Where We Call Home.

Friends and family gathered to enjoy a meal together on a special occasion.

Here you are.

Looks delicious!

I've never had this before.

Hard at work providing fine dining at his clients' home is chef Germain Guibilato from France.

When the pandemic forced him to abandon his dream of opening a restaurant, he became a personal chef.

It's hard work,
but I pour my heart into it.

He recently got a request from someone who supported him through hard times.

I want to enjoy Christmas
with my family this year.

He wants to put his best effort for his friend and her family.

My job is to help people connect
and have fun by sharing a meal.

Let's tag along with chef Germain as he serves up great food and warm smiles.

Kochi City in Kochi Prefecture.

With its picturesque sights of tramways running through the streets,

it's a castle town with more than four hundred years of history.

Rather than working at a restaurant, Germain is a personal chef, who goes where his customers are.

Welcome!

Pleased to meet you.

Today, he's preparing a meal at an event celebrating a variety of citrus called tosa buntan,

a local specialty that's currently in season.

He likes to feature products from the region.

His repertoire is diverse, with dishes from his native France...

...from Italy...

...and of course Japan.

Some local beef...

to which I add an accent of lime.

Nice color.

Lovely smell!

To serve up smiles to everyone around the table - this is how Germain describes the essence of his work.

It's so delicious.

Really nice.

It's exquisite.

So refined.

Germain usually prepares a seven-course meal for the equivalent of around seventy US dollars per guest.

From meal preparation to serving and even washing the dishes, he does everything alone.

Seeing in his customers the joy of sharing a scrumptious meal is Germain's number one motivation.

The meal matched the guests.

Everyone had a nice time.
That's the most rewarding.

Beyond the food and mood,
I'm so glad to see people connected.

It's great.

- It was wonderful.
- Thank you.

Born in a town near Marseille, Germain is the youngest of four siblings in a household

where enjoying home-cooked meals was at the heart of family life.

Germain particularly loved the meals his grandfather Paul prepared.

My grandfather worked
at a meat shop all his life.

On his days off he'd cook
some meat he bought.

We had such a great time.

It was the memories of his grandfather's cooking that inspired Germain to pursue the culinary arts.

After studying at a specialized college,

he gained experience working at places such as a four-star hotel and on cruise ships.

While working in Australia, he met his wife Maki.

They got married and moved to her hometown of Kochi.

Their son was born and Germain learned Japanese cuisine in a high-class restaurant.

But just as he was considering opening his own eatery, the pandemic blocked his path forward.

I've been cooking all my life.
If I quit that...

I couldn't think of doing anything else.

That's when he got the idea of becoming a personal chef, cooking at people's homes and event venues.

In the beginning, it was very stressful.

But I worked hard.

At events and special occasions,
guests have a good time.

My cooking must contribute to that.

That's my work.

Germain does the initial preparation in his own kitchen.

He cooks sauces and purees - things that would require too much time to do on-site.

This is the part of the work that takes most of his time.

With more than ten event reservations a month, he's already fully booked for the year ahead.

Luckily, Maki is here to help with confirming the schedules and planning meals according to the number of guests.

- One of the guests doesn't eat fish.
- That's right.

Ever since I started this, I write down
what each customer has eaten.

To make sure he serves dishes that best suit every customer,

he keeps track of things like preferences and food allergies.

"Spare no effort." It's one of the tenets of Germain's work philosophy.

When he finds a moment in his busy schedule, Germain loves to spend time in nature.

Today, he and Maki visit one of their favorite spots: the Yasui river valley.

I come here to clear my mind
and recharge my batteries.

He overthinks.
It gives him bellyaches.

If he doesn't feel well,
he can't provide quality meals.

I want him to stay healthy.

Germain is invited over by someone dear to him.

Hi!

Hirose Asako was his very first client when he started as a personal chef.

She actively introduced Germain to her circle of acquaintances, helping him find new opportunities.

This time, she enlists his assistance for a special family event.

Can you do our Christmas dinner?

Some of my neighbors...

and my family will be there.

Divorced in her thirties, Asako worked in the cosmetics sales industry to raise her two sons.

Her second-born, Tetsuya, lives in the neighborhood and helps her in her work.

Meanwhile, her elder son Shingo, who lives in another town with his wife,

has been kept busy by his career, making family reunions a rare occurrence.

Asako too has been preoccupied with work.

The last time she held a Christmas party, Shingo was only seven years old.

Now that the pandemic slowed down, I want
to enjoy this Christmas with my family.

For this first Christmas family dinner in thirty years, Asako would like Germain to prepare something special.

- It'd be nice to prepare a surprise.
- A surprise?

- Can you think of something?
- Alright.

The words "Christmas dinner" give Germain an idea.

I think I'd like to do something
like a French-style Christmas.

First, Germain heads to a fishmonger in nearby Tosa City.

From shellfish to crustaceans, they have on offer a wide variety of seafood.

Any spiny lobster?

They're frisky!

Japanese spiny lobster caught in Tosa Bay around this season is a Kochi specialty.

All about the same size.

They shouldn't be too big.
These are perfect.

In France, we often eat
regular lobster for Christmas.

But I'll use Japanese spiny lobster
because it's from Kochi.

Now in season, spiny lobster from Kochi will add a touch of luxury to the festive meal.

For his surprise to Asako and her guests, Germain has a certain ingredient in mind.

Good morning!

- How are you?
- Good, good!

This meat shop is run by eighty-year-old, Kiyoto Yoshio.

It's the perfect place to find some rare beef cuts.

