How to Create "You Have to Experience It to Understand"

"Predetermined outcomes are boring!"

By chance, I had the opportunity to interview Chef Takeshi Nagashima, owner of Tokyo's renowned restaurant "81". When we were discussing what topics to cover, he said this.

Kenji Nagashima

Hmm. I understand what you're saying, I really do. But I'm a nervous wreck, and if I step in front of an audience of over a hundred people without any preparation, I get super nervous. Sure enough, on the day of the event, I woke up before dawn. With no video or PowerPoint presentation ready for the audience, I stood on the stage surrounded by seats like a colosseum, stiff as a board and my heart pounding. And so, the curtain rose on the discussion.

Scene from the Day

When it comes to 81, their "Reconstruction of Carbonara" is famous. It's a dish that deconstructs that famous pasta menu and reconstructs it as an egg dish. In the culinary world, there are many "conventions" like "this ingredient must be cooked this way" or "if you use this, you must use this spice." While some of these still make sense today, with advances in freshness management technology, it seems many unnecessary "assumptions" also exist. Mr. Nagashima says he somehow developed the habit of "questioning and deconstructing what's right in front of him."

Reconstructing Carbonara

Why did a young man who joined the Maritime Self-Defense Force and entered the culinary world through his assignment develop this way of thinking? His experience working under Ferran Adrià, chef of the legendary El Bulli (Spain/now closed), the world's hardest-to-book restaurant, seems to have played a significant role.

When you hear "El Bulli," you might immediately think of molecular gastronomy—science-driven cuisine utilizing espumas and liquid nitrogen. However, according to Nagashima, Adrià was an "artist" born in Catalonia, just like Dalí and Gaudí (though he also cautioned that labeling someone to feel like you understand them is meaningless—laugh). He is credited with being the first to introduce the concept of "concept" into the culinary world. Adrià openly shared his recipes without hiding them, actively incorporating insights not only from his team but also from other fields. Nagashima suggests that "molecular gastronomy" was less a core theme and more simply a means to express new culinary ideas.

Chef Nagashima's "42°C Salmon"

Well now. There's no doubt that 81 is delicious, but when it comes to explaining its appeal, I find myself at a loss. I tried asking during a talk session, "What kind of restaurant is it?" and Chef Nagashima replied, "If I could convey it in words, I'd write a book. If I could convey it through photos, I'd be a photographer. But I'm a chef because I can only convey it through cooking. You just have to experience it to understand."

So, this is just my guess, but I think Mr. Nagashima took "restaurant" apart piece by piece and questioned the "norms." For example...

■Couldn't the "drinks" served with the food also offer more expressive possibilities? (Hence the course design includes drinks).

■ What was the chef's intention? What ingredients did they use? How did they prepare them? Wouldn't the experience be more profound if they could explain it directly? (That's why the chef comes out from the open kitchen to the dining area and gives a very detailed presentation).

■Couldn't remixing music to create a marriage with the food also enhance its deliciousness? (That's why the chef himself often takes the DJ booth in the kitchen‼).

And so on.

81 is the Nagashima-style reconstruction of the conventional restaurant, deconstructed in this manner.

It's often said that "deliciousness exists not on the plate, but in the mind" or "cuisine is experienced not just by the tongue, but by all five senses." Yet even then, rather than separating "taste and smell" or "taste and hearing," it's designed as a space of "hospitality" with a holistic perspective akin to a tea room. It creates a "Zen"-like space that thoroughly pursues the experience of "here and now." Host and guest become one. Establishing a single gathering. I felt what Mr. Nagashima is doing is actually deeply rooted in Japanese culture.

In 2007, Chef Adrià became the first culinary figure invited to Documenta (Germany), the contemporary art festival, as an artist. During these 90 minutes, I became convinced that Mr. Nagashima, too, would follow this path with his unique sensibility. The afterglow lingers, so I look forward to continuing this conversation next time.

Please, enjoy!