Unlike many people who work as chefs, I have never attended a culinary school. After graduating from high school, I went on to university to fulfill my dream of participating in the Hakone Ekiden. Although I was selected as one of the final members, I was unable to run on the stage of my dreams. After graduation, I decided to work as a chef. Although I had no professional experience, I was influenced by my mother, who loves cooking, and decided to do so. One day, while wondering where I should work, I saw Gotoken in Hakodate on TV, and was attracted by its long history and character, so I jumped on an overnight train. Gotoken generously hired me, even though I had no skills, experience, or connections, and helped me acquire various Western cuisine techniques for six years.

After returning to Tokyo, I trained at a famous Italian restaurant and followed a chef who was going independent for 20 years. I thought, "If I stay at the same restaurant any longer, I might hinder the growth of the next generation," so I changed jobs to HAPPO-EN, which I had a connection with. At the time, HAPPO-EN was known for its traditional Japanese cuisine, but in 2014, the kitchen was in the midst of a transition. It was a time when they were trying to propose a fusion of Japanese and Western cuisine, so I thought there was something I, a "Western" person, could do, and more than anything, the beautiful Japanese garden that spreads out before me when I passed through the gate made me excited, thinking, "What is this space?"

Not limited to the symbolic change of "the turning point from Japanese cuisine to a Japanese-Western fusion," HAPPO-EN is an organization that is constantly evolving. They do not shy away from new challenges, and they fight as a team, not as individuals. I always feel that this is what makes this organization so great. Another thing that makes HAPPO-EN unique is the strong connection with producers. When I was the head chef of a creative cuisine restaurant called "RESTAURANT ENJYU," I would travel to completely unfamiliar places to greet and build relationships with producers. Serving vegetables from producers with whom we have a trusting relationship gives us confidence in entertaining guests and also fosters a desire to explore ingredients.

I will never forget January 2024. At RESTAURANT ENJYU, we propose a course meal focusing on ingredients from one prefecture each month, and we planned to create a course using ingredients from Ishikawa Prefecture that month. We were working with the producers to make preparations, but on New Year's Day, the earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula. Although we were able to confirm their safety immediately, the transportation network had not been restored. Nevertheless, the producers themselves found the delivery point of the shipping company on their own, transported the ingredients there, and somehow delivered them. Thanks to them, we were able to serve the course to our customers without changing the menu. I have never felt so much respect, gratitude, and desire to cherish the producers. I believe that the taste of HAPPO-EN 's cuisine is born from the power of a team that includes the producers.

One of the things that really shows HAPPO-EN 's spirit of adventure is their wedding cuisine. It goes without saying that it's delicious. We go several steps further than that, incorporating ingredients from the bride and groom's hometowns and recreating dishes that they remember, creating dishes just for the couple and making them happy. It's our job to make them feel that we're willing to go that far, and I think it's because we try and error together with the bride and groom that we can provide them with food that will stay in their hearts.

Once, a bride cried, "I want to hold my wedding reception at Hakuokan. But I'm really worried about the food." I met her in person and listened to what she had to say. I felt that the bride wanted more glamorous food, so I came up with two new menu items and suggested a second tasting. As a result, her worries were resolved right then and there, and on the day of the reception, she said with a bright smile, "I'm really glad I chose Hakuokan!" I believe that hospitality is not just about polite service and behavior, but that it can only be called hospitality when you understand the customer's thoughts and exceed their expectations. I also realized that a chef's skills are not only honed by simply devoting themselves to cooking, but also by the experience of trial and error to understand such communication and thoughts and exceed expectations.

One of the reasons I was able to grow even more at HAPPO-EN, despite having a career spanning nearly 30 years as a chef, is the presence of our president, Inoue. How can I recreate the thoughts of our president, who is an outstanding idea man, through cooking? At first I was taken aback and wondered, "Can I really do this?" But when I thought, "If I could make it happen, I would be able to see an amazing sight," I just wanted to see it through.

Being pulled by the creativity and foresight of the CEO and other management, I was able to improve my cooking skills to meet a wide variety of needs, including vegan and halal. From now on, it's time to give back, so to speak, by working while thinking about how I can contribute to HAPPO-EN and the young staff. I now understand that the role of a veteran is not just to give way to the next generation. I will communicate well with the young staff, recognize their strengths, and help them grow. I will continue to show them how to run. I believe that this will surely lead to improving the quality of hospitality HAPPO-EN as a whole.