昨年11月、ミシュラン星授賞式の模様がYouTubeでオンライン配信された。
世界中の飲食関係者がこの瞬間を見届けていた。
開業までの道のりを知っている友人シェフの名前が呼ばれると、
まさに母親の気持ちで感極まってしまう。
そんななか、一つ星から二つ星に格上げ授賞したにも関わらず、
シェフの姿が見受けられないお店があった。
ニューヨークではもうすっかり食通の定位置を獲得している「odo」。
シェフ大堂浩樹氏が、精進料理「嘉日」から独立して2018年に開業、
すぐにミシュラン星を獲得して以来ずっと、予約の取れない店に。
二つ星獲得を聞いて、すぐにお祝いのメッセージを送ったけれど、
大堂氏から返信が来たのは翌朝になってから。
彼は普段と変わらずに、黙々と店に立って、お客様に料理を提供していた。
人気の継続は、シェフの努力の継続の賜物なのだと、改めて思う。
「勝って兜の緒を締める」彼の姿勢に、改めて敬服した。
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「odo」に併設する「HALL」「 SUSHI MUSE 」「THE GALLERY」に続き、
シェフズカウンターの奥にひっそり開業したのが「odo LOUNGE」。
日本酒バーに合う和食を提供するというコンセプト、まさに隠れ家。
この日ご一緒したのは、ビリギャルさやかちゃん。
コロンビア教育大学院に留学して、あっという間に最終学期だという。
親子ほど歳の離れた友人だけれど、彼女から学ぶことは多すぎて、
いつまでも、いつまでも、話題が尽きない。
また次の密会を、楽しみにしています。
Last November, the Michelin star award ceremony was streamed online on YouTube.
Food and beverage professionals from around the world witnessed the moment.
When the name of a chef friend, whom I knew the path to opening a restaurant, was called, I was so glad, as if I was a mom.
Although the restaurant had been upgraded from one star to two stars, the chef Odo was nowhere to be seen; everybody was surprised.
In New York, "odo" has already earned a permanent place in the hearts of food connoisseurs.
Chef Hiroki Odo opened the restaurant in 2018 after becoming independent from the vegetarian restaurant "Kajitsu."
It soon earned a Michelin star; ever since it has been a restaurant where reservations are hard to come by.
I sent him a congratulatory message as soon as I heard about the two-star award, though,
But it was not until the following day that I received a reply from Mr. Odo.
He stood silently at the restaurant, serving food to customers, just as he usually does.
Once again, I am reminded that continued popularity results from the chef's continued efforts.
I admired him again for his attitude: "You must keep up your guard even after a victory."
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Following the "HALL," "SUSHI MUSE," and "THE GALLERY" attached to "odo," "odo LOUNGE" has quietly opened behind the chef's counter.
The concept is to serve Japanese food that goes well with Japanese spirits and is genuinely a hideout.
The person I went out to that day was Ms. Sayaka Kobayashi, known as "Biri-Gal."
She is studying abroad at Columbia Graduate School of Education in her last semester.
Although she is as young as a parent and a child, I have learned so much from her,
We never run out of things to talk about, forever and ever.
I am looking forward to our next hangout.
