Minna no Shokudo" - Authentic French cuisine prepared by professional chefs｜Terminals Ibaraki

Minna no Shokudo" was held for the first time in a year. This year's event was held at one social apartment in the Kanto region and one in the Kansai region, each with two different chefs. This time, one social apartment in the Kanto region and one in the Kansai region were selected to host the event, and two different chefs were invited to each.

Minna no Shokudo" is an event in which chefs are invited to the common kitchen of a social apartment to share a meal with tenants who have gathered from social apartments in various areas, based on the concept of "sharing the same dining table with everyone across the boundaries of the property.

The reason for this is that in the common areas of Social Apartment, such as the kitchen and dining room, residents greet each other with a "Nice to meet you" or casually exchange a conversation with each other, asking "How are you? and "How are you doing?" and casually engage in conversation to deepen their friendship. In such an "everyday" space, if we can cook a delicious meal together, conversation with new friends will naturally and casually start, regardless of whether it is the first time to meet or not. It is with these thoughts and expectations that we hold "Minna no Shokudo" on a regular basis.

This article introduces the "Minna no Shokudo" held at "Terminals Ibaraki" in Kansai on November 9!

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Chef de Cuisine of THE LIVELY KITCHEN Osaka Honmachi!

The chef we invited this time is Mr. Nishiura, head chef of the restaurant in our hotel ( THE LIVELY Osaka Honmachi ). Mr. Nishiura trained at restaurants in Kobe, Osaka, and France, and served as head chef at several French restaurants in Osaka, including La Chic, a modern French restaurant in Yodoyabashi, before becoming head chef at THE LIVELY KITCHEN Osaka-Honmachi in December 2019. His cuisine is, of course, French-based, striking a perfect balance between classic and modern, while taking advantage of seasonal ingredients nurtured by Japan's four seasons, and keeping in mind the life of the ingredients and the heart of the food.

He will use the sense and knowledge he has cultivated through his experience to convey the appeal of "casual French" cuisine at THE LIVELY Osaka-Honmachi, a place where French cuisine can be experienced more familiarly.

Mr. Nishiura's theme for this year's event is "French cuisine that creates both food and atmosphere in a single pot.

Many people may imagine French cuisine to be "prestigious, high-class food," but in fact it was influenced by Russian cuisine, which was served one plate at a time in the 19th century, and originally French food was cooked and finished in a single pot or pan, just like Italian food, and then placed on a platter at the table and eaten all together. The French style of cooking was the main style in France. Today, we will cook this original French dish together with the participants.

Hors d'oeuvres, main course, and dessert will be served in a luxurious full-course meal.

Looking at the "recipe of the day," the participants were excited about what they were about to cook. The participants ranged from those who enjoy cooking on a daily basis to those who specialize in eating! Just by looking at the menu, they were already saying things like "I'm hungry! I want to eat it already!

The main dish, "pot-au-feu" is a pot-au-feu containing processed pork.

It is heated slowly from water to maximize the flavor of the meat and vegetables. Pot-au-feu is a pork version of pot-au-feu (pot-au-feu is basically beef, while pot-au-feu refers to dishes using pork). Vegetables are boldly cut so that they can be cooked slowly with the processed pork. As the weather gets colder, the sugar content of the vegetables increases, and the key is to cook them simply to maximize their sweetness and flavor. Of course, you can use the broth and the cooked down vegetables after you are done eating them the next day, so you can kill two birds with one stone!

It is a rare opportunity to receive a lecture from a professional chef, isn't it? Everyone's eyes were very serious, and some were taking notes or recording videos. There was also a lecture on tips for future cooking, and many questions were flying around.

The chef asked the participants, "Are you sure you want to keep it this way?" Cabbage tends to fall apart easily, so it is important to tie it up with string!

I can't wait to see the finished product!

First attempt at making French pizza from dough

Tarte flambée is a French thin-crust pizza.

First, mix the dough together in a bowl. Everyone takes turns kneading the dough to get the ideal shape, which is the hardest part, but after all, the dough is the most important part of pizza!

It was a surprise to see everyone struggling with the unfamiliar task, but they were getting the hang of it and turning out the dough to the ideal state!

The finished dough was wrapped in plastic wrap and left to ferment, and next came the forming and topping. Fromage blanc (a cheese with a sour taste like yogurt) is used as the sauce, and sliced onions and bacon are sprinkled generously over the top.

Some of the participants had never met before, and some had never had a chance to talk to each other before, even though they live in the same building. Even so, a sense of unity was quickly created through cooking together. Cooking in particular is the best way to shorten the distance between people. I noticed that the atmosphere was friendly and enjoyable.

Mont Blanc made with "that" familiar item

The next team made Mont Blanc for dessert.

For those who are not familiar with making desserts, it may seem very difficult (I am one of them), but this time, Mont Blanc was made using "Ama Chestnut Peeled" and "Country Ma'am," which are commonly found in supermarkets and convenience stores!

There was a ruckus when a cream squeezing bag ran out? The main ingredient, Mont Blanc cream, was placed on top. The chefs were all very interested in the professional skills of the chefs.

I can do this too!" "Surprisingly easy! I can make pastries now, too! I can now make sweets too!

It may take a little time and effort, but it's nice to be able to make it with items close at hand, without having to buy ingredients from a specialty store! Depending on the decorations, it might be possible to apply it to Christmas cakes as well.

The taste is enhanced by the fact that it is "food made by everyone!

In addition to the menu prepared at the workshop, hors d'oeuvres were also prepared for the guests. Everyone put their favorite ingredients on the plates.

The drinks that are essential to accompany the dishes are also carefully selected.

To match the cuisine from the Alsace region located in the Far East of France, we offer wines from the same Alsace region. We also offer non-alcoholic wines for those who are not fond of alcohol. (Incidentally, this non-alcoholic wine is also served at THE LIVELY Osaka Honmachi. (Incidentally, this non-alcoholic wine is also served at THE LIVELY Osaka-Honmachi.) It tastes so delicious and authentic that it is hard to believe that it is non-alcoholic.

The wine is served with a delicious aroma.

The initial tension is gone. Smiles were exchanged as we savored the dishes we had prepared together. What kind of conversations did everyone have?

It was impressive to see the warmth and good distance that only a small group of people can create, and the natural exchange of ideas.

We were very grateful to receive many questions during the event, such as, "When will you hold the next event? We also received many positive comments such as, "I hope you will hold more Minna no Shokudo events," and "Let's make a world map of Minna no Shokudo by cooking dishes from all over the world.

We felt that food has such a power to bring people together, to share the joy and familiarity of "deliciousness," to get to know each other naturally, and to make people feel kind. I felt that food has such power.

This time, the event was held in the Kansai region, and tenants from all four social apartments in the Kansai region participated! Minna no Shokudo" is scheduled to be held regularly in the future. What kind of cooks and what kind of food will we be able to prepare and surround ourselves with next time? We look forward to seeing you all soon!

(Planning and writing by kida, photo by Hanafi)