私達の使命
日本人のお客様がくつろげる
日本の家になること。
そして 全てのお客様を安価で、
満足のいく、楽しい食事でもてなすこと。
1992年に開店しました東京ダイナーの原点は、1987年に幸か不幸か日本語のクラスを受講し始め、その2年後に訪れた日本滞在経験にあります。と言いますのも、当時ロンドンには高級懐石料理店しか存在していませんでしたので、私の日本料理に関する認識もそれを基準としていたのです。
つまり、芸術品のような料理を物静かに口に運ぶ、儀式のような食事が日本では日常的であると思っていたのです。ところが、実際の日本の姿は驚くほど私の想像と異なっていました。当然、高級な料理も食文化の頂点として存在していたのですが、一方では、大衆的で気取りのない料理が人々の日常生活の本流として存在していたのです。
さて、こうした日本の本当の姿を見て来た私は、ここロンドンであの日本を是非とも再体験したいと願うようになりました。その結果、「日常的な」日本料理への思いが募る一方、｢日本にあるような普通の料理店をロンドンに作ればきっと成功するだろう｣というひらめきへとつながって行ったのです。結果的に私のこのひらめきは正しく、東京ダイナーは開店後一ヶ月で黒字に転換し、現在でも安定した営業を続けています。
ところで、流行り廃りの激しいロンドンの飲食業界でのこうした成功は、当然私にある種の達成感をもたらしました。しかし、これにより私が本当に目指すものが達成されたわけではありません。
私が本当に目指すものとは、
①「料理を通じて英国、及び欧州の人々に正しい日本の姿を伝える事」
②「日本文化と西欧文化の交流が行われる環境を職場に作り上げる事」
であります。
この二点に関して言えば、終わりが無い目標でもあり、今後もその更なる実現に向け努力して行かねばならないでしょう。
代表取締役社長 ･ リチャード･ヒルズ
Tokyo Diner’s History
In 1987, when I started Japanese evening classes (more or less by accident), I only thought I’d do them for a couple of months. I felt the whole subject was very interesting, but far too complicated for me to get involved with. Little did I know how Japan would captivate me: its culture is fascinating and beguiling, its language is as rewarding as it is challenging, and its people are charming, warm and enthusiastic. Their encouragement got me over the hardest part of learning the language. After two years, I was ready to go to Japan, where I spent a couple of months having the trip of a lifetime.
During those two years, I used to go to all the Japanese restaurants in London. They were impressive, but they left a lot to be desired. The food was presented very artistically, but it did not really fill you up. The interior design and the atmosphere of those places was like going into the temple of some unknown religion: the hushed reverence made you feel ill at ease and you never knew if you were about to do something terribly embarrassing. When the bill arrived, you were left in no doubt that you had paid a sacrifice at the high altar of Japanese cuisine! Before my first trip to Japan, I remember thinking to myself, “Will I be able to put up with Japanese food every day?”
But the real Japan was so different! When I arrived, I found that Japanese people are very positive about enjoying life; in particular, they are passionate about food. They often eat out three or four times a week, so there is an abundance of different types of restaurant. There were a few restaurants like the ones I had seen in London, but these were a tiny minority. Most places offered delicious, satisfying, ‘ordinary’ food at sensible prices. They were warm and friendly. Above all, they were fun. Mealtimes became the highlights of every day.
When I returned to London, I found that I hankered after the Japanese experience, so I went back to all my favourite Japanese restaurants here. But having known the delights of cheap, cheerful eateries in Japan, I was no longer willing to spend so much money on a miserable imitation! So, when the launderette below my small flat in Soho became vacant, I jumped at the opportunity to turn the whole building into what has now become Tokyo Diner. We opened in 1992 and it seems that my conviction proved right, because we went into profit within the first month of trading and, despite numerous competitors opening (and closing), we have never been short of customers. We usually serve about 300 meals per day, but our record is over 550.
Richard Hills
Owner.