Yuta Tomikawa
Hello to all our Toyota Times listeners, I’m Yuta Tomikawa.

Today on Toyota Times News, we’re going to change things up a bit by joining Akio, aka Morizo, for an evening at the Fuji Speedway Hotel. We’ll listen in on his conversations and find out what kind of food he enjoys during his stay.

That’s right, we are going to eavesdrop on Morizo’s dining room conversation, and the person who suggested this idea was Morizo himself. You come up with some interesting ideas.

Morizo
Like having dinner on the radio. 

Tomikawa
I’ve never heard of that being done.

Morizo
Well, that’s because you don’t get to see the food. 

Tomikawa
I’ll try to at least take some photos for YouTube, but mostly people listen as a podcast or on iTunes Music.

Morizo
Then it comes down to how articulate we are, how well we can describe each dish. 

Tomikawa
But today isn’t just about the food. We’ll talk about staying at the Fuji Speedway Hotel, what lies in store for Fuji Motorsports Forest, and, since we’re at the foot of Mount Fuji, even the mountain itself. And we are going to share this whole conversation with our listeners.

Actually, this started with Katei Gaho magazine, who wanted to interview you about your stays at the hotel for their New Year issue special feature on Mount Fuji. We were able to arrange this evening to fit in with that schedule.

Tomikawa
Now, allow me to introduce everyone around the table today.

First, we have Morizo. Thank you as always.

Morizo
Hello everyone. 

Tomikawa
Then we have Taiko and Mika Nakamura, the local husband-and-wife duo who make Whisky M. Welcome to you both.

Taiko & Mika Nakamura
Thank you very much.

Tomikawa
And finally, we have Yumiko Tochika, who oversees the Morizo Tea drinks. Welcome. Together with Morizo, she hosts the “DJ Morizo Handle the Mic” radio show and has also appeared on Toyota Times before. 

Yumiko Tochika
Thank you. I work as a radio DJ.

Tomikawa
The meal is going to be served by Fuji Speedway Hotel Executive Chef Jun Ishii, so I think we’ll try to have a chat with him whenever he swings by. 

Morizo
Sounds great.

Tomikawa
Morizo, when you’re staying at the hotel, do you generally eat at this restaurant?

Morizo
Yes, although I’m sometimes out at the circuit during the day. The chef prepares meals especially for me.

Tomikawa
Executive Chef Ishii has come up with special dishes for Morizo. 

Morizo
If those dishes are brought out in the regular dining area, other guests start asking for them too, so we’ve moved things into a private room instead.

I’ve stayed here lots of times, but I’ve only been served the same dish once or twice.

Tomikawa
Oh wow, they’re different each time?

Morizo
Yes. And the chef is all about using locally sourced ingredients. So of course, even the whisky is from Shizuoka. 

Taiko
That’s right. We make the whisky in Shizuoka.

Tomikawa
Is this tea from Shizuoka?

Tochika
It is. We use green tea grown in Shizuoka.

Morizo
My initial thought was that circuits are found in all sorts of places, right? So, let’s bring together the water and the leaves from that particular region, and with the Morizo name, make it something like “Morizo Drinks the Forest”—since this circuit is in the forest. Why don’t we try to make a tea for Morizo the driver, one that evokes the feeling of the forest? That was the starting point.

Tochika
Exactly. The initial concept came from Morizo’s request: “Could you make a tea that feels like taking a deep breath in the forest?” From there we used Shizuoka-grown green tea as the base.

Tea comes in many different types—green tea, black tea, oolong tea—but Morizo’s favorite is green tea, which evokes that Japanese essence, the soul of Japan. It all started with Morizo’s request for a green tea base, and a tea that makes you feel like you’re taking in negative ions. 

So, I headed off into the forest. I went into the forest wanting to first experience the visuals, the sounds, and the atmosphere. In that forest, when the wind blew you could hear the rustling, whispering sound of the trees brushing against each other, the chirping of birds, and you could smell not just the trees but the scent of the bark, the roots, the soil, and the sweet wafting fragrance of flowers blooming somewhere. All of it hits you at once. I started by trying to capture that experience, bringing together an array of different ingredients and scents. The result was Morizo Tea.

Tomikawa
Chef Ishii has joined us. We would like to try some Morizo Tea. Do you have any?

Executive Chef Jun Ishii
Yes, we do have Morizo Tea.

Executive Chef Ishii
To go with Morizo Tea, which is like drinking the forest, right now I am developing the Morizo Salad—eating the forest. That’s what I’m serving today…

Morizo
This here?

Executive Chef Ishii
Yes.

Tomikawa
This too is made especially for Morizo.

Executive Chef Ishii
That’s right. Believe it or not, we’re already up to version six of the Morizo Salad.

It’s always evolving. I adjust it based on how the Chairman is feeling and what kind of condition he’s in that day. Last time, the salad was completely red. He seemed really worn out, so I made it using ingredients rich in antioxidants.

Tomikawa
And this is version six?

