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CNN
a day ago
- CNN
Why France is being forced to reckon with its toxic kitchen culture
Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, and where to stay. Every year after the Michelin guide announces its selection of starred restaurants in France, journalist Nora Bouazzouni receives a flurry of angry and resentful messages. It's become an unexpected consequence of her burgeoning reputation as one of the most influential whistleblowers of France's restaurant industry. The messages come from despondent restaurant staff, livid at seeing abusive, toxic chefs who have made their lives hell elevated to hero status with the awarding of one of the highest accolades in the industry. 'It's really the straw that breaks the camel's back,' Bouazzouni tells CNN. Since 2017, the French food journalist has reported on toxic restaurant culture in kitchens across France. But it was her latest book 'Violence in the Kitchen' published in May, that blew the lid off the story, exposing the extent of physical, emotional and psychological abuse in kitchens across France: open secrets in the industry, little-known to the general French public. Through testimonies collected from industry workers since 2020, the book recounts chefs erupting in violent tantrums, burning staff deliberately or throwing pans in their faces if they make a mistake during service. For people of color, it's putting up with race-based harassment and being exploited and mistreated. For women, it's being constantly sexualized, be it hands patting their bottoms every day, lewd remarks on their appearance and, in a more serious case, rape in a walk-in cooler by a colleague. In short, few emerge unscathed. 'The testimonies that struck me the most were those that very quickly aimed to dehumanize people in the kitchen,' Bouazzouni says. 'Because it's by dehumanizing people in the kitchen that they can be exploited.' Toxic kitchen culture is hardly unique to France and has been exposed and denounced for years in Anglophone and European countries. But Bouazzouni's work has helped spark a national reckoning in France and has reached the ears of the country's top lawmakers: On July 7, a motion to create a commission of inquiry into violence in the kitchen was tabled in the French National Assembly. 'Indeed, behind the smooth and idealized images of the profession as presented in various entertainment programs hides a rigid, almost military and brutal hierarchical organization,' the motion reads. 'The working conditions of the kitchen 'brigades' are often degrading, stressful, even violent. Yet silence reigns…' The mention of the 'military and brutal hierarchical organization' is noteworthy as it refers to the system codified by French chef, restaurateur and writer August Escoffier in the late 19th century. Inspired by his time in the military, the kitchen brigade, as it's known, was modeled after the army, in which rank and hierarchy determines the chain of command. At the top of the food chain are the chef de cuisine and sous-chef, followed by the chefs de partie, who are responsible for specific stations (sauces, seafood, cold dishes and so on), junior cooks or commis and trainees. Both Escoffier and the precision of the professional restaurant kitchen that he inspired are revered in French culture. But in many ways, it's this top-down organization that has facilitated toxic kitchen culture, allowing chefs to abuse their staff with impunity, Bouazzouni points out. What's more, the kitchen brigade system has been exported and duplicated in fine dining and hotel kitchens around the world by the legions of international chefs who have come to train in the birthplace of haute gastronomy throughout the decades. 'When foreign chefs come to learn in France, either in schools, or in internships, they go back to work in other countries and continue to export this way of doing things,' Bouazzouni says. In other words, it's a vicious cycle. But how do you undo a century-old French system that is replicated in kitchens around the world? While male-dominated kitchens and high-pressure situations have long been known to contribute to toxic work environments, a 2021 paper published in the Journal of Management Studies offered up one compelling, but simple solution: create more open kitchens. For the study, researchers from Cardiff University concluded that the unique working environment of fine dining kitchens – isolated, closed, hidden spaces, far from the public eye – comes with a sense of freedom from scrutiny, where regular rules don't apply. 