In the third of a 4-part video series co-produced by the MICHELIN Guide and Audi Japan, Kotaro Noda of modern Italian restaurant FARO talks about creating new things through combining sensibilities and taking away rather than adding — and how this is similarly reflected in an Audi e-tron GT
Chuo-dori runs down the centre of Tokyo’s Ginza, a district lined with exclusive boutiques and shops with pedigrees spanning generations. The Tokyo Ginza Shiseido Building stands on the site of Japan’s first Western-style dispensing pharmacy. Take the lift to the 10th floor and an elegant, high-ceilinged space spreads out before you, allowing you to forget the noise and bustle of the street below.
‘My goal is to interpret the traditions and ingredients of Japan through the prism of Italian cooking techniques and history’, explains Kotaro Noda, Executive Chef of FARO. Deeply ingrained in the chef’s culinary inspiration is his firm commitment to meet producers face-to-face and work with those who share his approach.
‘I’m often asked where I get my menu ideas from. The answer is communication with producers and traditional artisans, observes Chef Noda. ‘I also value opportunities to familiarise myself with beautiful things, like works of art or beautiful cars like the Audi e-tron GT. I visit producing regions so I can feel through my skin, as it were, the foods of the region, its dishes and cookware, its art. That way, the moment I open a box of ingredients in the kitchen, the memory of the place floods back to me through all five senses.’
A MICHELIN Green Star chef, Noda is a tireless worker on environmental issues. His passion began with the birth of his child. Believing that the world would one day go hungry if it didn’t get a grip on food loss and environmental degradation, Chef Noda debuted vegan set menus that could reduce the environmental impact of dining. Originally these menus were ordered mostly by vegans, but more recently non-vegan/vegetarian diners increasingly request them. Eventually Chef Noda hopes to establish vegan cuisine as a genre in its own right, like Yakitori and Sushi. If everyone in the world chose to eat vegan one day of the month, the chef reckons, that alone would be enough to save the planet.
A car is made from tens of thousands of types of parts, with many people involved in the creation of each one. Tyres are no exception. Audi’s car production brings together the skills of numerous artisans. Similarly, Chef Noda partners with many producers to find the finest ingredients, as a way, to share his interpretation of Japanese culture with the world.
The sheer power and edge-of-the-seat excitement of the Audi e-tron GT belie its status as an electric vehicle. Though their respective genres could not be more different, the stunning yet eco-friendly Audi e-tron GT and the refined vegan cuisine of Kotaro Noda have their sights set on the same future.
