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Why Tokyo's New Fish Market Retains The Same Allure For Top Chefs
19 Feb 2021
For many foodies, top of the to-do list when visiting a new destination is to head to the local markets, the fast-track route to the beating heart of any city.
For visitors to Tokyo, up until 2018, along with walking the iconic Shibuya Crossing and wandering through the quirky back streets of Harajuku, the electrifying Tsukiji fish market remained a must-see. It worked particularly well for the jetlagged tourist, waking up confused in the middle of the night, eager for some restorative seafood goodness before sunrise.
Once the world’s largest seafood markets and home of the world-famous tuna auctions, Tsukiji has recently relocated a short hop south-east along the Sumida River, to a new site in Toyosu. Toyosu Shijō, to give the official title, also manages a wholesale market of fresh fruits and vegetables but it is the other two vast buildings that tourists and traders alike flock to. Amongst them is Mr Tadaaki Nomura, Sushi Chef at Hinokizaka at The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo, since 2007 - and he’s an early riser: “I normally visit Toyosu fish market about three times a month around 7.00am. In order to procure the best produce, I often visit various vendors to build a good relationship with experienced traders.”
But let’s take a step back. This is much more than a simple shopping expedition and it’s the reason why Nomura-san sends himself rather than anyone else from the restaurant. There is an enormous responsibility that comes with the territory of Sushi Chef because the success of the dining experience at Hinokizaka later in the day begins here with the knowledge, understanding and decisions being made at Toyosu.
In fact, Nomura-san’s purchasing choices have been more than a decade in the making. Accelerated learning of such a culinary art form just isn’t possible, as he goes on to explain: “In my time, it was said that ten years of training is a must to become a sushi chef. I rarely had a chance to make any sushi at the beginning. The main activities are food delivery, washing dishes, cleaning the restaurant. Then I learned how to clean and prepare fish for sushi, and I started to make roll style sushi. When I am able to make a perfect roll sushi, then they allow me to practice making rice balls for sushi with boiled shrimp and then other raw fish. The tuna sushi is the final learning step.”
A large number of visitors to Tokyo expect to experience the majesty of the mighty tuna that is sold daily at Toyosu. This is where the relationship between chef and trader is critical to the quality of the final tuna dishes served back at Hinokizaka. Chef Nomura continues: “The points to choose tuna are the types and amounts of fats, where they come from, domestic or overseas, the size of the fish. I normally consult with an experienced tuna trader for the type of tuna I want to source to find the best. Tuna is already aged to be ready to serve by the supplier, so I use them as soon as it is delivered to Hinokizaka.”
Jeremy Evrard, Director of Food and Beverage carries a wealth of global dining experience from across Asia as well as from Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris. His focus on ingredient quality is rooted in French gastronomy but he agrees with Nomura-san when it comes to sourcing in Japan: “Toyosu market is the best fish market in the world. France is renowned for its gastronomy. As a result, the French are always looking for the freshest products: fruits and vegetables, local produce and flowers. Japan offers some of the best produce in the world and offers its seasonality as well. Japan is a rich culinary country.”
Toyosu may have replaced the historic Tsukiji but it has not compromised on the quality and all-important respect for ingredients. All of the stunning Michelin-starred plates served at Hinokizaka are a testimony to this and the Japanese obsession with crafting the absolute finest.
