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A Miracle in Courses
March 22, 2012
The epicurean art of kaiseki is finding new forms in Tokyo
In a land without ostentation, a meal of a lifetime should follow suit: strict in its sourcing, formal in its structure and jaw dropping in its execution. Perhaps nothing is quite as stunningly Japanese as the dozen-odd courses known as "kaiseki." (Photographs by Tetsuya Miura) Taking its name from the words “bosom” and “stone” — as monks in training would tuck a heated rock into their robes to comfort stomach pangs — kaiseki originated in the 16th century as small accompaniments to green tea. While traditional kaiseki houses abound, at Hinokizaka in The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo, the chefs have a different story to tell, thoroughly Japanese in its precision, its elegance, its shun, but with an eye to a larger world. The trick to deepen the flavor of raw lobster? Chefs rinse the meat with ice water after removing it from the shell, intensify the crustacean’s "umami," what’s known as the elusive savory “fifth taste.” Japanese chefs apprentice for years to devote their craft to the most minute of subgenres — cooking only the breaded cutlets known as “tonkatsu,” or mastering the dangerous art of safely preparing “fugu” (poisonous blowfish). For diners, kaiseki can induce a state of Zen. The feeling lingers through dessert, which can range from a bright and comforting lemon yogurt pudding to a simple bowl of "matcha," or whipped green tea. A master chef’s toolkit: finely sharpened knives, each with a specific purpose.
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