Culinary Arts | KYOTO
His mother was often in poor health, and from the time he was nine, he cooked for his mother and older brother. While the young Tanigawa had meager resources with which to make a bento lunchbox, he had pride and a wish to ensure neither he nor his brother appeared poor at school. Over a weed fire, he experimented and perfected techniques of adding water and flour to eggs to make his bento box appear to be overflowing, unmatched in the school lunchroom. Tanigawa’s ambition and inventive spirit began to develop.
Change of Plans
Since junior high school, Tanigawa had intended to become a primary school teacher. At this time, Japan began to change socially and culturally, and Tanigawa sensed that many people would lose their way. He wanted to be a teacher so that he could lead children in the right direction and help them find their own paths.
His mind set on attending a high school known for producing excellent teachers, Tanigawa was dismayed to be denied entrance. Since this was the only school that he wanted to attend, Tanigawa was crushed and decided to forego high school altogether.
Arrival in Kyoto, Entering the Culinary World
At age 15, Tanigawa arrived in Kyoto. His older brother was working at a sushi restaurant in the city and arranged work at an average restaurant for the younger Tanigawa. However, even at a young age, Tanigawa knew that he was ambitious and always desired mastering what he learned, and he rapidly worked his way up. In several years, Tanigawa was working in one of Gion’s finest restaurants under renowned master chef Toraichi Takibata.
Learned from the Master: Sunao
While under Takibata’s instruction, Tanigawa mastered the other traditional arts related to cuisine: flower arrangement, the tea ceremony and calligraphy. From his master, Tanigawa learned the importance of integrity and straightforwardness towards his cuisine, the customer and himself.
Kyoto Kaiseki Restaurant: Kichisen
At age 31, Tanigawa built his own restaurant, Kichisen, on Shimogamo Hondori Street, on the south-west side of Shimogamo Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site older than Kyoto. At his restaurant, Tanigawa practices a sunao traditional
Eyes in | 27
Kyoto cuisine. Though difficult to translate literally into English, some applicable meanings are: gentle, mild, obedient, and frank. As translated, the word cannot encompass all that Chef Tanigawa’s simply beautiful, pure flavors of Kyoto brilliance capture at his Kichisen restaurant. One must taste the beauty to truly experience the Kyo-ryori.
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