Specialty food stores & 4 reasons why they succeed!

As I wrestle my way through the small busy lanes which make up Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji Market and trek along the historical districts of Takayama, I realized one thing about the food businesses in Japan; They don’t try to ‘do-it-all’ instead they have mastered the art of specializing in a single product or a single concept.

A beef offal stew specialty store at Tsukiji Market

Two specialty stores really caught my eye; the first one was the exceedingly popular Inoue Ramen at Tsukiji Market, they served up the most affordable ramen noodles with heaps of fresh spring onions, bamboo shoots and a generous 4 slices of rolled pork!  The second speciality store was a little more obscure; Tucked away around a view-restricted corner in the small town of Takayama was a little kiosk selling Hida beef stew and grilled Hida beef tongue, for the uninitiated, Hida beef is right up there with Waygu and Kobe beef, but in my opinion is a little more artisanal because it’s a lot less commercialized.

Hida beef specialty store in Takayama

So I started thinking, what makes these speciality F&B businesses so successful and why is it so rampant in Japan?? Here are my 4 reasons.

1. Reduces customer risks and affects their decision process
   A specialty store greatly reduces the customers risk, he/she knows that the product being sold there is most probably a good one (also justifies why there’s a massive line outside each store at any one time) . So becoming a specialty store immediately transforms the staff in the business into experts in the field… and everyone trusts experts don’t they?
2. It’s easier to market and plan processes for just one product
   Planning the production process and inventory for a restaurant with multiple concepts can become a nightmare. Specialty stores have the advantage in managing inventory and managing expectations of supply and demand, less time consuming and less to do. It is also easier to focus on optimizing processes and marketing a specialty concept. 
3. Training procedures are lessened and less skilled workers are required
   The very nature of a specialized product means that production processes are also specialized and can be easily managed and replicated, this means less training requirement for new staff and a lower requirement for skilled workers, thus, reducing staff costs.
4. The Japanese have intense pride in their products
   The Japanese are so fervently proud of their product, from the way they choose raw materials to the handling of the final product. Their care for every production process can be felt in the final product and their level of skill which goes into the product resonates into the consumer. Adding value and providing the customer a sense of euphoria (to an extent).

Inoue Ramen store at Tsukiji Market

So should more and more business specialize instead of diversifying their skillsets into multiple concepts? I think so, I have always been a strong believer in specializing in a certain skillset and only expanding into other peripheral skills, it just makes business sense.

What do you think? 

Premium pasta vs Regular pasta - which is better?? (Rustichella d'Abruzzo vs San Remo spaghetti)

Rustichella spaghetti vs San Remo spaghetti

There has long been an age-old debate between the varying qualities of pastas on the market, aside from fresh pastas (which we will not be covering today), there are 2 main variations of dried pastas; Those which are extruded using a bronze die and those which go through a teflon coated die. The bronze cut method is the original extrusion method, this technique renders a rough consistency on the surface of the pasta and takes a longer time to process, and this also means it’s more expensive but in theory, should allow sauce to cling on easily. So the debate boils down to food cost, economical VS premium, does it really make a difference in pasta? 

We decided to put two prominent brands of pasta through 3 grueling tests to find out if there’s any real difference. It’s Rustichella d'Abruzzo vs San Remo – Let the battle begin!

The mouth-feel test – Testing texture
In this test we boiled the pastas in salted boiling water according to the directions as started on the packaging. We cooked the Rustichella pasta for 10 minutes and the San Remo pasta for 13 minutes. The objective was to reach the perfect al-dente stage, that’s when the texture is nice and springy on the outside and the center of the pasta is still a tad crisp. Overall both pastas performed well; with Rustichella just edging forward as the consistency from exterior to interior was just perfect!
Verdict – Winner: Rustichella d'Abruzzo

The wall test - Testing tradition
According to old grandmother cookery stories, in order to tell if the pasta is ready for its sauce, you need to throw it against a wall and if it sticks its ready to go. So we decided to throw both pastas against a wall and see if they stick…. Well… we found out that they both stick… so we ended up with 2 packs of pasta on my walls and a horrendous mess to clean up afterwards.
Verdict – Draw!! They both stick!

