the kindness of the French people but also by their deep commitment to food and their spirit of sharing delicious things and rich experiences. They decided to bring this rich culinary culture to Japan, launching the special menu "Soup de France" in September 2011. This initiative involves creating soups inspired by the unique regional cuisines and local specialties of the areas where the charity dinners are held. These soups are then sold for a limited time at all Soup Stock Tokyo stores during the period of the corresponding dinner. A portion of the proceeds, along with a donation from Soup Stock Tokyo, is allocated to reconstruction support in the affected regions. The total amount donated and the recipients will be announced on the company's website as they are determined.

This series, comprising six installments over six months, will conclude in April. The special menus offered so far include the first installment, "Oriental Coconut Soup" (September 2011), based on a recipe from Matsushima in Nice. This was followed by the second, "Auvergne-Style Stewed Pork and Green Lentil Soup" (November 2011), the third, "Provencal Pistou Soup" (January 2012), the fourth, "Tarbes White Bean and Chicken Cassoulet" (February 2012), and the fifth, "Basque-Style Tripe Stew with Tomatoes" (March 2012), making a total of five varieties.

The final soup in the series comes from Bordeaux, a region renowned for its wine. For its development, Atsuko Kori from the company's product department and graphic designer Takayuki Uemura traveled to the region. There, they received direct instruction from Nicolas Masse, chef at the "Les Sources de Caudalie" auberge, which hosted a charity dinner. They learned to create delicate dishes that highlight the natural flavors of ingredients, showcasing ingenuity and meticulous preparation.



Inspired by Chef Masse's recipe, the "Soft-Boiled Egg and Green Pea French Soup" is a French home-style dish featuring small French green peas, prepared with a taste of spring. The freshly harvested green peas are packed with the rich flavors of mushrooms, vegetables, bacon, and anchovies, creating a burst of umami with every spoonful. It is recommended to break the soft-boiled egg into the soup as you eat.

In this season when the chill still lingers, we hope you will enjoy this soup, filled with the kindness of Chef Matsushima and the French chefs who stood up for Japan, and reflect on those in the affected areas who are still enduring evacuation.