Hayato**

How would you describe your culinary philosophy? 

At Hayato, I’m not trying to put a personal stamp on the food. I want each dish to reflect the pure, unaltered flavour of the ingredient itself. 

What are your sources of inspiration? 

In the tea ceremony we have a phrase, "Ichigo-Ichi-E," a reminder that every encounter is a once-in-a-lifetime moment that will never be repeated.  I treat every service as its own singular event.  When I wake up in the morning, I look at the guest list and devote my day to those people and the experience we will enjoy together at dinner.    

What is your current culinary obsession? 

I think about rice a lot.  In some ways, I think of rice in the same way I think of champagne: it is almost always served with other foods, and much like wine, it can enhance and alter our perception of the dishes it accompanies. For those who love both wine and rice, cooking naturally includes an interplay between them at the table. 

Where are you when you feel the happiest?  

There is no question that I am happiest when I am in the kitchen at Hayato with my guests during dinner service.  

What is your ultimate dream meal?  

I would like one dish served by each of my mentors and friends with whom I have cooked, to be reminded of every stage of the lives that we have shared together. 

When was your most recent sip of Krug? 

We serve Krug by the glass at Hayato, and I sip some Krug almost every night.  I never get sick of it.  I think it's also very interesting to taste how the same wine is experienced differently, depending on your mood, or the weather, or changes in your physical body from day to day. 

What is your favourite Krug food pairing? 

Krug and tempura is by far my favorite Krug pairing!