The sauce test – Consistency and taste
In our last test, we tossed the pastas with a simple beef ragu, plated it up and dug in. I discovered that the Rustichella pasta indeed does have a much better mouth feel that the San Remo pasta. Another point to add is that the Rustichella pasta, although cooked for a shorter time, swelled up more and that enabled some of the sauce to permeate flavours into the pasta. In terms of sauce stickage, it was not immediately noticeable, however over time, and with more and more agitation it was clearly apparent that the ragu enjoyed clinging to the rustichella pasta more.
Verdict – Winner: Rustichella d'Abruzzo

In conclusion, if you have some extra money to spend on groceries I strongly recommend buying premium pasta, although regular pastas come pretty close and do also taste superb (especially with perfect slow-cooked beef ragu), they just lack that extra dimension which can transform your meal from splendid to spectacular. 

Table-side presentation - Top 3 benefits and future food trends

I must admit when I started the restaurant, Platypus Test Kitchen, with my business partner. I had no idea that we would eventually serve soups table-side at such casual cafe. But I am so glad we jumped in and presented some of our soups in this manner.

My Leek,potato & crab bisque in action

The first soup I did ‘tableside’ for the restaurant was a very luxurious Leek, potato and crab bisque; I designed it such that my kitchen could prepare individual components separately, then when an order came in, they would quickly fry up a crab fritter, set it at the bottom of a bowl and top it with a small salad of micro coriander and chilled crab meat. Upon reaching the table, the server would then pour the creamy bisque into the bowl to encapsulate the fritter.

So why did we do it? Well, it just made business sense to serve it that way.

1. Components can be prepared individually - reducing food wastage increasing kitchen efficancy Certain components can be stored in the chiller, some can be frozen and some items, well namely salads, have to be prepared a-la-minute. Having that in mind, it makes no sense at all to prepare the entire dish at one shot; kitchen efficiency comes with the management of processes and streamlining the assembly of food.
2. Marketing and vial appeal of the action After introducing the leek, potato and crab bisque to the restaurant, there was, very quickly an increase in orders. Customers would be delighted by the experience of their soup being poured ‘table-side’ and they would tell their friends about out it. Granted, we did have alot of customers just ordering soups for about a week. However, this brought about new hype to the restaurant and new customer loyalty to the business.
3. It just looks pretty darn good I don’t know anyone who would dislike presentation in this manner, especially if it costs the same price as other similar dishes.

So there we have it, increased efficiency in the kitchen, a reduction in food wastage, great marketing potential all from introducing a table-side presented dish and it looks so impressive and good. What’s not to love?

The final presentation of the bisque

This is not just limited to soups; gravy's, sauces, foams and even a sprinkle of gremolata (combination of chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest)  at the table-side can instantly add flare to your meal! So table-side presentations are here and are here to stay!

What do you think of table-side presentations and what are some of your experiences with them?

Bermuda - Home to pink sand, exquisite waters, bermuda fish chowder and the perfect dark & stormy

It was four hours before my 10am flight to Bermuda from JFK airport, I woke up, dazed from entertaining clients just a few hours ago; the pizza we ordered from Stone Street just stood there, embedded in my stomach like a bronze boulder. That uneventful Saturday morning I almost didn’t jump onto Jetblue flight 1731, I almost didn’t experience a place so life-changing that I would eventually consider it the holy-grail of relaxation, I almost cancelled my trip to Bermuda; but instead I rolled out of bed, stuffed some clothes and a brown suit into a kaki-green duffle bag, took the elevator down 21 floors, gave a passing smile and a nod to my doorman Julio, then I jumped into a yellow cab and I was on my way.

Bermuda - Pictures don't lie; crystal clear waters, pastel houses and amazing people

A 2-hour flight later, I was in the land of pristine pink sandy beaches, immaculately clear waters and, best of all, the home of Bermuda fish chowder and Dark & Stormys (a cocktail) - I was blown away! Bermuda is perhaps one of the most beautiful places I had ever been to and I was kicking back at the Fairmount shortly after my arrival; chilling at the beach, sand in-between my feet and an icy-cold, perfectly prepared, Dark & Stormy in hand.

The proper color for a Dark & Stormy

Amidst the beautiful pastel colored colonial houses, the beautiful people on the hundreds of beaches sprawling across the island and lilac sunsets (not kidding), I did manage to find two culinary gems in Bermuda, which were, before my trip, unknown to me.  