- Tosa wagyu?
- Yes.

Really good cheeks.

We have cheek meat in France.
It's beautiful, like Tosa wagyu.

Germain's surprise - a recipe he inherited from Paul, his late grandfather.

I'll simmer it.

Really?

Four hours.

That long?

- I see. It should be tasty.
- Yes, it will.

My grandfather's recipe.

Thank you.

Thank you as always.

Back to his kitchen, Germain gets to work.

As cheek meat is quite tough,

he simmers it for over four hours in red wine with vegetables, fruit and herbs.

The smell reminds me of Grandpa's house.

Since I was a kid...

I haven't forgotten it.

As a little boy, Germain loved the beef cheek simmered in red wine his grandfather prepared for Christmas.

The recipe was in his heart.

On special days, he'd cook for five hours.

He watched us enjoy it and smiled.

A dish from his memories with no written recipe.

He trusts his childhood recollections to bring it back to life.

I prayed to my grandfather
to tell him I'd make this.

I sometimes talk to him.

- "Your grandfather?"
- Yes.

I miss him. If he were still alive,
I'd have him taste it.

With the soup from the meat, he makes a rich sauce.

It's really nice. You wanna try?

"How is it?"

It's fantastic.
Maybe it needs a bit more salt?

I'll check again.

A meal made with appreciation for Asako.

He continues the preparations until late at night.

At last, the day of the Christmas party is here.

Thanks for having me.

Four hours before the feast begins.

Germain gets to work.

For Asako and her family, he prepares a traditional French Christmas dinner.

Late in the afternoon, the guests start to show up.

Busy with work, the eldest son Shingo and his wife haven't visited the family home in a few years.

When the younger son Tetsuya arrives, the whole family is here.

The party begins.

After the appetizers, scallops grilled in butter with a puree of carrots.

Oh, wow!

Please enjoy this Christmas family time.

It's delicious!

Such a rich flavor!

Then, here comes a French Christmas tradition...

...spiny lobster from Kochi grilled and served in a Madagascar vanilla sauce with apples and carrots.

How gorgeous!

I've never had spiny lobster like this.

Usually, we have chicken for Christmas.

And now, the main course, Germain's little surprise for Asako.

On Christmas and other special occasions,
my grandfather simmered it five hours.

- It's his recipe?
- Yes.

It's very special to me.

The main ingredient: Germain's fond memories of his beloved grandfather.

- Oh, wow!
- What a nice smell.

Really nice!

It's delicious.

The corn, too.

You can really taste it.

I'm so thankful.

We don't get the chance to gather
like this. I'm so happy.

Being together for Christmas...

We'll die before it happens again.

Let's do it again next year.

Thanks to this unique, fun feast Germain
prepared for us, we could open up...

and had a great time talking together.

It made me rediscover the importance
of getting together like this.

The simple yet invaluable joy of sharing a meal as a family.

A room full of happy faces is a great reward for Germain's diligent work.

The family and friends all sat together
to enjoy Christmas dinner.

I'm touched to have contributed to that.

I'm not part of the family,
but I felt like I was.

It's great.

I'm really glad.

With a full course of smiles and love, no matter where he goes,

personal chef Germain knows just the right recipe to bring people together.

Thank you!

Hi. I'm Liao Haiting.

I'm a nurse at this veterinary clinic
in Kawaguchi.

Let me show you my work.

Kawaguchi, Saitama Pref.

Haiting works at this veterinary clinic.

8:20 a.m.
arriving at work.

9:00 a.m.
consultations start.

Thank you for waiting.
How's Hana?

She won't eat.

First, we'll give her an injection.

Can I pick you up?

- She might bite. I'm so sorry.
- It's OK.

Thanks. Did she say anything?

Hana's nausea is gone,
but she won't eat.

Haiting helps the vet with an injection
by holding the dog down.

If we hold her joints, she won't move.

I just hold her against my body
and keep her shoulders from moving.

It's important to gently praise pets.

Giving them compliments helps
alleviate their stress.

Good girl!

You did great!

Hana was a really good girl.

Thank you.

I'm so happy to see a pet get better.

I want them to stay healthy.

That's what I wish in my heart
every time we send one home.

Growing up in southern China, Haiting
was shocked at how people treated animals.

The worst time was when I saw
my father and my uncle kill a dog.

It was to eat it.

I felt powerless.
It was so heartbreaking.

She once saw on the news
pets and owners being reunited...

after the 2011 earthquake
and tsunami in Japan.

After a disaster, human victims
are the priority.

But I was moved by how Japanese
were kind to both people and animals.

That's when I decided I wanted
to become a nurse for animals in Japan.

In 2019, she came to Japan to study
at a college specialized in animal care.

In 2022, she found work as a nurse
at this veterinary clinic.

This is our clinic's director,
Doctor Wada.

She truly cares about the animals' health
and pours her heart into her work.

I'm impressed at how she sincerely
feels for the animals.

I hope she continues to provide
heartfelt care for each animal.

Keep it up.

Haiting also takes care of pets
that are hospitalized for intensive care.

Stay strong.

Pets who won't eat on their own
have to be force-fed.

He's eating.

Good boy!

I feel sorry for them
to have to do this.

But if they don't eat,
they won't recover quickly.

I try to encourage them.

My treasures are my furry friends
who live with me.

Their pure-heartedness is so therapeutic.

Haiting posts information about animals
on social media.

I want to share what I learn
with as many people as possible.

"How to train your cat
to be more sociable"

One day, I want to run a pet care salon.

I want to create a space to help
humans and animals connect.