Traveling north from Kyoto’s vibrant entertainment district via National Route 365 places you at the doorstep of a French restaurant. This is la bûche, operated by Ohara native Chef Shohei Mori and his wife. It made its debut appearance in the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka 2024, released on April 9, 2024, with One MICHELIN Star. It was also selected for the MICHELIN Green Star, an annual award that highlights restaurants at the forefront of the industry for their sustainable practices.
Having also trained in France, Chef Mori opened this restaurant in his hometown, recalling the pride French chefs express in their country’s regions. He speaks with unfading delight about winning these awards, saying ‘So many people, including my customers, made it possible for me to receive One MICHELIN Star and the MICHELIN Green Star. I was surprised by this incredible honour, but I felt relieved to have been able to return the favour somewhat.’
A Place to Showcase Everything He Has Learned
As the restaurant name ‘la bûche’ (‘wooden log’ in French) indicates, ingredients here are prepared over a wooden fire. Chef Mori fell in love with this cooking method during his training. He says that the great thing about cooking over a wooden fire is that just the right amount of heat can be used for each ingredient. For example, watercress is coated with oil and heated for only a brief moment. Do this, and the flavour of the watercress will spread through your mouth when you taste it together with the flavourful oil. Chicken is cooked slowly at a distance from the fire. Lean meat like venison is cooked over the fire until about 70% done before then being finished flavourfully on a grill. The sense of searing, grilling and smoking can all be achieved in this way.
Valuing Terroir
The restaurant uses only fruits and vegetables harvested in Ohara, as well as deer or wild boar purchased from local hunters. The menu is created each morning after seeing what vegetables are available at the local vegetable market. Chef Mori says that the challenge posed by the periods between seasons—when a wide variety of vegetables isn’t guaranteed—to be rewarding. The savoy spinach was particularly impressive this winter. It was grilled slowly at a distance from the flame for about 20 minutes, with the flame just barely lit. Boiled once, the inside was pleasantly fresh while the outside offered a delightful flavour and texture—creating a dish that rivals the main dish.
Chef Mori also wants to carefully consider his ingredients and producers. He notes that long ago, it wasn’t easy to know everything about production areas, hunting grounds or producers, but now traceability (understanding the path from production to consumption) is improving and becoming segmentalized. He says, ‘We are now using Ohara ingredients, but our concept for the future is creating cuisine deeply rooted in the local environment, such as cuisine from more specific areas of Ohara. There are many thoughts that come to mind as I walk around this area, and I am inspired every day and in every moment.’
Sharing and Preserving the Best Aspects of Ohara
‘I would like to bring new energy and interest to Ohara in the future. But of course, many locals also appreciate Ohara as a calm and relaxing place. So, I want to ensure that my approach and actions are well balanced in order to bring more people to this area while also maintaining the calm and peaceful atmosphere.’