Bermuda Fish Chowder

A chowder so potent with rum and sherry pepper sauce, you can almost describe it as happiness enveloped in seafood broth. The Bermuda fish chowder is essentially a chowder of white fish, some shellfish and then spiked with copious amounts of dark Bermudian rum and a swig of sherry pepper sauce (potent stuff). Although the recipe varies from restaurant to restaurant, the underlying characteristics of Sherry Pepper sauce really makes the entire dish and gives it a unique distinctive taste. I have tried recreating it with other brands of hot sauce, but the taste just pales in comparison to the original Outerbridge’s brand. 

Dark & Stormy (cocktail)

Often been described as Bermuda's National Drink (no wonder Bermudians are always happy) they are served in plastic cups on the beaches, the serving method really doesn’t do this drink any justice. It’s perfect for warm and humid weather. PERFECT for the weather we have in Singapore!!! The drink in itself is rather simple, a combination of Gosling’s Dark Rum, Ginger beer and a wedge of lime, but there’s something special about this combination. Maybe it was the pink sand or maybe I took one to many Dark & Stormys in Bermuda, but I have been drinking it ever since coming back and I predict I will be drinking it for many years to come.

Recipe for Nick’s Dark and stormy Serves 2 

120ml Gosling’s Bermuda black rum
240ml Bundaberg Ginger beer
2tsp lime juice
2 lime wedges, for garnish

Oh did I mention how beautiful the beaches in Bermuda are??? I would love to go back there, perhaps cookup a storm on the beach, hit back 3 or 4 drinks and just listen to the waves and the sound of silence before retiring to the hotel for the rest of the evening.

Have you been to Bermuda? Would you like to see Bermuda fish chowder and Dark & Stormys at a restaurant near you soon?

Ekiben (駅弁) (Railway boxed meal) - The new fast food for growing cities?

I was in Japan for two weeks in November and I had the opportunity to savour a whole load of different Ekibens (駅弁); Ekiben or Railway boxed meal are essentially bento boxes which are sold at train stations all over Tokyo. I was really amazed by the quality of these bento boxes; they were intricately designed with immaculate packaging and on the inside, the food was just picture-perfect. Some Ekibens also came with in-built heaters where at the pull of a string, hot steam would rush out heating the food contents.

Rich seafood Ekiben from Takayama and Kanazawa  

So I thought to myself could Ekibens be the future for to-go or takeaway cuisine in big and growing cities? They are extremely convenient, tasty and relatively affordable (averaging 800 – 1200yen). It is reasonable to assume that in bigger cities such as New York, Singapore, Shanghai and Sydney, there might be a sizable demand for these high-quality bento boxes. If so? Why is it so popular in Japan but not so much in other countries?

For the concept of Ekibens to work it all boils down to a number of factors:

• The availability of food delivery 24/7
  I lived in New York City for over 4 years so I can say this with some credibility, but in New York rather than buying a bento from the store I would find myself ordering delivery or picking up some pasta from the neighbourhood bodega. Granted I do purchase packets of sushi from time to time (usually from Dean&Deluca in SOHO), they, in no way come close to the level of perfection found in the Ekibens which I’d experienced during those long bullet train rides and even in my hotel room.
• Availability of cheap local food
  Now I live in Singapore and there is an abundance of cheap local food here. Would I pay SGD10 for a boxed meal when I can get a packet of chicken rice for SGD4.50? I doubt it, it’s not so much the culture of Singapore that does not permit there not being a market here, but rather it’s the high cost and the overall construct of the Ekiben which makes it feel like it should be eaten in a restaurant rather than at home or on the go. Maybe the majority of Singaporeans aren’t ready to pay the price for outstanding food at home? At who eats on the subways here!? It takes at most 3 minutes between stops and Singapore is really tiny.
• Train or traveling culture
  So that brings us to traveling culture; apart from in Japan, Europe and maybe India, I don’t think any other countries has as comprehensive a railway system. You could liken Ekibens to chargeable in-fight meals but that’s an appalling comparison. Perhaps there’s a market for interstate road-trips if freeways weren’t littered with fast food restaurants.

So would Ekibens ever work as a successful food business concept outside of Japan? I doubt it… However, there is a glimmer of hope in Shanghai, with the massive infrastructure that they are building up in China and the way Shanghai has developed as a city; being the hub of many satellite small towns.
I can see it now, business office workers rushing back home with a bento box filled with chilled meat paos. Upon reaching home they pull the string on the bento boxes to steam-heat the paos then kickback to relax, switching on the TV, opening a cold beer and munching down on the freshly heated, moist buns. That’s one business concept worth exploring.
What’s your take on the business of Ekibens? What do you think?