'What surprised us in our study was the importance of where chefs worked in the context of cultures of bullying, violence and aggression. The kitchen environment effectively became a different moral universe for them,' lead researcher Robin Burrow said in a press release. The study was based on interviews with 47 chefs from fine dining restaurants around the world. The cult of celebrity chefdom in France has also contributed to the code of silence that has long muzzled victims. Top chefs are often lionized in long, fawning profiles, documentaries and cooking shows which makes them 'untouchable,' Bouazzouni says, adding that the food media bears much responsibility for feeding the 'mythology' of French gastronomy. But over the last five years, the post-pandemic world has flipped the script. France is no exception to the labor shortage and the 'Great Resignation' phenomenon driven by overworked, disgruntled employees and younger generations in Western Anglophone countries. Today, 300,000 positions in France's restaurant and hospitality industry remain to be filled, says Thierry Marx, president of France's Union of Hotel Trades and Industries (UMIH). While an average of five new restaurants open every day, 23 restaurants close their doors permanently. Marx, who runs 10 high-end restaurants in Japan and France including the Michelin-starred restaurant Onor and the Restaurant Madame Brasserie at the Eiffel Tower, explains that the brigade system is necessary for delegating tasks and maximizing efficiency in stressful, high-pressure environments. But he also acknowledged that the system can be flawed, pointing out that the best chefs don't necessarily make the best leaders. 'I think we need to add management courses and admit that being competent in a professional technique doesn't necessarily give you managerial know-how,' Marx said. 'And it doesn't mean you can behave like an executioner.' Over the last few years, the emergence of both the #metoo movement in cinema and of younger generations who are more likely to push back against abuse has helped advance the discourse on creating safe kitchens in France. Since 2021, a non-profit association Bondir.e, founded by female French chefs, has organized violence prevention seminars in culinary and hospitality schools in a bid to raise awareness early and break the cycle of violence. That's because in France enrollment in vocational schools can start with students as young as 15, an age when teenagers are still highly impressionable and easy to indoctrinate. 'When you're 15, you're still a child,' says Bondir.e spokesperson Vittoria Nardone. 'You don't know what work is, but you're confronted with violence where strict rules are imposed. You're told that suffering is normal and a necessary part of success. When you're 15 and that's the only example you have to go on, it's easy to accept.' The group has also set up a helpline to support victims of violence in the kitchen and offers professional training courses on communication and management in the kitchen. Both Nardone and Bouazzouni emphasize that while vulnerable individuals and minority groups are easy targets, violence and abuse can be perpetrated by both men and women of all ages, and within all ranks. One of the group's founding chefs, Manon Fleury, 34, has since gone on to open her own restaurant, Datil in Paris, which holds a Michelin star. As the boss, Fleury has made efforts to run her ship differently than her predecessors: the restaurant is closed weekends to promote work-life balance. All new staff are given a code of conduct charter that emphasizes mutual respect and a spirit of collaboration, and leadership training is provided for managers. Communication is also a key part of the workplace, with pre- and post-service briefings and monthly one-on-one meetings. The restaurant is also female-led. 'When I opened my restaurant, I wanted to put women in positions of responsibility. My goal was to set an example, to show that women can and want to hold these positions,' Fleury said in a statement. '…At Datil, there are men in the dining room and kitchen, but all the management positions are held by women.' Marx acknowledges that times have changed: workers hold more leverage and have different relationships to work. 'Bad management is a fear reflex,' he said. 'Falling on the most fragile, that doesn't work anymore.'
