5. Sumibi Bistro Kaminokura
炭火ビストロ 神の蔵
February 1999 - March 2000
http://www.nsg-go.com/kaminokura/about.html
I confess one only the truth, I start cooking just to get out from Japan, not because of the passion at all! When I start working at Kaminokura, I never imagined I cook even 5 yrs later!! At the time I was guessing I gotta work in travel agency or something else in the U.S. near future, I considered cooking as a temporary job just until I speak English frequently. 12yrs later I'm cooking.... One big surprise is that kaminokura still alive!! Seriously it is so impressive that the restaurant is opening same location, same name, same concept after 12 yrs!! I mean there're hundreds of Izakaya every corners in Japan!!
Anyway... Sumibi Bistro Kaminokura(means charcoal grill bistro / warehouse of god) is located at Ohmiya, Saitma-ken which is next prefecture of Tokyo. The cusine is Japanese Bistro a.k.a. Izakaya style such as yakitori, tempura, sashimi, home-made tofu, table grill, JP pots(nabe), noodles... I was one of the opening team of Kaminokura and the youngest! My position is "apprentice cook"(Chourishi Minarai) and worked garde manger(kind of, called "mori-ba"), grill and deep fry stations during one year. My chef, my first mentor, his name is Takumi Shiga.
Something I never forget... First 5-6 months I was using restaurant's knife, was NOT ALLOWED to have my own knife!(guess it's common in JP kitchen) And I bought my first knife after half year later and the knife is still alive and kickin' on my hand..... it' much skinnier and probably 3 inch shorter though!!
Buying my first knife was something unforgettable moment in my entire life for sure... I was so happy... it was 100000 JP yen, bought in Kappabashi. My chef told me 10000 is perfect budget for me, because the knife will be fucked up soon(because I practice sharpening without knowing how to sharpen... and indeed it got so dull less than 1 month!). My chef always told me the knife never lie, show who you are, unlike drunken women!!(words to words, well said!!)
What else I remember... I actually copy the the chef's stance / form when I use my knives!! The relaxization on the shoulders, how to stand and put feet on the ground, distance from the board, the way how I grab my knives, the circulation of how knives move with hand... Of course year by year, it was changed, but still not far from the original, I think! I was staring him all day!! The way I shapen my knives came from what I saw him doing and copied. He never use steel to sharpen the knives, so am I.... He never intenstionally praise me, I did same to all my cooks at RM...
Yes... He told me how to orgnazine and work the mise en place list such as in 1hrs, this is 10min, that is 20min, then 20 mins for this... planning with inital time flame. I still plan and organize my mise en place just I learned from him more than 10 yrs ago. Same time He told me don't use the timer casuse it lose the concentration and time feeling, also should have habit to work clockwise with body. Now I can always track every 10mins passing with my body clock without watching the clock in the ktichen, all because of his great advices! This is just small part of what I learned from him.... I would say he didn't talk too much and nothing like hands on hands training, BUT I learned hundred things stalking and watching his back. 12yrs later everything still here in my spirit.
Sumibi Bistro Kaminokura... it's not French Laundry, Wd-50, Pierre Gagnaire... let's face it: no one knows!!! But I'm so proud of the fact I worked there. Everything start is important, like childhood deeply reflect what kind of adults the kids gonna be. Kamikura put me into right path, right directions in my culinary career. I'm looking forward to visiting Kaminokura in the near future... JP people work in same company long time, Let me wish I see someone from the past!! If so, god.... NO ONE EVER gonna believe Maro(my old nickname) turns like this!! Ha ha!! Well... for last... say one of my long time wish... I REALLY hope one day I can see chef Takumi Shiga and say thank you for everything ...... He may slap my face though... he hated brown haired punks!! / laugh
Thanks list: Mr.Nemoto, Mr.Shinzato, Masa-san, Katsu-san, Sekine-san, Masaki-san, Mori-kun and all others peoplelL!! Especially Mitsumi Asami... where are you, wish you all the best..