Making dishes with feel for a person, that's the very basis of Hisama's cooking style.

<"Winner is the one who did it", that atmosphere fits me very well because I have strong desire of self-display.>

What is the cause as which you began cooking?

Actually, I don't have specific starting point, so it's kind of chance. When I was a teenager, I'm naughty boy. So when I graduated high school, there was only one school to go, special school of cooking. What's more, I was often absent from that school, so I couldn't have a job introduced from the school:).

My father introduced me for Japanese restaurant in Kyoto, but I had to choose one. One restaurant is very old, established some hundred years before. Another restaurant is rising one, established only 30-40years before. At that time, I chose rising restaurant. When I saw that restaurant's kitchen, I thought instinctively "this one is suits for me".

Usually, a new face's job is just various duties, cannot touch a kitchen knife. But fortunately, I was given a job to tear off fish's scale and cut its belly on 2nd month. There are about 1,000fishes coming from fish market every day, so amount of my job is terrible. Every day from morning to evening, I tear off and cut, tear off and cut, between jobs, I tried to clean fishes secretly..... After 2 months, I was able to fillet a fish perfectly. Then after another a month, I was taken in charge of fillet a fish. Even there was some people who can't clean just one fish, I did special amount of fillet making only 6 months career. Owing to that fact, my salary doubled. At that time, I realize that "this job suits for me".


<Home cooking of mother who had big influence on the philosophy of my dish.>

What is having noticed in studying cooking?

I was grown up with my mother and grandmother's cooking. After I became a chef, I realized for the first time that it is usual, but also so special. Even miso, soy sauce was grandmother's homemade. Vegetables were grown up at the own field. I had exactly 3 meals everyday, and on that meal, there were many dishes on the table. What's more, my uncle was the gourmet person who often goes to Japanese restaurant. Sometimes he took me with; from when I was an elementary school student.

Owing those things, I got the basis of a chef though I hadn't realized it. I think I have a fate to be a chef, so I was born in my family. My family has fully affection for each other, make dishes with anxiety of my body condition. This, very natural things have big influence on my philosophy as a chef.


<What we need for cooking is not technique, just love.>

Is it often said that love is important for cooking?

The foundations of all dishes are love. When I make cooking, it begins from thinking that I became mother of those who eat. This is Hisama's style. Technique is not related to cooking. Technique should be an appropriate thing as a pro's cook. Home cooking is the dishes which have fully loved and consideration. Pro's cooking is kind of self-expression, we can see the individuality and the breeding of a cook.

The basis of mother's expression on the dishes is love, for example, arrangement to hide some material which someone who eats it doesn't like. Thinking about precious family's health, you can't cut corners for every daily meal. Healthy child is much better than having ill. It is often said that "My child is powerful, but he don't like studying." A study dislike is finished only with the term which has been to the school, although health condition continues for life long. Powerful, healthy child is fine.


<I am acting various Hisama in order to TPO.>

How do you spend holiday?

I don't have much holiday. But it is not pain. I have my rhythm for working, so if I had extra holiday, it is bother for my rhythm:). On TV program, on magazine, in my restaurant, I am acting various "Mr.Hisama" which I planned. So If I took holiday, I can't recognize myself, "Oh, what kind of person is he? Doesn't he have more poison?" :)

Although there is no rest, I make dishes in my home. But I don't like the scene that a woman washing many dishes alone. When I was a boy, I couldn't use hot water in my home. I didn't like to see the scene that my mother washing many dishes all by alone. I had a feeling that only I have a profit, so I paid attention to her unusually, I can't frolic any more.

Even now, it is the same. After eating, such a feeling as "I'm full...." And want to be relax is of course the same for women. I don't like the way of thinking that women have to wash the dish, clear away everything. Therefore, I do all washing dishes. Hisama Family's great privilege is that I have full spirit of service and they can eat delicious dishes.


"Seikatsu Ryoukou" (limited company planning spot) April issue Extract printing