CNN
a day ago
- CNN
Why France is being forced to reckon with its toxic kitchen culture
Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, and where to stay. Every year after the Michelin guide announces its selection of starred restaurants in France, journalist Nora Bouazzouni receives a flurry of angry and resentful messages. It's become an unexpected consequence of her burgeoning reputation as one of the most influential whistleblowers of France's restaurant industry. The messages come from despondent restaurant staff, livid at seeing abusive, toxic chefs who have made their lives hell elevated to hero status with the awarding of one of the highest accolades in the industry. 'It's really the straw that breaks the camel's back,' Bouazzouni tells CNN. Since 2017, the French food journalist has reported on toxic restaurant culture in kitchens across France. But it was her latest book 'Violence in the Kitchen' published in May, that blew the lid off the story, exposing the extent of physical, emotional and psychological abuse in kitchens across France: open secrets in the industry, little-known to the general French public. Through testimonies collected from industry workers since 2020, the book recounts chefs erupting in violent tantrums, burning staff deliberately or throwing pans in their faces if they make a mistake during service. For people of color, it's putting up with race-based harassment and being exploited and mistreated. For women, it's being constantly sexualized, be it hands patting their bottoms every day, lewd remarks on their appearance and, in a more serious case, rape in a walk-in cooler by a colleague. In short, few emerge unscathed. 'The testimonies that struck me the most were those that very quickly aimed to dehumanize people in the kitchen,' Bouazzouni says. 'Because it's by dehumanizing people in the kitchen that they can be exploited.' Toxic kitchen culture is hardly unique to France and has been exposed and denounced for years in Anglophone and European countries. But Bouazzouni's work has helped spark a national reckoning in France and has reached the ears of the country's top lawmakers: On July 7, a motion to create a commission of inquiry into violence in the kitchen was tabled in the French National Assembly. 'Indeed, behind the smooth and idealized images of the profession as presented in various entertainment programs hides a rigid, almost military and brutal hierarchical organization,' the motion reads. 'The working conditions of the kitchen 'brigades' are often degrading, stressful, even violent. Yet silence reigns…' The mention of the 'military and brutal hierarchical organization' is noteworthy as it refers to the system codified by French chef, restaurateur and writer August Escoffier in the late 19th century. Inspired by his time in the military, the kitchen brigade, as it's known, was modeled after the army, in which rank and hierarchy determines the chain of command. At the top of the food chain are the chef de cuisine and sous-chef, followed by the chefs de partie, who are responsible for specific stations (sauces, seafood, cold dishes and so on), junior cooks or commis and trainees. Both Escoffier and the precision of the professional restaurant kitchen that he inspired are revered in French culture. But in many ways, it's this top-down organization that has facilitated toxic kitchen culture, allowing chefs to abuse their staff with impunity, Bouazzouni points out. What's more, the kitchen brigade system has been exported and duplicated in fine dining and hotel kitchens around the world by the legions of international chefs who have come to train in the birthplace of haute gastronomy throughout the decades. 'When foreign chefs come to learn in France, either in schools, or in internships, they go back to work in other countries and continue to export this way of doing things,' Bouazzouni says. In other words, it's a vicious cycle. But how do you undo a century-old French system that is replicated in kitchens around the world? While male-dominated kitchens and high-pressure situations have long been known to contribute to toxic work environments, a 2021 paper published in the Journal of Management Studies offered up one compelling, but simple solution: create more open kitchens. For the study, researchers from Cardiff University concluded that the unique working environment of fine dining kitchens – isolated, closed, hidden spaces, far from the public eye – comes with a sense of freedom from scrutiny, where regular rules don't apply. 