銀座――この魅力的な街は、多くの人々にとって、特別な瞬間や記憶に残る場所となっています。親に手を引かれて足を踏み入れたデパート、マスターのこだわりを感じる喫茶店、初デートで訪れたレストラン。どれもが、この街の独特の雰囲気と結びついています。
連載「銀座・メモワール」では、森岡書店代表、森岡督行さんがナビゲーターとして登場します。多様なゲストが織りなす銀座の豊かな物語を共有し、銀座の多面性とその普遍的な魅力に焦点を当てます。連載を通じて、銀座の隠れた魅力と多彩なストーリーに触れ、新たな価値を一緒に発見しましょう。

連載3回目のゲストは銀座の老舗フレンチレストラン「L’OSIER（以下、ロオジエ）」のエグゼクティブシェフ、オリヴィエ・シェニョンさんです。今年で創業51年目を迎えるロオジエは日本における本格フランス料理店のパイオニア的な存在として知られています。『ミシュランガイド東京』では2018年から6年連続“三つ星”を獲得していますが、シェニョンさんはその立役者です。

店の伝統とフランス料理の本質を守りながらも、革新的な表現力で常に新しい“ロオジエの味”を創造しているシェニョンさんの姿勢は、どこか銀座の街のありようにも重なります。

ロオジエでエグゼクティブシェフを務めて11年。シェニョンさんの仕事は料理だけにとどまりません。近年は、世界中の農家と共に、微生物の働きによって土壌改良を行いながら野菜や果物を栽培する「マイクロバイオーム農法」に取り組んでいるそうです。

最良の食材を求めて、国内外の生産地を巡っているシェニョンさんの目に、銀座はどのように映っているのか。また、なぜ生産者と共に有機農法に取り組むのか。

現代におけるシェフの役割を知るべく、開店前の準備で静かな熱気に包まれるロオジエを訪ねました。

森岡　銀座に行きつけのご飯屋さんとかはあったりされますか？
シェニョン　常連と言えるほどのお店はありません。どちらかというと、いろんな国やスタイルのお店を試してみたい。例えば、日本食やインド料理、カンボジア料理、なんでも好きです。GINZA SIXの近くに美味しい韓国料理店があったのですが、数年前に閉まってしまいました。
森岡　銀座はフレンチやイタリアンだけでなくて、寿司、天ぷらなど飲食店が充実しています。シェニョンさんから見て、和食の職人たちはどのように映っているんでしょうか？
シェニョン　同じ食材を使っていながら僕らとは全く違う料理をつくり上げるのが、いつも面白いなと思っています。魚の切り方やスパイスの使い方ひとつ取っても、国や地域ごとに地元の食材を生かす技術と工夫がある。料理のバリエーションはその地域の食材の豊さを伝えていると思います。天ぷらは個人的にも好きですね。「てんぷら近藤」には度々伺います。
森岡　近藤さんは、天ぷらを揚げ物ではなく、「蒸し物」だと言っていますよね。
シェニョン　ええ、蒸気で衣のなかの食材に熱を入れている、という話を聞いたことがあります。銀座に話を戻せば、いろんな国のレストランの存在がこの街の魅力につながっていると感じます。多様性がなければ、お客さんにとってもつまらない街になるのではないでしょうか。

