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Born in Kanagawa in 1948. At the age of 23 Ishinabe
moved to France to refine his cooking skills and sensibility at some
of the country's best restaurants: Maxim, Vivaroa, Mulan de Mujeun and
Orvergue de Vert Bis. Back in Japan in 1982, he employed his prodigious
experience with and knowledge of French food at his own restaurant Queen
Alice in Nishi Azabu, Tokyo. Ishinabe's encyclopedic knowledge of French
cuisine extends beyond food and cooking to tableware and interior. As
a result, each visit to Queen Alice is likely to reveal a new experience.
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How did you get started in the rarified
world of French cuisine? |
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When I was a junior high school student,
I fancied myself as a tough guy. I skipped class all the time and
made money by buying cigarettes and whiskey on a U.S. military base
and reselling them on the black market. Usually Ifd spend my earnings
at high-class restaurants. That whetted my appetite and when I was
15 I had a chance to do a little cooking at a little French restaurant.
I got complimented for a dish I made and, well, that was the start.
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Ifve heard that you have studied Japanese
cuisine as well as French. |
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Yes, thatfs right. In Japanese cuisine
the ingredients change gradually according to the season. Although
the basic dishes and method of cooking donft change, therefs nonetheless
a freshness to the cuisine that makes cooking it satisfying. From
Japanese cooking I have learned the importance of the turn of seasons
and the natural local climate. I believe French cuisine should be
similarly influenced. Whether youfre in France or in Japan, the
environment should come into play. It should affect the amount of
fat you use, and it should steer you to use certain flavors. I think
itfs fair to say that my style of French cuisine takes into account
these unique Japanese influences. |
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