'What surprised us in our study was the importance of where chefs worked in the context of cultures of bullying, violence and aggression. The kitchen environment effectively became a different moral universe for them,' lead researcher Robin Burrow said in a press release. The study was based on interviews with 47 chefs from fine dining restaurants around the world. The cult of celebrity chefdom in France has also contributed to the code of silence that has long muzzled victims. Top chefs are often lionized in long, fawning profiles, documentaries and cooking shows which makes them 'untouchable,' Bouazzouni says, adding that the food media bears much responsibility for feeding the 'mythology' of French gastronomy. But over the last five years, the post-pandemic world has flipped the script. France is no exception to the labor shortage and the 'Great Resignation' phenomenon driven by overworked, disgruntled employees and younger generations in Western Anglophone countries. Today, 300,000 positions in France's restaurant and hospitality industry remain to be filled, says Thierry Marx, president of France's Union of Hotel Trades and Industries (UMIH). While an average of five new restaurants open every day, 23 restaurants close their doors permanently. Marx, who runs 10 high-end restaurants in Japan and France including the Michelin-starred restaurant Onor and the Restaurant Madame Brasserie at the Eiffel Tower, explains that the brigade system is necessary for delegating tasks and maximizing efficiency in stressful, high-pressure environments. But he also acknowledged that the system can be flawed, pointing out that the best chefs don't necessarily make the best leaders. 'I think we need to add management courses and admit that being competent in a professional technique doesn't necessarily give you managerial know-how,' Marx said. 'And it doesn't mean you can behave like an executioner.' Over the last few years, the emergence of both the #metoo movement in cinema and of younger generations who are more likely to push back against abuse has helped advance the discourse on creating safe kitchens in France. Since 2021, a non-profit association Bondir.e, founded by female French chefs, has organized violence prevention seminars in culinary and hospitality schools in a bid to raise awareness early and break the cycle of violence. That's because in France enrollment in vocational schools can start with students as young as 15, an age when teenagers are still highly impressionable and easy to indoctrinate. 'When you're 15, you're still a child,' says Bondir.e spokesperson Vittoria Nardone. 'You don't know what work is, but you're confronted with violence where strict rules are imposed. You're told that suffering is normal and a necessary part of success. When you're 15 and that's the only example you have to go on, it's easy to accept.' The group has also set up a helpline to support victims of violence in the kitchen and offers professional training courses on communication and management in the kitchen. Both Nardone and Bouazzouni emphasize that while vulnerable individuals and minority groups are easy targets, violence and abuse can be perpetrated by both men and women of all ages, and within all ranks. One of the group's founding chefs, Manon Fleury, 34, has since gone on to open her own restaurant, Datil in Paris, which holds a Michelin star. As the boss, Fleury has made efforts to run her ship differently than her predecessors: the restaurant is closed weekends to promote work-life balance. All new staff are given a code of conduct charter that emphasizes mutual respect and a spirit of collaboration, and leadership training is provided for managers. Communication is also a key part of the workplace, with pre- and post-service briefings and monthly one-on-one meetings. The restaurant is also female-led. 'When I opened my restaurant, I wanted to put women in positions of responsibility. My goal was to set an example, to show that women can and want to hold these positions,' Fleury said in a statement. '…At Datil, there are men in the dining room and kitchen, but all the management positions are held by women.' Marx acknowledges that times have changed: workers hold more leverage and have different relationships to work. 'Bad management is a fear reflex,' he said. 'Falling on the most fragile, that doesn't work anymore.'
CNN
a day ago
- CNN
Why France is being forced to reckon with its toxic kitchen culture
Food & drinkFacebookTweetLink Follow Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, and where to stay. Every year after the Michelin guide announces its selection of starred restaurants in France, journalist Nora Bouazzouni receives a flurry of angry and resentful messages. It's become an unexpected consequence of her burgeoning reputation as one of the most influential whistleblowers of France's restaurant industry. The messages come from despondent restaurant staff, livid at seeing abusive, toxic chefs who have made their lives hell elevated to hero status with the awarding of one of the highest accolades in the industry. 'It's really the straw that breaks the camel's back,' Bouazzouni tells CNN. Since 2017, the French food journalist has reported on toxic restaurant culture in kitchens across France. But it was her latest book 'Violence in the Kitchen' published in May, that blew the lid off the story, exposing the extent of physical, emotional and psychological abuse in kitchens across France: open secrets in the industry, little-known to the general French public. Through testimonies collected from industry workers since 2020, the book recounts chefs erupting in violent tantrums, burning staff deliberately or throwing pans in their faces if they make a mistake during service. For people of color, it's putting up with race-based harassment and being exploited and mistreated. For women, it's being constantly sexualized, be it hands patting their bottoms every day, lewd remarks on their appearance and, in a more serious case, rape in a walk-in cooler by a colleague. In short, few emerge unscathed. 