森岡　シェニョンさんは、微生物やその代謝物の働きによって土壌改良を行いながら野菜を栽培する「マイクロバイオーム農法」を提唱し、国内の生産者と共に生産実験をされています。どういった経緯で始められたんでしょうか？
シェニョン　フランス人生物博士のベジット・イディアスとの出会いがきっかけでした。私の手にいる微生物を調べさせてほしいと、ある日、彼がレストランに現れました。優れた寿司職人の手にはよい微生物がいるようで、それなら三つ星レストランのシェフはどうだろうかと調べていたのです。彼の研究内容はとても興味深いもので、スペインのアリカンテで樹齢1000年のオリーブの木から発見された菌と、長寿の人が体内に持つ菌が類似しているというのです。
森岡　すごい話ですね。
シェニョン　さらに、彼は菌のポテンシャルを見出し、菌を用いた土壌改良についての研究も行っていました。例えば、樹齢1000年のオリーブの木のまわりにアーモンドなど他の木を植えると、オリーブの木が持つ菌が土壌を通じて、まわりの木にも非常によい影響を与えるという実験結果があります。つまり、よい菌を移植すれば、微生物同士の健全なエコシステムが醸成され、農薬や化学肥料を使わなくても、土壌が豊かになり、野菜や動物自体が強くなるということです。これは有機農法の枠を超えたもので、健康や持続可能性を考えるうえで重要なアプローチだと感じました。それで興味を持ち、国内外の生産者にマイクロバイオーム農法を提案するようになりました。
森岡　具体的にはどんな取り組みをされているのでしょうか？
シェニョン　最初は長崎のニンジン畑で実験を行ったのですが、冬に差が出ました。マイクロバイオーム農法で育てたニンジンは寒さに強くなったのです。沖縄のさとうきび畑や宮崎のカカオ農園でも同じような取り組みが進んでいます。佐賀では養鶏にマイクロバイオームを与える実験をしていたり。鶏の餌にマイクロバイオームを含ませると鶏の死亡率が低くなるという研究結果も出ています。
森岡　生産者からの反応はどうですか？
シェニョン　とても好評です。はじめは私たちから提案していたのですが、自分たちもやりたいと積極的に手を挙げてくれるようになりました。モチベーションが高い人たちが集まっているので、今後はより広い範囲で変化を起こせるだろうと希望を持っています。

オリヴィエ・シェニョン
日本とフランスの最高の食材をセレクトし、独自の感性による新たなコンビネーションを生かした繊細な味とテクスチャーがオリヴィエ・シェニョンならではの絶妙なハーモニーを生み出している。
「タイユヴァン」、「ピエール・ガニェ―ル」のパリ本店などで経験を積み、2005年「ピエール・ガニェール・ア・東京」の総料理長として来日。2013年「ロオジエ」のエグゼクティブシェフに就任。『ミシュランガイド東京2015～2018』では二つ星、『ゴ・エ・ミヨ東京2017』において「今年のシェフ賞」受賞、『ミシュランガイド東京2019』より6年連続で三つ星を獲得。
https://losier.shiseido.co.jp/

森岡督行
1974年山形県生まれ。森岡書店代表。文筆家。『800日間銀座一周』（文春文庫）、『ショートケーキを許す』（雷鳥社）など著書多数。
キュレーターとしても活動し、聖心女子大学と共同した展示シリーズの第二期となる「子どもと放射線」を、2023年10月30日から2024年4月22日まで開催する。
https://www.instagram.com/moriokashoten/?hl=ja

平岩壮悟
編集者／ライター
1990年、岐阜県高山市生まれ。フリーランス編集／ライターとして文芸誌、カルチャー誌、ファッション誌に寄稿するほか、オクテイヴィア・E・バトラー『血を分けた子ども』（藤井光訳、河出書房新社）をはじめとした書籍の企画・編集に携わる。訳書にヴァージル・アブロー『ダイアローグ』（アダチプレス）。
https://www.instagram.com/sogohiraiwa/

ナタリー・カンタクシーノ
フォトグラファー
スウェーデン・ストックホルム出身のフォトグラファー。東京で日本文化や写真技術を学び、ファッションからドキュメンタリー、ライフスタイルのジャンルで活躍。
https://www.instagram.com/nanorie/

Ginza – This charming city is home to special moments and memories for many people. The department store you walked into with your parents’ help, the coffee shop where you could feel the master’s special attention to detail, the restaurant you visited on your first date. All are tied to the city’s unique atmosphere.
In the series “Ginza Memoir”, Morioka Shoten’s representative, Noriyuki Morioka, will appear as a navigator. A diverse group of guests will share Ginza’s rich stories, highlighting Ginza’s multifaceted nature and its universal appeal. Through this series, let’s come into contact with Ginza’s hidden charms and diverse stories, and discover new values ​​together.