Executive Chef Ishii
This is a variation on the original. There’s a producer called Aozora Work who grows an original Fuji Speedway Little Gem lettuce for us. Those are the leaves you see at the bottom, picked just this morning. The cucumbers were also picked fresh today. The main ingredient is the Chairman’s favorite: tororo, or grated yam. It’s a warm salad of tororo and eel. When you bring the tororo and eel together, you get plenty of vitamin A to boost your energy. The tororo is layered underneath and stirring it through brings the whole dish together. For a touch of sweetness or to refresh the palate along the way, I’ve garnished it with some delicious seasonal fresh figs. On top we have lotus root chips, with lotus root being the Chairman’s number one vegetable. Basically, the Morizo Salad is packed with all of his favorites.

And while we’re on the topic, I have a small request for the Chairman today. With the feature in Katei Gaho magazine, I’m sure many readers will want to try the salad for themselves, so I was hoping we could add it to the menu. 

If it’s okay with you, I would like to make the Morizo Salad a regular menu item. 

Morizo
By all means, go ahead. But you were talking about different versions, right? How will that work?

Executive Chef Ishii
The vegetables will change with the time of year, so I was thinking of adjusting as we go to keep it seasonal. For now, I thought the Katei Gaho feature was a great opportunity.

Morizo
This is turning into a real product decision meeting.

Tomikawa
Like the meetings you have before launching a new car, to decide whether this is the right model to put out. It’s the same kind of thing.

Executive Chef Ishii
Whenever I come up with a new dish, I always have the Chairman sample it first. I’ll say, “I’m thinking of doing something like this, what do you think?” If he says it tastes good, it goes on the menu. 

Tomikawa
So today is our chance to be part of that decision-making process. How wonderful!

Morizo
This is indeed a product decision meeting. Whisky and tea are intimately tied to dining, an essential complement to meals. That means we need both producers and diners at the table as well.

Tomikawa
Very interesting.

Morizo
As a chef, he originally specialized in French cuisine.

Executive Chef Ishii
I started out in French cuisine. I admired Chef Murakami at the Imperial Hotel and was determined to work in a hotel kitchen. I went into the French culinary world, aspiring to be like Chef Mikuni. When the New York Grill opened at Park Hyatt Tokyo, I realized that food isn’t just about French cuisine—if it tastes good, that’s what matters.

I started traveling all over Asia but struggled to find a place to show what I could do, until I met Chairman Toyoda.

It was a scorching hot day, and I figured he must have been exhausted, so I decided to serve something with a bit of a kick and a Thai curry. He turned to me and said, “How on earth did you know?! I was craving a Thai curry today!”

Morizo
I put it a bit more elegantly.

Tomikawa
Let’s try that again. Chef Ishii, start from there again please.

Executive Chef Ishii
He said, “How did you know? I’ve been craving Thai curry since this morning.” When he said that, it made me incredibly happy as a chef. You can’t plan moments like that. It really meant a lot to me. Since then, I’ve more or less gotten a sense for his strike zone, as it were, what the Chairman might like to eat.

Tomikawa
And the dishes are different every time.

Morizo
They are. Not just Thai, but Korean, Chinese, and Japanese.

Tomikawa
He wants to do it all.

Morizo
Even things like original sauces, going outside the box from time to time.

Tomikawa
Oh, that sounds nice.

Executive Chef Ishii
I’m just a regular guy who really likes food.

Tomikawa
A guy who loves cars and a guy who loves food.

Executive Chef Ishii
The Chairman always enjoys the meals I prepare and shares all kinds of feedback, which helps me to keep growing and reminds me that I still have plenty of room for improvement. 

Tomikawa
I hate to interrupt this wonderful conversation, but I really want to try this!

Executive Chef Ishii
The tororo is at the bottom, so it’s best if you give it a good stir through.

Tochika
Could we please have some Morizo Tea to go with it?

Executive Chef Ishii
Certainly. I'll bring it right over.

All    
Let’s eat!

Tomikawa
On top we have finely shredded cucumber. I think I'll start with that.

Morizo
Here we go, the radio report.

Tomikawa
Even though it’s so finely cut, the freshness makes it super crunchy.

Tochika
Oh really? I’m going to start with this crispy lotus root on top. The thin slices are so light!

Tomikawa
I suppose the crispy lotus root, crunchy cucumber, and this lettuce are best eaten together.

Morizo
As the chef said, try stirring the tororo through as well.

Tochika
Stir right from the bottom.

Morizo
That’s where the yam is.

Tomikawa
Mmm, tastes great.

Morizo
The tororo and the eel work great together in a salad, don’t they?

Tomikawa
How interesting! I’ve never eaten a salad with this kind of texture.

Morizo
Yet it’s a salad.

Tochika
Every ingredient has a different texture.

Tomikawa
There’s so much to enjoy!

Taiko
The tororo is from a place in Shizuoka called Mariko-shuku.

