Without hesitation, I aimed to become a Chinese cuisine chef, and since then I have been asking myself questions every day.

Always pause for a moment before speaking. Hiroyuki Shinohara, the chef at ShinoiS, speaks in a way that carefully spins each word as if he is checking himself. In November 2019, he opened a small Chinese restaurant with 11 seats in Shirokanedai. At first glance, he may seem like a difficult person, but what he tells me is about his 11 years of exploration and challenge, and it makes you think that he would not have been able to make it this far unless he had a passionate heart. It was something.

``Ever since I was in kindergarten, I had a fascination with Chinese restaurants that my family could enjoy.During the summer vacation of my third year of high school, I went on a trip overseas by myself to expand my horizons.My destination was Hong Kong.I spent a week immersed in food. After spending time there, I realized that Cantonese cuisine was the path I wanted to take, so after graduating, I went to culinary school without hesitation.'' However, this is the only point where Chef Shinohara has no hesitation. She gained work experience in the kitchen of a famous restaurant, and then moved on to a high-end Chinese restaurant with a large number of seats in Akasaka, Tokyo. Since then, she has honed her skills at all kinds of restaurants, including privately run Chinese restaurants, restaurants inside mega hotels, and popular restaurants in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Looking back on those days, he says, ``My cooking skills may have certainly improved, but there were also days when I was frustrated by the reality that was emerging.''

Why is there no crossover Chinese cuisine?

This is not limited to Chinese cuisine, but running a restaurant may seem simple, but it is difficult. The general public imagines an easy-to-understand relationship between supply and demand, ``chef and customer,'' but in reality, the chef is surrounded by a variety of complicated relationships, including the owner, sommelier, manager, and, above all, customers. There are times when there are. In Chef Shinohara's case, the source of his troubles was not his interpersonal relationships, but the restrictions on his cooking that he could not escape as long as he was employed.

“Things may be different now, but I have always felt that I am not the most satisfied with the food I make. Even though I was a chef, I was given strict instructions, and even though I thought it was unnecessary, I was asked to enhance the flavor, but even though I was doing well, I felt like my cooking lacked individuality. I couldn't get rid of that vague feeling. I kept thinking about what was different and why I wasn't satisfied, and then I realized that I wanted to try something new." The answer that Chef Shinohara found was the creation of a new cross-over cuisine. Taking French cuisine as an example, it is now not uncommon to find innovative ideas such as sometimes using Japanese seasonings or incorporating Italian techniques. But with Chinese food, it's different. "For example, Cantonese cuisine and Sichuan cuisine will never intersect. But I thought, why not? When I decided that I wanted to create Chinese cuisine that incorporates various essences, I felt like the fog finally cleared."

The dishes at ShinoiS have an innovative message while retaining the aroma of traditional Chinese cuisine, and each dish leaves an impression of the flavor of the ingredients rather than the seasoning. The future is likely to change depending on how the new interpretation of Chinese cuisine that Chef Shinohara, who has finally relaxed, is still thinking about and perfects, will be evaluated in the future.

Hiroyuki Shinohara HIROYUKI SHINOHARA　

Born in 1981. After graduating from culinary school, he trained at Akasaka Riku Honten, Hei Fung Terrace (Peninsula Tokyo), and Rouhou Toi, before gaining experience in Hong Kong. After returning to Japan, he became the head chef of ``Seafood Meisai Komiya''. Afterwards, he returned to Japan after honing his skills overseas. “ShinoiS” opened in 2019.

ShinoiS
2nd floor, bld Sakuranamiki, 4-2-7 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Phone number: Not listed (reservations can be made from the reservation site OMAKASE)
Enter the store from 17:00 to 21:00
Irregular
Dinner “Seasonal Omakase (including dried abalone)” 28,000 yen (both tax and service charge excluded)
*Prices may change depending on seasonal ingredients.

Premium X A new generation of chefs promoting Japanese food for the future
The Japanese food and beverage industry is dominated by excellent restaurants, including not only Japanese cuisine but also French, Italian, and Chinese cuisine. However, if you look deeper than that, you will see that a new generation has sprouted that will carry the future of Japan's food on their shoulders, and they are showing remarkable success. The "Premium Japan" editorial department selected 12 chefs who face food beyond all boundaries. I asked him what vector he was aiming for.

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