The third guest in the series is Olivier Chaignon, executive chef of the long-established French restaurant “L’OSIER” in Ginza. L’Osier, which celebrates its 51st anniversary this year, is known as a pioneer of authentic French restaurants in Japan. The restaurant has been awarded three stars in the Michelin Guide Tokyo for six years in a row since 2018, and Mr. Chaignon is the driving force behind this.

While preserving the restaurant’s tradition and the essence of French cuisine, Mr. Chaignon’s attitude of always creating new “L’Osier flavors” with innovative expressiveness somehow echoes the style of Ginza.
I have been the executive chef at L’Osier for 11 years. Chaignon’s work goes beyond cooking. In recent years, he has been working with farmers around the world on “microbiome farming,” which involves cultivating vegetables and fruits while improving soil through the action of microorganisms.

What does Ginza look like in the eyes of Mr. Chaignon, who travels to production areas both domestically and internationally in search of the best ingredients? Also, why are we working with producers on organic farming?

In order to learn more about the role of a chef in modern times, I visited L’Osier, which is surrounded by quiet excitement as it prepares to open its doors.

Ginza is Japan’s “Avenue Montaigne” with plenty of restaurants.
Chaignon: When I first came here, I thought it was Japan’s Avenue Montaigne. Avenue Montaigne in Paris is a street lined with high-end luxury stores located across from the Champs-Elysées.
Morioka: Is the atmosphere different from the Champs Elysées?
Chaignon: Although there are franchise eateries on the Champs-Elysées, there are only high-end establishments on Avenue Montaigne. However, unlike Avenue Montaigne, Ginza has many restaurants. Also, I have the impression that it’s quiet considering it’s in the center of Tokyo. Chuo-dori is always crowded with people, but once you enter Namiki-dori, it’s very quiet. There are also many old buildings left.

Morioka: Do you have a favorite restaurant in Ginza?
Chaignon: There aren’t any shops where I can say I’m a regular. If anything, I’d like to try out restaurants from different countries and styles. For example, I like Japanese food, Indian food, Cambodian food, everything. There used to be a delicious Korean restaurant near GINZA SIX, but it closed a few years ago.
Morioka: Ginza is full of restaurants that serve not only French and Italian food, but also sushi and tempura. From your perspective, how do Japanese food craftsmen appear?
Chaignon: I always find it interesting that people create dishes that are completely different from ours even though they use the same ingredients. Even when it comes to how to cut fish or use spices, each country and region has its own techniques and ideas for making the most of local ingredients. I think the variety of dishes conveys the richness of the region’s ingredients. I personally like tempura. I visit “Tempura Kondo” often.
Morioka: Mr. Kondo calls tempura a “steamed dish,” not a deep-fried one.
Chaignon: Yes, I’ve heard that steam heats the ingredients inside the batter. Returning to Ginza, I feel that the presence of restaurants from many different countries is what makes this city so appealing. Without diversity, I think the city would be boring for customers as well.

Proposal of “microbiome farming” that enables organic farming with microorganisms
Morioka: I’ve been to L’Osier several times, and every time I go, it feels like a theater. You could call it a comprehensive art that appeals to all five senses.
Chaignon: A restaurant is a “total experience.” The customer’s experience begins with making a reservation. The receptionist who answered the phone, the way you were greeted when you arrived, the space at the entrance, and the sommelier explaining the wines. There are many steps before you even start cooking. It only takes a few minutes to eat the food. However, in order for customers to concentrate on cooking, it is necessary to make them feel at home. Therefore, the time and environment in which the food is delivered are important.
Morioka: Certainly.
Chaignon: I myself had the experience of going to a star-rated restaurant when I was young and was very nervous. I felt so pressured by everyone around me to act like the person appropriate for the occasion that I couldn’t enjoy the most important dish (lol). It’s comfortable and you can taste the food for the first time. That’s why hospitality is so important. Of course, we are very particular about our dishes, such as incorporating seasonal flavors into our dishes and considering how well they pair with the sauces, but since a restaurant is a total experience, we cannot skimp on every detail.As you said, I think restaurants are similar to theaters. If you have to sit in an uncomfortable chair for three hours, you won’t be able to concentrate on your performance. It’s the same. Just a detail, but a detail. As the details add up, you can see the essence of the store.

