Hasegawa Zaiyu: Conveying Culinary Passion

His food delights his guests.

I'm in heaven.

Good.

Japanese chef, Hasegawa Zaiyu.

He aims to serve delicious yet unpretentious Japanese cuisine that makes diners feel right at home.

Hasegawa's restaurant has frequently appeared on the annual ranking of the World's Best 50 Restaurants.

His cuisine inspires chefs from around the world, many of whom he's collaborated with.

He enjoys introducing Japanese techniques to international cuisines.

Hasegawa also makes efforts to study cuisine in other countries and regions.

I want people to know Japanese cuisine
can be prepared outside Japan.

I want to change the perception that
Japanese cuisine is difficult.

We learn more about his innovative take on Japanese cuisine on today's Face to Face.

This is Hasegawa's restaurant.

Here it is.

Hello.

Nice to see you again.

Wow.

Welcome.

Thank you.

This is very nice.

It has such a light and airy feeling.

Thank you.

It's quite bright for a Japanese restaurant.

Our guest Hasegawa is in the middle of preparing lunch.

Today, he's serving a multi-course lunch to a group from Finland, many of whom are new to Japanese cuisine.

- Do you speak Finnish?
- Sorry, no.

I hope you'll enjoy what I have
planned for you today.

I want everyone to feel at home
and relax.

Hasegawa and his team have prepared an eight-course meal.

Here's the first dish, which is presented in packaging.

Stuffed rice flour wafers.

It looks like a traditional Japanese sweet stuffed with "anko," sweet red bean paste.

The confection doesn't require the use of chopsticks, making the dish more accessible to all.

Instead of "anko," Hasegawa stuffed the wafers with sweetened kumquat and foie gras.

It's a playful take on a traditional sweet.

I marinated the foie gras in miso,
so it's not too heavy.

Next is a steamed fishcake that includes oysters.

It's fried and served in broth.

Hasegawa takes great care with his ingredients.

He aims to maximize their potential.

The soy sauce-based soup warms the body.

Guess what it's made with.

Oysters are an unfamiliar ingredient for today's guests.

It's made with oysters.

The diners seem pleased.

Hasegawa makes the most of seasonal ingredients in the hopes of delighting guests with his take on Japanese cuisine.

I wasn't a fan of Japanese cuisine
until today.

Everything was so good.

It changed my mindset.

Every dish was perfect.
It was a heavenly experience.

After lunch service, Hasegawa joins our host, Robert Campbell.

It's been a while.

It's nice to see you again.

Likewise.

You had a large group today.

I noticed you were constantly interacting with them.

Yes.

Many of them were in Japan for the very first time.

So I wanted to serve them something that was out of the ordinary, something with a playful touch.

Robert gets to try one such dish.

Wow!

Neat.

This is one of Hasegawa's signature dishes, dubbed "Dentucky."

The box contains fried chicken.

It looks delicious.

Very tasty and so tender.

What's the filling?

Steamed glutinous rice.

And scallops?

Yes.

And pine nuts.

Can you tell me about the role that rice plays in your cuisine?

Strong matcha is served as part of a "kaiseki" banquet.

Rice is served just before it to fill the stomach.

So, it's like an in-between dish to tide you over to the next course.

It's something that goes well with sake.

The high-end "kaiseki" style of Japanese cuisine originated in the tea ceremony.

It consists of a sequence of dishes from appetizer to dessert.

A course featuring rice or noodles is served relatively early on to fill the stomach.

Overseas guests were puzzled by the fact that I was serving them rice in the middle of the meal.

So I came up with the idea of making a playful and tasty dish that would spark their interest and get them to ask me questions like you just did.

This box is famous all over the world.

So, my guests immediately recognize it.

It's something they're familiar with, and that helps them relax a little bit.

I love traditional Japanese cuisine.

But the idea of eating a high-end full-course meal is daunting even for Japanese people.

Definitely.

I remember how nervous I was when I went to a French restaurant for the very first time and wasn't sure which knife and fork I was supposed to use.

I think that's the way many people feel about Japanese cuisine.

So, I'm always thinking of ways to help my guests relax.

The thrill of opening the box is the same for everyone, regardless of nationality.

And you eat the chicken without the need for chopsticks.

The world of traditional Japanese cuisine is often perceived as highly formal.

At 18, Hasegawa started his apprenticeship at a high-end Japanese restaurant with a 100-year history.

He wanted to share his love for Japanese cuisine with others.

At age 29, he opened his own restaurant with the aim of creating a gateway into Japanese cuisine.

How did you decide on this kind of layout and decor for your restaurant?

Well... I love Japanese cuisine, which is why I trained at a traditional Japanese restaurant.

I want to promote the qualities that make it so special.

But to do that, I need to spark interest in Japanese cuisine and to make it more accessible.

This restaurant is like an introduction to the world of Japanese cuisine.

The first step.

The threshold is quite high and many people find it daunting.

True.

On one hand, you have "izakaya" pubs and casual restaurants that serve set meals, and on the other hand "kaiseki" restaurants that serve high-end cuisine.