'The testimonies that struck me the most were those that very quickly aimed to dehumanize people in the kitchen,' Bouazzouni says. 'Because it's by dehumanizing people in the kitchen that they can be exploited.' Toxic kitchen culture is hardly unique to France and has been exposed and denounced for years in Anglophone and European countries. But Bouazzouni's work has helped spark a national reckoning in France and has reached the ears of the country's top lawmakers: On July 7, a motion to create a commission of inquiry into violence in the kitchen was tabled in the French National Assembly. 'Indeed, behind the smooth and idealized images of the profession as presented in various entertainment programs hides a rigid, almost military and brutal hierarchical organization,' the motion reads. 'The working conditions of the kitchen 'brigades' are often degrading, stressful, even violent. Yet silence reigns…' The mention of the 'military and brutal hierarchical organization' is noteworthy as it refers to the system codified by French chef, restaurateur and writer August Escoffier in the late 19th century. Inspired by his time in the military, the kitchen brigade, as it's known, was modeled after the army, in which rank and hierarchy determines the chain of command. At the top of the food chain are the chef de cuisine and sous-chef, followed by the chefs de partie, who are responsible for specific stations (sauces, seafood, cold dishes and so on), junior cooks or commis and trainees. Both Escoffier and the precision of the professional restaurant kitchen that he inspired are revered in French culture. But in many ways, it's this top-down organization that has facilitated toxic kitchen culture, allowing chefs to abuse their staff with impunity, Bouazzouni points out. What's more, the kitchen brigade system has been exported and duplicated in fine dining and hotel kitchens around the world by the legions of international chefs who have come to train in the birthplace of haute gastronomy throughout the decades. 'When foreign chefs come to learn in France, either in schools, or in internships, they go back to work in other countries and continue to export this way of doing things,' Bouazzouni says. In other words, it's a vicious cycle. But how do you undo a century-old French system that is replicated in kitchens around the world? While male-dominated kitchens and high-pressure situations have long been known to contribute to toxic work environments, a 2021 paper published in the Journal of Management Studies offered up one compelling, but simple solution: create more open kitchens. For the study, researchers from Cardiff University concluded that the unique working environment of fine dining kitchens – isolated, closed, hidden spaces, far from the public eye – comes with a sense of freedom from scrutiny, where regular rules don't apply. 'What surprised us in our study was the importance of where chefs worked in the context of cultures of bullying, violence and aggression. The kitchen environment effectively became a different moral universe for them,' lead researcher Robin Burrow said in a press release. The study was based on interviews with 47 chefs from fine dining restaurants around the world. The cult of celebrity chefdom in France has also contributed to the code of silence that has long muzzled victims. Top chefs are often lionized in long, fawning profiles, documentaries and cooking shows which makes them 'untouchable,' Bouazzouni says, adding that the food media bears much responsibility for feeding the 'mythology' of French gastronomy. But over the last five years, the post-pandemic world has flipped the script. France is no exception to the labor shortage and the 'Great Resignation' phenomenon driven by overworked, disgruntled employees and younger generations in Western Anglophone countries. Today, 300,000 positions in France's restaurant and hospitality industry remain to be filled, says Thierry Marx, president of France's Union of Hotel Trades and Industries (UMIH). While an average of five new restaurants open every day, 23 restaurants close their doors permanently. Marx, who runs 10 high-end restaurants in Japan and France including the Michelin-starred restaurant Onor and the Restaurant Madame Brasserie at the Eiffel Tower, explains that the brigade system is necessary for delegating tasks and maximizing efficiency in stressful, high-pressure environments. But he also acknowledged that the system can be flawed, pointing out that the best chefs don't necessarily make the best leaders. 'I think we need to add management courses and admit that being competent in a professional technique doesn't necessarily give you managerial know-how,' Marx said. 