Katsuki Sakurai, a ‘Soba’ Master in Paris
His restaurant Yen offers buckwheat noodles that are made on the premises thanks to the expertise of his teams.
© Aiste Miseviciute
Originally from Tokyo, soba master Katsuki Sakurai always wanted to live abroad. When the ready-to-wear company he was working for offered for him to move to Paris, he did not hesitate for a second.
To master the complex art of making soba, he spent a year working alongside the best master in Japan, Takahashi Kunihiro, as an apprentice in Kyushu. He then headed to Paris, where he has been the head chef at restaurant Yen for almost 20 years.
Buckwheat and water as the only ingredients
While the process for making soba might appear quite simple at first sight, it demands real technique and expertise. Water and buckwheat are the only ingredients used to make soba noodles; thus, their quality is essential. For his Yen restaurants in Paris and London, Katsuki Sakurai imports buckwheat from Japan, before mixing it with water and cutting the soba every day.
The speed at which the noodles are cut is also a crucial factor. The best soba will never be too dry, will always be perfectly al dente, and will possess the beautiful flavour of buckwheat.
More information about Yen can be found on the restaurant’s website.
© Aiste Miseviciute
© Aiste Miseviciute
© Aiste Miseviciute
© Aiste Miseviciute
TRENDING
-
Recipe for Ichiraku Ramen from ‘Naruto’ by Danielle Baghernejad
Taken from the popular manga with the character of the same name who loves ramen, this dish is named after the hero's favourite restaurant.
-
Exploration of the Intimate in ‘The Sound of Water’ Available for Online Viewing
This film by J.B. Braud lays bare the deepest emotions, through the prism of betrayal, escape, and redemption.
-
The Tattoos that Marked the Criminals of the Edo Period
Traditional tattoos were strong signifiers; murderers had head tattoos, while theft might result in an arm tattoo.
-
Colour Photos of Yakuza Tattoos from the Meiji Period
19th-century photographs have captured the usually hidden tattoos that covered the bodies of the members of Japanese organised crime gangs.
-
Kungyokudo, Tokyo’s Chicest Incense
The oldest incense supplier in Japan, established in Kyoto in 1594, offers customers in Tokyo the chance to take away a scented sachet.