UNDECORATED's curated gallery-style lifestyle project 'and UNDECORATED' will hold a food event at groundfloor Gallery in Nakameguro on Saturday, August 30th.

 
Here, we will share the background and inspiration behind the event through a dialogue between Chef Kida and Manager Maeka of sio YOYOGI UEHARA, who are collaborating for this event, and UNDECORATED designer Kono.

 

◼︎The origin of the event/ The encounter between sio and UNDECORATED

UNDECORATED: Can you tell us about the inspiration for holding this event?

 

Kono: It started when Mr. Maeka came to the UNDECORATED exhibition.

Up until now, "to UNDECORATED" has held events with people from various genres such as artists, bakers, and coffee shops, but we hadn't had the opportunity to collaborate with a "restaurant."

Since I had been wanting to hold one someday, I thought, "I have to reach out to them!" and so I did.

 

Maeka: I've actually known about UNDECORATED for a long time, and I was curious about their past "to UNDECORATED" events, thinking "they're doing something interesting."

So when Mr. Kono approached me, I decided to join in, thinking, "If we're good enough, we'd love to."

UNDECORATED: So, how did sio and UNDECORATED meet?

 

Maeka: Actually, I met Mr. Kono when I was living in Osaka.

It was about 15 years ago, when I was a university student.

 

Kono: That's right, a stylist we both knew had a shop in Osaka, and when I went to the shop, Mr. Maeka happened to be there at the same time.

 

Maeka: Actually, after that, when I moved to Tokyo, I worked as that stylist's assistant. (laughs)

 

Kono: Thinking about it that way, I really feel a strong connection again. I heard that Chef Kida had also been following UNDECORATED's Instagram for a while.

 

Chef Kida: I remembered during this discussion that I had followed UNDECORATED because I found their "unadorned" concept interesting.

I remember thinking, "What does it mean for a fashion brand to be unadorned?"

 

Kono: Indeed. Generally, "fashion is about dressing up," isn't it? (laughs)

 

Chef Kida: However, after seeing the clothes, I understood what they were trying to say. In short, there are no unnecessary elements in the design, and they are particular about the materials. I felt that this also resonated with sio's cuisine.

 

Kono: I'm glad to hear that. The concept of "unadorned" is in the brand name, and I believe there should be brands that only satisfy the wearer. I want to value comfort by not adding excessive designs, making the most of the materials.
It's similar to wanting to eat fresh vegetables with as little preparation as possible, and that kind of thinking forms the basis of our clothing production.

 

 

◼︎What are the particularities of the menu offered at the event?

UNDECORATED: Please tell us about sio's unique particularities regarding the "shirasu-don" and "banh mi" planned for this event.

 

Chef Kida: When I thought about what we could do to maximize the enjoyment of sio's food at this event, which doesn't have kitchen facilities, "shirasu-don" and "banh mi" came to mind.

 

First, the "shirasu-don." We use Akita Komachi rice selected by a rice sommelier, topped with shirasu (whitebait) caught in Okayama Prefecture. We also drizzle it with single-origin Cedric Casanova olive oil and a touch of oyster sauce. The bowl is packed with nothing but deliciousness, showcasing sio's unique particularities.

 

Kono: What does "single-origin" olive oil mean?

 

Chef Kida: It means a single variety. Like Pinot Noir in wine.

Just like wine, olive oil tastes and smells completely different depending on the producer. After trying many, I chose Cedric Casanova, which has the least pungency and a floral, fruity aroma.

 

On the other hand, the "banh mi" is a complex dish, following sio's theme of "five tastes plus one."
"Five tastes plus one" means packing umami, sourness, sweetness, and other flavors, plus texture and aroma, into one dish. We want people who try it to have an "interesting experience beyond just deliciousness," and this menu was created during the pandemic as a way for people to experience restaurant-quality food even with restrictions.

 

Kono: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants offered takeout menus, right? Why did you choose "banh mi" among them?

 

Chef Kida: Amidst various restaurants offering takeout menus, "banh mi" was rare. That's why I wanted to aim for the best among them.

I was also curious what would happen if I made "banh mi," a local Vietnamese food, from a restaurant's perspective.

 

It's based on a French baguette that allows you to savor the flavor, and while the bread itself is made by a bakery, we meticulously calculate everything from adjusting the baking time for a crisp crust to trying various sizes to ensure it tastes delicious.

 

Although it might not seem like "banh mi," we add ginger pork. That catchy element harmonizes well with the umami of ingredients like horse liver pâté and olives, and the exotic vegetables and seasonings, creating a unique flavor. I really want everyone to try it.

 

Kono: What about the drinks?

 

Maekawa: For this event, we are planning to offer natural wines, including those from young producers.

We'll also be serving wines that a personal favorite importer, "Vins du Midi," has just brought into Japan after picking them up locally, so I hope this event will help more people discover them.

 

Also, the white wine "Étienne Seignovert" by a young male producer is a personal favorite. The label has a cute design, and the taste is excellent, so I'd love to introduce it at the event.

We'll also have mandarin orange juice made in Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture, so I hope those who don't drink alcohol, are driving, or have children will try it.

 

 

◼︎Thoughts on this Event

UNDECORATED: Could you please share a message for everyone looking forward to this event?

Chef Kida: I hope everyone can simply enjoy the food and the atmosphere without overthinking anything.

Maekawa: Exactly. As Kida said, I want people to enjoy the food, including the passion behind it. I think the menu we've prepared, like the "shirasu-don" and "banh mi," evokes a sense of nostalgia. I hope you'll savor the unique Sio dishes, which add a "restaurant-like" spice to these familiar tastes.

 

 

Kono: This event aims to "lower the bar" in a good way. I hope it will be an opportunity for more people to experience Sio's cuisine, which is usually only available as a course. I'm really looking forward to it myself, as it's a rare chance to enjoy Sio's food in such a casual style. 

To elaborate a bit further, as mentioned at the beginning, I sometimes think that fashion in a broad sense is, so to speak, about "wanting to show off yourself." And previously, clothing was the primary and most straightforward way to "show off," which led to the notion of "fashion = clothes."
However, with the widespread use of social media and its power to disseminate information today, if you think "This is great! I want to show it off!", you can easily curate a wide range of genres, including interiors and food. For example, before social media existed, it was incredibly difficult to "show off" actual interiors and food to many people, and no matter how much you wanted to share something, widespread dissemination wasn't realistic. But now, information spreads in an instant through social media, and the physical constraints on "things you want to show off" seem to have significantly decreased.

 Because what fashion encompasses is expanding beyond just clothing, I want to redefine "fashion" to include everything. As one case, I hope this event will introduce people to our brand and Sio, and create an opportunity for our communities to overlap.

 I've shared a lot of my thoughts, but of course, I want you to feel free to come, whether it's "because your friends or acquaintances are there," or "you just wanted to go, try the food, or try on clothes," or even "stop by on your way somewhere."
I'd be happy if you enjoy the moment, tell someone else, "This is great!", and help our community grow.

 

 

― Event Information

「sio and UNDECORATED」
Date : Saturday, August 30th, 5PM- 10PM
Location : groundfloor Gallery 
1-8-1 Nakameguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 2F
Admission: Free entry

Contact: customer@undm.jp　/ 03-3794-4037