Italian lessons at home

Italian cooking is my passion. So on my off days, when I was working in La Luna Rossa in Tokyo’s Nakameguro neighbourhood, I would make an effort to visit new Italian restaurants or catch up with my friends cooking la cucina italiana in Tokyo.

One of my favourite Italian restaurants is Incanto, located in Tengenji district. The chef, Noriyuki Koike, and I are great friends, and whenever we meet, we will drink and chat till the wee hours of the morning, talking about Italian cuisine or the demands of today’s customers. Koike is a fan of traditional Italian food, and his menu changes regularly, so you could be dining on Tuscany food this month, and one based on the Southern Italian region the next. He is very well known for his excellent pasta dishes, such as semolina gnocchetti with crayfish and fresh tomato. Incanto also has a cellar with more than 500 Italian wines.

Another place I frequent is Ostu, a one Michelin-starred, 20-seater establishment tucked in a quiet corner of Yoyogi neighbourhood, which is sprinkled with cafés and bars. Ostu’s chef, Masato Miyane, and I used to work in Antonio, a renowned Italian stalwart—it was first established in 1944 in Kobe—in Aoyama district. We also spent several years working together in Piedmont. Miyane is a big fan of Piedmont cuisine, and most locals make a beeline for his restaurant when they want to enjoy authentic Piedmontese food. Some of his specialities include Braised Rabbit Tajarin, and Bonet, a delicious Piedmontese chocolate pudding.