'And it doesn't mean you can behave like an executioner.' Over the last few years, the emergence of both the #metoo movement in cinema and of younger generations who are more likely to push back against abuse has helped advance the discourse on creating safe kitchens in France. Since 2021, a non-profit association Bondir.e, founded by female French chefs, has organized violence prevention seminars in culinary and hospitality schools in a bid to raise awareness early and break the cycle of violence. That's because in France enrollment in vocational schools can start with students as young as 15, an age when teenagers are still highly impressionable and easy to indoctrinate. 'When you're 15, you're still a child,' says Bondir.e spokesperson Vittoria Nardone. 'You don't know what work is, but you're confronted with violence where strict rules are imposed. You're told that suffering is normal and a necessary part of success. When you're 15 and that's the only example you have to go on, it's easy to accept.' The group has also set up a helpline to support victims of violence in the kitchen and offers professional training courses on communication and management in the kitchen. Both Nardone and Bouazzouni emphasize that while vulnerable individuals and minority groups are easy targets, violence and abuse can be perpetrated by both men and women of all ages, and within all ranks. One of the group's founding chefs, Manon Fleury, 34, has since gone on to open her own restaurant, Datil in Paris, which holds a Michelin star. As the boss, Fleury has made efforts to run her ship differently than her predecessors: the restaurant is closed weekends to promote work-life balance. All new staff are given a code of conduct charter that emphasizes mutual respect and a spirit of collaboration, and leadership training is provided for managers. Communication is also a key part of the workplace, with pre- and post-service briefings and monthly one-on-one meetings. The restaurant is also female-led. 'When I opened my restaurant, I wanted to put women in positions of responsibility. My goal was to set an example, to show that women can and want to hold these positions,' Fleury said in a statement. '…At Datil, there are men in the dining room and kitchen, but all the management positions are held by women.' Marx acknowledges that times have changed: workers hold more leverage and have different relationships to work. 'Bad management is a fear reflex,' he said. 'Falling on the most fragile, that doesn't work anymore.'
Time Out
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The best family-friendly restaurant in London, according to the Michelin Guide
The only person harder to please than a little kid is a foodie – and rightly so. When you've eaten at thousands of restaurants and tried hundreds of different cuisines, you know what good food tastes like, and you don't really want to settle for anything less. That doesn't change when you have children either. If you're sick of mediocre pizza and burgers, but still fancy a meal out with the whole family, the Michelin Guide has you covered. You might not assume that the sort of fine dining that Michelin usually recognises is not particularly child friendly, but you'd be mistaken. There is a glorious middle ground – where children are welcome but the meals are meticulously crafted for excellence. These places may not have stars, but they're still brilliant at what they do. So where does Michelin recommend you take the whole family out for a treat in London? Their top pick is Agora in Borough Market. This Greek-inspired resto came out on top thanks to the fact it takes walk-ins all day long, so works for parents whose days must revolve around the whims of their little ones. Michelin added that its 'menu of skewers, flatbreads and more Greek treats is designed for sharing, ideal for a family with a range of appetites'. Although it didn't make it onto our list of the best family-friendly places to eat in the capital, we love Agora too. Time Out Food and Drink editor Leonie Cooper described the food as 'enough to entice even the only vaguely peckish' during her visit, so we reckon you'll be able to satisfy all sorts of different taste-buds – even picky ones – when you pop in. Next on Michelin's list was Apricity in Mayfair. This upmarket eatery offers a special 'Culinary Kids' meal; a five course tasting menu which aims to broaden your children's palates so that next time you go out, you won't even need the kids menu. It is, admittedly, a ridiculously posh offering, but it's worth it if you want to encourage adventurous eating in your little ones. Bancone, the Covent Garden pasta joint, came third on the list. It's not surprising – as Michelin puts it; 'If we were to put a bet on which food would be most likely to satisfy diners from ages 5 to 85, we'd go for a delicious bowl of pasta.' It's also one of the more affordable spots on the list, which is always a plus for a family. You can have a look at the full list of great family-friendly options from Michelin here. If after reading them all you decide to just get the babysitter after all, have a look at all the London restaurants with Michelin stars – including those which just gained a star – for a meal to remember. The best new London restaurant openings in August 2025.
