[1st] Yoshihiro Imai's Bookshelf: Commemorating the Publication of "monk: Light and Shadow on the Philosopher's Path" (Phaidon)
Monk is a restaurant located on Kyoto's Philosopher's Path.
The dishes he serves are simple, made with ingredients carefully selected by his own eyes and cooked in a new kiln, but they appeal to all five senses and provide diners with a memorable experience.
By visiting the fields every day, I can feel the greatness of nature and the changing seasons.
All the beautiful things I see every day. Philosophy. Passion.
Mr. Imai will taste 15 books that influenced him and are the source of inspiration for his cooking, along with his own comments. (5 episodes in total)
[Book 1] The Kitchen as a Battlefield by Masao Saisu, published by Gentosha
How to be a chef, how to face your work, how to live honestly. This book was given to me by a senior gardener before I embarked on the path to becoming a chef, and it has supported me ever since. From my training days to the present, I have always kept it by my side, flipping through its pages and using Saisu's words as fuel to move forward. Among my fellow chefs who share a common bond, there are many who consider this book to be their bible. And it is a special book that I have always given to staff who have come to work under me over the past 10 years.
[Book 2] What does it mean to be delicious? by Nakahigashi Hisao, published by Gentosha Publishing
Nakahigashi Hisao of Kusakuri Nakahigashi is a legend of Kyoto's Japanese cuisine that focuses on wild plants. For this monk book, he has written a wonderful preface that is filled with his philosophy and passion. Nakahigashi's own book, which has such an essential title, is also imprinted with his experiences and processes of thought from his childhood to the present. Nakahigashi has forged his own unique path and continues to explore deeply. Even now, the sight of his back every morning in the fields of Ohara is a source of hope to me.
Sayoko Sugiyama, a Japanese confectioner of the same generation who lives in Kyoto, is the creator of Okashimaru. I was shocked by her book. I wondered if there was anyone who could express themselves so well in the world of food.
An incredible series of images, time and space, and even religious views are dispersed and crystallized within the small palm-sized shapes of Japanese sweets. The beautiful and clear words that accompany each sweet are also unique to Sugiyama. I don't know of any other food book that reaches this level.
【profile】
Culinary Concierge
Tanaka
[3rd book] What you see at that moment / Okashimaru Sayoko Sugiyama / torch press
An incredible series of images, time and space, and even religious views are dispersed and crystallized within the small palm-sized shapes of Japanese sweets. The beautiful and clear words that accompany each sweet are also unique to Sugiyama. I don't know of any other food book that reaches this level.
【profile】
Yoshihiro Imai
Born in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1982.
After working as a chef at Emboca Kyoto, he published a food photography book called "CIRCLE."
After that, he traveled and cooked as a freelance chef.
At the end of 2015, he opened his own shop, "monk," in Kyoto.
In 2021, he published "monk: Light and Shadow on the Philosopher's Path" through Phaidon.
Born in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1982.
After working as a chef at Emboca Kyoto, he published a food photography book called "CIRCLE."
After that, he traveled and cooked as a freelance chef.
At the end of 2015, he opened his own shop, "monk," in Kyoto.
In 2021, he published "monk: Light and Shadow on the Philosopher's Path" through Phaidon.
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[Related Fair] monk - "Simple flavors pursued" that appeal to the five senses
Culinary Concierge
Tanaka