Morioka: Mr. Chaignon advocates “microbiome farming,” which cultivates vegetables while improving soil through the action of microorganisms and their metabolites, and is conducting production experiments with domestic producers. How did you get started?
Chaignon: It all started when I met Vegitte Idias, a French biology doctor. One day, he showed up at a restaurant and asked if he could examine the microorganisms on my hands. Excellent sushi chefs seem to have good microorganisms on their hands, so I was wondering if this was the case for chefs at three-star restaurants. His research is very interesting, as he claims that the bacteria found in a 1,000-year-old olive tree in Alicante, Spain, is similar to the bacteria that long-lived people carry in their bodies.
Morioka: That’s an amazing story.
Chaignon: Furthermore, he discovered the potential of bacteria and conducted research on soil improvement using bacteria. For example, experimental results show that if you plant other trees such as almonds around a 1,000-year-old olive tree, the bacteria in the olive tree will have a very positive effect on the surrounding trees through the soil.In other words, by transplanting good bacteria, a healthy ecosystem of microorganisms will be created, which will enrich the soil and strengthen the vegetables and animals themselves, without the need for pesticides or chemical fertilizers. I felt that this goes beyond organic farming and is an important approach when considering health and sustainability. That got me interested, and I started proposing microbiome farming to producers both in Japan and overseas.
Morioka: What specific efforts are you taking?
Chaignon: At first, we conducted an experiment in a carrot field in Nagasaki, but we noticed a difference in the winter. Carrots grown using microbiome farming became more resistant to cold. Similar efforts are underway at sugarcane fields in Okinawa and cacao farms in Miyazaki. In Saga, we are conducting experiments on feeding poultry with microbiomes. Research has also shown that including the microbiome in chicken feed reduces chicken mortality.
Morioka: What has been the reaction from producers?
Chaignon: It is very popular. At first, we were the ones who suggested it, but now people are actively interested in doing it themselves. We have a group of highly motivated people, so I have hope that we will be able to bring about change in a broader range in the future.

Olivier Chaignon
Selecting the best ingredients from Japan and France, the delicate flavors and textures are created through new combinations based on Olivier Chaignon’s unique sensibilities, creating an exquisite harmony unique to Olivier Chaignon.
After gaining experience at the Paris branch of “Taillevent” and “Pierre Gagnaire”, he came to Japan in 2005 as the executive chef of “Pierre Gagnaire a Tokyo”. In 2013, he became the executive chef of L’Oosier. He received two stars in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2015-2018, won the Chef of the Year Award at Gault & Millau Tokyo 2017, and received three stars for the sixth consecutive year in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2019.
https://losier.shiseido.co.jp/

Yoshiyuki Morioka
Born in Yamagata Prefecture in 1974. Representative of Morioka Shoten. Writer. He has written many books, including “800 Days Around Ginza” (Bunshun Bunko) and “I Forgive Shortcakes” (Raichousha).
She also works as a curator and will hold the second phase of the exhibition series, “Children and Radiation,” in collaboration with University of the Sacred Heart, from October 30, 2023 to April 22, 2024.
https://www.instagram.com/moriokashoten/?hl=ja

Sogo Hiraiwa
Editor/Writer
Born in 1990 in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture. In addition to contributing to literary, culture, and fashion magazines as a freelance editor/writer, he also plans and edits books such as Octavia E. Butler’s “Children of Blood” (translated by Hikaru Fujii, published by Kawade Shobo Shinsha). Involved in Translated by Virgil Abloh “Dialogue” (Adachi Press)
https://www.instagram.com/sogohiraiwa/

Nathalie Cantacuzino
Photographer from Stockholm, Sweden. Studied Japanese culture and photography techniques in Tokyo, and is active in genres ranging from fashion to documentary and lifestyle.
https://www.instagram.com/nanorie/