Japan Times
a day ago
- Japan Times
At Himawari Shokudo 2, Italian food with a Japanese soul
In Japan's gastronomic firmament, Toyama Prefecture has long been overlooked and overshadowed by its neighbor, Ishikawa. The excellence of its seafood, sake, rice and other agricultural produce has never been in doubt. But its restaurants never managed to attain the same degree of prominence as those in the samurai city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa's prefectural capital. In recent years, though, that old order has undergone a sea change. First came the advent of the Hokuriku Shinkansen in 2015, which opened up a fast, efficient and direct link between Tokyo and the Sea of Japan. Then, in 2016 the first Hokuriku-focused Michelin Guide was published, followed by an expanded version five years later that shone the gourmet spotlight well beyond Kanazawa and onto Toyama, too. These days, the secret (such as it was) is well and truly out. Toyama is firmly on the map — and on the itineraries of gourmet travelers in the know. It was even listed by The New York Times as one of the '52 Places to Go in 2025 .' Now, as further confirmation, Toyama is also the location for The Japan Times' 2025 Destination Restaurant of the Year: Himawari Shokudo 2. The Destination Restaurant awards are not intended as a ranking system, and the aim is not to heap praise on individual chefs. Rather, the goal is to draw attention to the cuisines available in each specific region of Japan and to celebrate cooking that is rooted in those areas. Himawari Shokudo 2 has won its place on the strength of its original Italian-inflected seasonal dishes that highlight the quality and variety of ingredients from Toyama's fishers and farmers. But in many ways, it represents an unusual choice for such a high-powered list which has, up to now, focused mainly on innovative fine dining and more traditional Japanese cuisine. Chef Tanaka brings his modest personality to his food at Himawari Shokudo 2. | TAKAO OHTA By contrast, Himawari Shokudo 2 is more humble, not just in its name — it means "Sunflower Diner No. 2" — but also its modest reach and gradual rise to prominence, a profile that reflects the quiet character and unorthodox background of its soft-spoken owner-chef, Hozumi Tanaka. Finding inspiration in Italy Born in Toyama in 1975, Tanaka's career path has been far from conventional. He initially worked in a field related to architecture — though he purposely remains vague on this — and says he had no interest in food or cooking. It was only on a trip to Europe in his early 20s that his eyes were opened, not by fancy fine dining but a dish he was served at a simple trattoria in Italy's Tuscany region. "I was backpacking on a shoestring, staying with friends,' he says, 'and my budget was so tight, eating very little, basically just supermarket food. My focus was on the history and culture of the countries I was visiting, not the cuisine. But when I was in Florence, I decided to try a local bistecca (Tuscan-style steak)." He recalls it as a moment that changed the direction of his life. "I was amazed by how good it tasted. I realized for the first time that to travel was not just to look but also to taste — and that food is an essential part of culture,' he says. 'I also sensed the power of food to please people. That instilled in me the idea that I could pursue a career in the kitchen.' After a life-changing gourmet moment with a Tuscan-style steak in Italy, Tanaka decided to pursue a career as a chef. | TAKAO OHTA Tanaka went on to visit Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Egypt and even Jamaica. But he never forgot that first awakening in Italy. And that is why, when he finally set his sights on cooking at the age of 27, it was Italian cuisine that he chose. He spent the next decade working at restaurants in Tokyo, most notably at Ristorante Terauchi in the Nishiazabu neighborhood, where he learned the techniques of charcoal-grilling that underpin his cuisine to this day. Eventually moving back to his hometown, Tanaka opened his original Himawari Shokudo in 2013. It was a simple trattoria-style operation with seating for 14 people, initially offering both a la carte dishes and a ¥5,000 set menu. As its popularity grew, Tanaka increasingly began to focus on using local ingredients, such as shiro-ebi (white shrimps) and hotaru-ika (firefly squid) from Toyama Bay, both of which are considered signature delicacies of spring. During the pandemic years, when restrictions meant that Tanaka was unable to turn seats, he compensated by moving to a multicourse set menu that was pricier (¥9,000 or ¥11,000) but included dishes of greater sophistication. A second bloom A further step upmarket became unavoidable when the building that housed Himawari