I was meant to be a pharmacist

The author of this piece has written hundreds of interviews over many years of journalism, yet remembers to have rarely perceived so much enthusiasm in the interviewee as in this case, with Yoji Tokuyoshi, Massimo Bottura’ex sous chef at Osteria Francescana, about to debut in Milan with his first restaurant, called Tokuyoshi, in fact.

If one wanted to find some reason behind this unstoppable passion, we’d select a quote of the chef, in Japanese-Italian: «Per me sempre fatto provare cose». That is to say the pleasure of a challenge, the adrenaline that comes when one puts himself to the test. At 37, today Tokuyoshi speaks about his youth as the one of a rebel spirit who fought with his parents at 18 and left native Tottori, 200K inhabitants in the island of Honshū, to face Japan’s capital, on his own; he ripped up all the plans that wanted him a pharmacist, like his mum and dad, and decided to become a chef («I’m the black sheep»). He speaks about working in some Italian restaurants in the megalopolis after attending catering school in Tokyo: «The chefs would tell me about their experience in Italy and in my mind I would say: “I would like to go there too, but I don’t know how”». So at 27 he took a plane, following his passion and instinct only: a week looking for a job in some forty restaurants and finally, when he had already bought his flight back, came a call from Modena, with the answer he was desperate to receive: «Ok, come tomorrow».

The Japanese chef together with the kitchen staff at Osteria Francescana. You can also notice Massimo Bottura in the middle

Where was this passion of yours for cooking born?

«My grandmother Reiko is very good, she prepares soy sauce and tofu herself. I enjoyed helping her very much».

So we will taste an extraordinary soy sauce at Tokuyoshi …

«No, no soy sauce! I want to try to cook Italian cuisine with 100% local products. However, presentation, cooking techniques and philosophy are my own. And I’m a hybrid, this is why I say it will be a “contaminated cuisine”».

For instance?

«Risotto alla milanese. It will look like the classic one but the grains will be made of celeriac, all cut in the same shape».

What will you do with pasta? Tagliatelle, for instance?

«After 9 years in Modena, how can I change tagliatelle? There are things you cannot touch: tagliatelle, carbonara, amatriciana».

Tokuyoshi with Wicky Priyan, who sold him the restaurant in Via San Calocero 3 (the Singhalese chef is moving to Corso Italia)

 

What will be your restaurant’s strong point?

«The scents, especially those of the vegetables. We will prepare them in a delicate way, in the pan, without oil, just to toast them a little. I’m thinking of a light cuisine, I’ll eliminate butter, cream, use little cheese».

About the vegetables: is it true you found a piece of land in Tuscany, from which to get fresh vegetables?

«We are in contact with this man. He said: “Take whatever you want”. Good, but there’s a big problem: Tuscany is far away. And here in Italy transport is not very organised».

So?

«So I will have to find a courier. Because a restaurant is not just a chef: it’s waiters, sommelier, suppliers, farmers... There’s a man who has to coordinate all these people, the restaurateur. See, now I want to be a chef-restaurateur».

You left via Stella in Modena on December 31st 2013. What did you do this year?

«For six months, nothing. I travelled a lot. I was locked inside Francescana for 9 years, from 9 am to 1 at night. Life in the restaurant and life outside are two different things: so well, I discovered what is outside. I learnt what human beings do».

So you’re not sorry to go back to your old life?

«I can’t wait to go back! I saw a new world, I’m happy, but my life is in the restaurant».

Lo chef davanti alla particolare illuminazione di Wicky's

«Enrico Crippa. I like his way of cooking very much, he has techniques similar to Japanese ones but this results in Italian flavours. For me he’s a model: not that I want to copy him, we’re different, I’m still not capable of reaching the perfection in his dishes. But I would love to».

I thought you would have said “Massimo Bottura”…

«Of course, it was taken for granted! He changed my life, let me grow. I observed him every day, I looked at him while he was speaking, I learnt from his words».

Tokuyoshi will be in Via San Calocero 3. The chef thus describes it: «We wanted a feminine elegance, the restaurant is nice, clean, with lots of small details and dim lights. It’s original, starting from the colour of the walls: dark green». It will have an à la carte menu and two tasting menus, a vegetarian one for 60 euros, and another for 80 or 90 euros.