But there's not much in between.

I wanted to fit in that niche.

To interest people and encourage them to take the next step.

This restaurant used to belong to a French chef.

I see.

I was a regular, and I wanted to keep this place as a restaurant.

I liked the idea of having guests gathered around a long table, and having an open kitchen which allowed them to see the food being prepared.

I wanted them to relax and feel at home, like they were at a friend's house.

I've kept the old restaurant's sign over the entrance.

For a moment, I thought I'd made a mistake and come to the wrong place.

But then I saw the small sign on the door with your restaurant's name on it.

The atmosphere here in your restaurant is quite different from that of a traditional Japanese restaurant in Tokyo, in a positive way.

What are your thoughts on some of the things that define Japanese cuisine, or set it apart?

Well... I've given a lot of thought on what exactly it is that defines Japanese cuisine.

I don't think it's about the ingredients.

You can use ingredients from around the world and it'll still be Japanese.

And you can incorporate techniques from other cuisines as well.

But there's a tendency among Japanese chefs to insist on using only certain ingredients.

A certain standard.

Right.

But to me, that's just repeating and imitating what has already been done in the past.

I think that if I were to show my dish "Dentucky" to the 16th century tea master "Sen no Rikyu" he would be thrilled to see something that he hadn't thought of himself.

Maybe he would even come up with suggestions on how to improve upon it, how to take the next step.

Maybe.

There's a story about Rikyu.

He was in Kyoto when he encountered an ascetic Buddhist monk dangling a gourd from his waist.

Rikyu asked him if he could have the gourd.

Then he sawed off the top third, and turned it into a vase.

He was an innovator who thought outside the box.

So although tradition and style are important to Japanese cuisine, I believe there's always been a spirit of innovation.

As long as you stick to the basic rules, you can incorporate all kinds of ideas.

Yes, I think you need to have a firm grasp of the basic techniques and traditions of Japanese cuisine.

But at the same time it's important to explore new horizons in order to expand upon its possibilities.

"Dashi" stock forms the basis of Japanese cuisine.

Hasegawa's "dashi" reflects his innovative spirit.

I'd like you to try a taste of the "dashi" that I use in all of my food.

Yes, please.

No seasonings added.

It looks good.

It has such a nice aroma.

Something slightly smoky about it.

It has a gentle flavor.

There's the depth that comes from the "katsuobushi" shavings and a hint of minerals.

"Dashi" is typically made from "kombu" kelp and smoked and dried "katsuobushi" shavings.

The "dashi" you tried just now is that basic type.

I also make several other kinds of "dashi" substituting "kombu" with turnips or other seasonal vegetables.

That makes for a sweeter "dashi" with a different type of "umami."

Instead of just the basic "kombu" and "katsuobushi dashi," I like to use different vegetables in my "dashi" to bring out the flavors of whatever it is I'm making.

I'm still always experimenting with different ingredients.

So I'll probably come up with other "dashi" flavors.

What are you most conscious of when cooking for your guests?

My food is billed as home cooking, so I always cook with love.

I'm constantly thinking of how to help my guests feel comfortable and happy.

That's the most important thing for me as a chef.

Many of my guests are visitors from abroad.

I'm conscious of where they're from, how long they've been in Japan, and whether or not they're jetlagged.

It affects the appetite.

Very much so.

The other day, I had a group who had arrived in Japan that very same day.

They were suffering from jetlag, but even so they wanted to come because they'd managed to get a reservation.

I knew having a full course meal that lasted two hours wouldn't be ideal for them on that occasion.

So instead, I served a course that could be finished in just one hour.

I always try to cater to the needs of my guests.

I want them to enjoy the experience of dining here above all else.

That's an interesting approach to creating a menu.

It's not about making people eat what I want.

It's more about making my guests happy.

So I make a point of interacting with them, so that I can serve them what they'll enjoy.

Hasegawa frequently collaborates with chefs from around the world.

Today, he's joined by Chef Junghyun Park, who's based in New York.

His restaurant has also been selected as one of the best in the world.

He often dines here.
So we decided to collaborate.

Hasegawa wants to add a Japanese twist to Chef Park's cuisine.

Yellowtail is fatty.
I'll do a zuke marinade.

Sashimi marinated in soy sauce.

Then, give it a kick with
spicy grated daikon radish.

Like horse radish.

"Zuke" is a technique used to enhance the flavor of fish.

Hasegawa makes fine incisions in the fatty yellowtail sashimi so that it'll soak up the sauce.

Marinating sashimi in soy sauce enhances "umami" and adds depth.

It's served in a "dashi" flavored with kimchi to create a fusion of Korean and Japanese sensibilities.

I'll be prepping Japanese ingredients
for him to cook.

It's not a typical collaboration.
His food gets a Japanese twist.

Hasegawa has sprinkled this butterfish with salt and allowed it to mature for two days.

Fresh fish is delicious as-is.

But aging enhances the "umami,"
which is what I'm doing now.

Chef Park says this is new for him.