Shokudo had to be redeveloped. Tanaka made the jump, moving into a sleek new home that was once a local bank branch. What he lost in terms of local character, he has more than made up for with his spacious, gleaming open kitchen that seems to take up half the total footprint of the ground floor premises. The second incarnation of Himawari Shokudo sees Tanaka adopting an "omakase" (chef's choice) dining concept. | TAKAO OHTA Launched in April 2024, Himawari Shokudo 2 has fewer seats (just eight now) and higher overheads. Tanaka had to again up the price of his omakase (chef's choice) menu to its current ¥18,000. But this, he says, has also allowed him to unlock more of his own potential as a chef. "Having a simple a la carte blackboard makes things easier: You just cook whatever the customer orders," he explains. "But an omakase menu requires creating my own new dishes, and that's something I didn't think I could do. When I began working on my new menu, I was surprised to find I came up with so many ideas.' What hasn't changed is his attachment to Italian cuisine and his wider Mediterranean influences or, of course, his love for grilling over charcoal. More than ever, though, these days he is allowing his Toyama roots to shine, front and center on the plate. One of his signature starters in spring features hotaru-ika that are lightly blanched in hot water and served on a crepe of grated yamato-imo (yam) prepared with a classic dashi of katsuobushi (cured bonito flakes). Under the tiny brownish-red squid is a mix of sansai (wild edible plants) seasoned with an olive oil dressing. It is a perfectly balanced synthesis of Mediterranean and local influences — and a superb appetizer. Himawari Shokudo 2's version of falafel features deep-fried balls of mashed chickpeas mixed with green herbs. | TAKAO OHTA Rather more left-field is his two-bite take on falafel. Mashed chickpeas are mixed with green herbs, formed into balls, wrapped in a thin pastry crust and deep-fried. Tanaka serves these with shredded carrot and a sauce he conjures up from neri-goma (sesame puree) blended with white balsamic vinegar and yogurt. Elegant and light, it's a long way from any Middle Eastern roots, but it works wonderfully. Tanaka's pasta dishes are, equally, more a demonstration of the excellence of Toyama produce than of Italian comfort food. In season, he serves homemade agnolotti with rich ragus of venison or inoshishi (wild boar), which he sources from hunter-forager Mokutaro Ishiguro — who also happens to be the brother of Tanaka's sous-chef, Fuko Ishiguro — in the foothills of the nearby Hida Mountains. Mostly, he dials it back and keeps things as uncomplicated as possible. He pairs perfect al dente spaghetti with the sweetest of new-season green peas, accenting them with fresh mint leaf, olive oil and the zest of white lemons. The inspiration may be Italian but the execution is entirely Japanese in its profound simplicity. For a main dish, Tanaka grills cuts of the flavorful Owara Clean Pork, a Toyama breed raised without the use of artificial additives. | TAKAO OHTA For his main dishes, Tanaka turns to his charcoal grill. He takes it slow, cooking his meat alternately over a thick metal plancha grill then allowing it to rest over 15-minute cycles. Rather than game meats, he uses a local breed, Owara Clean Pork, which is raised in a sterile environment with minimal use of artificial additives or antibiotics. Light and flavorful, the meat requires only the simplest of accompaniments, perhaps a sprig of deep-fried taranome, the shoot of the wild angelica tree collected at the peak of spring. Despite his late start as a chef, Tanaka has found support through his decade-long participation in a group informally known as "Team Toyama." It was set up by a number of fine dining chefs in the prefecture, including Eiji Taniguchi of L'evo , The Japan Times' Destination Restaurant of the Year in 2021 and now holder of two Michelin stars. Through social gatherings and occasional workshops, they have created a network whose aim is to elevate the quality of ingredients in their region. They have also introduced local producers and artisans, such as noted ceramicist Gaku Shakunaga and his sister, Yui, a metalworker whose elegant place settings are a feature of Himawari Shokudo 2. While Tanaka still remains characteristically modest about his Destination Restaurant of the Year award and his place in this hierarchy, Himawari Shokudo 2 is a more than worthy winner. And, once again, it is helping to cement Toyama's well-deserved place on Japan's dining map. Jinzuhonmachi 1-5-18, Toyama, Toyama 930-0008; 076-482-6091; ; open 6-10 p.m. (Sat. also 12-3 p.m.), irregular holidays; omakase (chef's choice) menu ¥18,000; nearest station Toyama; no smoking; some English spoken
