Katsuki Sakurai, a ‘Soba’ Master in Paris

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.