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Gourmet News, Part 2: "Three Robuchons and the Dress Code"


Gourmet News, Part 2: "Three Robuchons and the Dress Code"

I met Shimada-san at a wine gathering held at the two-star Michelin restaurant La Table de Joel Robuchon on the first floor of the Chateau Restaurant Joel Robuchon in Ebisu Garden Place. On the second floor of the same Chateau is the three-star restaurant Joel Robuchon, and in Roppongi Hills is the two-star restaurant L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, giving Japan alone seven stars. In its home base of Paris, there are only two two-star restaurants L'Atelier on the right and left banks, so it's hard to say how much of a fanaticism Japanese people have for Robuchon. By the way, the first floor in Japan is the "zero floor" in France, so a full-fledged grand maison has a hall on the first floor in France, which is the second floor in Japan. For example, there is the long-established restaurant Crescent in Shiba, which sadly closed last year. The first floor is used for banquets and other functions.
One day, I got a call on my mobile phone while I was on the train to my university. When I called back, I found out that a high school classmate of mine was asking if he could come to Robuchon that evening. He was hosting a big dinner to celebrate a wine event. I was a pinch hitter because someone couldn't make it on the day. I don't like large parties, so I thought I would decline, but he said he would invite me, so I wanted to see how good Robuchon's banquet food was, and so I went. Since it was a banquet, it was naturally at "Table" on the first floor. When I agreed, my friend asked me, "By the way, you're probably wearing a jacket, aren't you?" I always wear a jacket when I give lectures. When I answered, "Yes," he said, "That's fine," and allowed me to come. However, the reason I wear a jacket is not for fashion or to show authority, but for practical reasons, such as to carry valuables on my body or to wear work clothes that I don't mind getting dirty with chalk.
In fact, at this time, the author had a memory in his mind of a time when he had gone to the main dining room on the second floor. It was around February 1995, a little after the restaurant opened in the fall of 1994. Moreover, at that time it was not "Joel Robuchon" but "Taillevent Robuchon". As a highlight of the opening of Garden Place, it was a much-touted collaboration between the service of the long-established three-star Paris restaurant "Taillevent" and the cuisine of "Robuchon", the world's first "six-star". "Taillevent" is owned by Jean-Claude Vrinat, who used to work in the service industry, and the restaurant also had a wine shop called "Cave de Taillevent" in the basement. Anyway, I couldn't get a reservation, and finally, after the new year, a vacancy opened and I went. At that time, there was a bit of an incident with the dress code "wearing a jacket".
I wondered if "tables" also required "jackets". I checked the website and found that the second floor had a notice saying "Male guests are requested to wear a jacket or collared shirt", and the "tables" downstairs had the same notice. So, the wine party organizers had decided that "jackets are required" to make it a formal banquet. This is bad. As expected, I finished my lecture early and rushed over by taxi to a crowd of well-dressed people. I quickly took my seat and found a gentleman in a smart suit sitting next to me, in stark contrast to my tattered jacket. I thought he must be a regular customer, so I asked him all sorts of questions, even though it was my first time attending and I didn't know what to expect. And that gentleman turned out to be Mr. Shimada.
By the way, a quarter century ago, the main dining room on the second floor where I visited really required "wearing a jacket." In other words, "wearing a collared shirt," which is now permitted, was not allowed. And that's when the incident happened. That day, I was accompanied by a former student. At the time, I had just started to study wine seriously, and by coincidence, the student was also studying wine, and we would always go out drinking wine together after lectures, and it was a dinner to celebrate his birthday. I had heard that "jackets were required," so I made sure to warn him, but when he showed up, he was wearing a stylish white dress shirt. It was a brand name shirt that he had bought just for that day. Of course, it had a collar. Meanwhile, I was being edgy at the time, so I thought it would be okay to wear a jacket, and went wearing a leopard-print jacket by Gaultier. And so, it ended tragically. At the cloakroom, he was stopped and made to wear the inappropriate and dull jacket prepared by the restaurant. The shirt he had so kindly received was hidden. On the other hand, of course, I was not reprimanded. However, the maître d' looked clearly suspicious. Speaking of him, I couldn't find a target for his anger, so it became a rather awkward high-class dinner.
This rigidity seems to have disappeared now. Moreover, L'Atelier in Hills does not have a written dress code like Ebisu. L'Atelier is a restaurant with a counter-style interior inspired by sushi restaurants, as Robuchon, who was a Japanophile, had been known for. As you can see from the fact that both Paris restaurants are called L'Atelier, this style is now the standard at Robuchon. When I travel to Taipei, I often go to L'Atelier. There are still not many French restaurants in Taipei, and L'Atelier is the only one with a Michelin star. Well, it's a casual place, and everyone has lunch in polo shirts and casual clothes. Some people dress up, though. Of course, the prices are impressive.
Looking at it this way, the conclusion is that rather than whether or not to wear a jacket, it is expected that a grand maison should be dressed appropriately. If that is the case, then he was not wrong 25 years ago. Well, this may be self-evident to those who read this series. Still, paradoxically, I recommend wearing a jacket. This is because, at a grand maison, the bill is paid at the table, so it is not smart to fumble around in your bag or take your wallet out of your back pocket when paying. Of course, this does not apply to men who always have someone else pay and never have to pay themselves. I envy them.

This month's recommended wine: Red wines that go well with game

"Pommard Les Perrieres 2015 Domaine Sebastien Magnen" 7,200 yen (excluding tax)

The end of the game season is fast approaching. Although it is difficult to eat out due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I think many people are enjoying "home game" by ordering food these days. When it comes to wines that go well with game, it is better to choose something with a bit of "character". In Bordeaux, it is better to choose a right-bank Pomerol rather than the classic Médoc. In the Cote d'Or, it is better to choose a red from Beaune rather than Nuits. I recommend a wine from the village of Pommard. For Burgundy, it has strong tannins and is very drinkable. It does not lose out to the individuality of the meat. The wine I will introduce this time also has the name of the vineyard clearly stated, so it has a higher taste. Moreover, the 2015 vintage is good, so it is delicious to drink now, and you can still let it sit for a while. The winemaker, Sebastien Magnen, is the fourth generation owner of the Domaine in Meursault. Born in 1981, he is recognized as a promising young winemaker by many European and American wine magazines. Please note that this is a direct sale from an importer who mainly wholesales to restaurants, so there is a possibility that it may be sold out or the vintage may change. Like the previous champagne, this is a wine that is not generally available, so please take advantage of this opportunity.

To purchase, please visit the AVICO online store here

Biography
Osamu Seki Born in Tokyo in 1961. Currently a part-time lecturer at Meiji University and other institutions.
He specializes in contemporary French thought and cultural theory, and is a director of the Reefer Wine Association.
His books include "An Introduction to Beautiful Men" (Natsume Shobo) and "My Neighbor is Arashi-kun" (Cyzo), and his translations include "How Should We Read Foucault?" by Oksara (Shinsensha) and "Mr. Pydrow, What Use Is a Gastronomic Critic?" by Pydrowski (Shinsensha).
Seki Osamu FACE BOOK
Seki Osamu Official Website

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