Introducing techniques like this
will stimulate his interest.

Chef Park roasts the aged butterfish.

He serves it with a scallop-infused XO sauce.

During the collaboration we're always like learning each other - about their culture, and their food, how tender the ingredients, you know.

It could be a very small thing, but actually it is like a very valuable asset for yourself and for the restaurant that you are at, and so- I am very excited to cook with him today.

Collaborating with chefs from other
cultures is like a jazz session.

It's stimulating and
leads to new discoveries.

An innovative dish packed with ideas from both chefs.

Very delicious.

What were some of your goals when you decided to collaborate with Chef Park?

I enjoy encountering all sorts of new and different cuisines, cultures, and presentations.

I also want to share my experiences with guests at my restaurant.

They may even decide they want to visit Chef Park's restaurant in New York.

Funnily enough, being good friends with someone doesn't necessarily mean you can cook well together.

You have to feel the same way about cooking.

Experiencing different cuisines in different places provides me with new ideas that I can take home and try out at my restaurant.

Traveling around the world has helped me become more perceptive about what my guests might like to eat.

You found a dream job.

Yes, I'm very lucky.

Since the 2010s, Hasegawa has spent time collaborating with other chefs in Europe, as well as Central and South America.

Experiencing local culinary techniques, traditions, and ideas allows him to consider Japanese cuisine from a global perspective.

How would you say that your travels have played a role in shaping your cooking sensibilities, your innovation, and your sense of taste?

For one thing, it made me realize that people may not agree about what tastes "good" to them.

I make a point of eating local food wherever I go.

It provides me with an insight into the local way of life.

And it also makes me appreciate the wide variety of ingredients available to me in Japan and our great transport network.

I imagine it would be difficult to cook Japanese food overseas without the necessary ingredients.

But then again, that might be what makes it interesting.

I visited a little village in Italy called Bra.

There were no Japanese ingredients available there, but I managed to make a "miso" soup without actually using real "miso."

I simmered tomatoes and sardine bones in water to make the "dashi."

The "umami" from tomatoes is actually the same as that of "kombu."

That's common knowledge in Japan.

And we often use fish heads, bones, and fins to make fish soups, adding just a pinch of salt.

So I used this basic technique to make what I called a "miso" soup, even though in reality it contained no "miso."

I love it.

You know, overseas chefs will often tell me that they can't cook Japanese cuisine.

Right.

So I point out that I was able to cook Japanese cuisine using the ingredients I had on hand, and that it wasn't difficult.

You don't need soy sauce or "kombu" to cook Japanese food.

When I tell them this, some chefs will decide to give preparing Japanese cuisine another try.

That's what I like most about cooking in other countries.

And that probably leads to the creation of truly unique Japanese dishes.

Very much so.

I have a restaurant in Taiwan.

And in Taiwan, bamboo shoots are available year-round.

I see.

In Japan, bamboo shoots are in season in spring and sweetfish in summer.

But in Taiwan, those seasons overlap.

You can eat them in the same dish, which is special.

I like the idea of people in Japan going to Taiwan to eat Japanese cuisine.

Right.

I want people to know more about Japanese cuisine: that it can be prepared outside Japan.

I want to change the perception that Japanese cuisine is difficult.

If people take a good look at their local ingredients, they'll be able to cook delicious Japanese cuisine at home.

Our conversation reminded me of a place where I came across a new style of Japanese cuisine.

It was in Peru.

Oh?

It was a dish created by Japanese immigrants to Peru.

They wanted to eat Japanese food, so they made use of local ingredients to cook something that tasted Japanese, which I think is really amazing.

It's a dish that reflects the history and cultural background of the immigrants.

And seeing this inspired you with new ideas to take back to Japan.

Oh, yes.

I'd love to try it.

I hope serving it in Japan will help popularize it.

Can you make it?

Yes, it's simple.

Instead of pickling fish with rice vinegar, you instead pickle it with citrus.

Wow!

It's called ceviche.

It's become a standard Peruvian dish.

I really believe that to learn about this sort of thing, you need to step outside of Japan.

We asked Hasegawa to write a "kanji" that represents his life and work.

He chose "Den": the name of his restaurant.

It means "to convey."

This restaurant is the culmination of the work of many people.

That includes farmers, fishers, and artists who make the dishes.

Through this restaurant, I want to convey their thoughts and feelings to others.

"Den" is just a small restaurant, but I believe it can lead to something big, just as a small vibration can create a big wave.

And the word "den" in English means a community, a place where people congregate.

And feel safe.

I want this restaurant to be a gathering place where friends can meet, relax and feel very much at home.

That's why I chose to name the restaurant "Den."

I like the word, and it reflects a concept that is very close to my heart.

Hasegawa likes to fish, and says
he finds it similar to cooking.

If you're after a specific catch,
you need to adapt your approach.

So, you need to use different lures
of various colors.

Like cooking, you want to have
many tricks up your sleeve.

I look forward to seeing how
people react to my food.

When they lean into a dish,
I'm happy because they're happy.