Morizo
Chojiya. Before the Tomei Expressway was built, whenever we traveled from Nagoya to Tokyo, we would stop over at Chojiya.

^{Note: Chojiya is a 400-year-old restaurant famous for its tororo-jiru, a traditional grated-yam soup.}

That’s where I fell in love with tororo. So, when I ate it here, the taste really took me back. 

Tomikawa
Oh really? That’s amazing! I wondered how you knew it. From your childhood, right?

Morizo
When I was a kid. This was before the Tomei Expressway was built.

Tomikawa
With Shoichiro?

Morizo
Right, driving. It took about twelve hours. These days, that’s like taking a trip to New York.

Tochika
That’s true, in terms of time.

Morizo
No jet lag though.

Tomikawa
Here comes the Morizo Tea. Even the bottle is super stylish! Is that Morizo’s signature?

Morizo
First enjoy the forest aroma, then take a sip and hold it in your mouth for a moment before you swallow, and savor the aftertaste.

Taiko
The scent is incredible!

Morizo
It is, right? I think that’s sweet osmanthus.

Tomikawa
Where can people try this?

Tochika
It will soon be available at the Fuji Speedway Hotel…

Morizo
If it gets the green light at today’s product meeting.

Tochika
If it gets the green light, yes. Morizo Tea will be available here. I’ll have to really talk it up.

Morizo
Can we eat this too?

Tomikawa
Yes, the vegetable sticks. We’ve got veggie sticks right in the middle. Here we go.

Tochika
The peanuts are an interesting touch. What’s this?

Tomikawa
Looks like daikon radish.

Tochika
Radish, maybe?

Morizo
You can feel the freshness.

Tomikawa
Listen to that!

Tochika
Is the sauce miso?

Morizo
Hmm, I’m not sure. But it tastes really fresh.

Tomikawa
So this is what’s local here. 

Tochika
The aroma really rises through your nose—so soft and gentle.

Morizo
This looks like carrot, doesn’t it.

Tomikawa
Carrot, how cute! So thin.

Morizo
This sauce is great too.

Tomikawa
The sauce is delicious. It’s not just miso, I wonder what else is in there.

Morizo
When I first met the chef, I was eating over there at the counter where they are grilling, and they had a plate of local vegetables laid out. When I tasted them, the sensation was just like today. That’s what sparked our conversation. 

Tomikawa
Is that right? That’s probably why Chef Ishii set them out too.

Morizo
It’s likely.

Tochika
They sure produce a wide variety of vegetables in Shizuoka, don’t they?

Morizo
And when it comes to contracts, I think the fact that it is Chef Ishii plays a big part.

Tomikawa
I can imagine, since his dishes make the most of what they’ve grown.

Morizo
This is really delicious.

Tomikawa
The Katei Gaho interview is part of a feature on Mount Fuji, so—well, this is a really awkward segue—but Mount Fuji is wonderful, isn’t it, Morizo?

Morizo
I think Mount Fuji is the face of Japan.

Back when I lived overseas, seeing Mount Fuji on the flight back to Japan always made me feel like, “Ah, I’m home.” And you know, there really aren’t any other mountains around it—it just sits there in that iconic shape. 

In my eyes, Fuji really is the pride of the Japanese people. When constructing Woven City, I was often asked why we were building in such an earthquake-prone area. Yes, there may be earthquakes, but that’s part of living with nature, and no matter what happens, we all work together to make a swift recovery. That’s part of the character of Japan. Above all, I wanted to show the world that Japan too can play a role in building the future. That’s why we turned our former plant site at the base of Mount Fuji into a city of the future, and a test course for mobility.

Without Mount Fuji, I’m not sure that we would have built the city there.

Tomikawa
It means that much.

Morizo
You see, just as I have my personal feelings and memories connected to Mount Fuji, I’m sure that the same is true for other Japanese people, and even for foreigners. When people see Mount Fuji, it evokes certain memories and feelings for them. 

Tomikawa
Mount Fuji is a source of pride for many Japanese people, isn’t it? So, when Joby’s “flying car” made its first flight in Japan, doing it against the backdrop of Mount Fuji was so moving. 

Morizo
Exactly! I wanted them to fly with Mount Fuji in the background! Then anyone seeing the photo will instantly know the flight was in Japan. 

Tomikawa
It was really great, that footage.

Tomikawa
Oh! What’s this?

Executive Chef Ishii
Here we have a mushroom soup.

Tomikawa
Soup?

Executive Chef Ishii
That’s right. 

Tomikawa

I can’t see any broth, but you say this is a soup?

Executive Chef Ishii

Yes indeed. On top I’ve added the flavor of truffles. In other words, this is done in the French technique. It’s one of Chef Mikuni’s specialties, taking only mushrooms and simmering them right down into a soup.

Tomikawa
And why did you select this for Morizo?

Executive Chef Ishii
Well, the Chairman really loves soup. The first time I served him a full course meal, he left a little on each plate except for the soup, which he finished completely. I’ve always been confident in my soups, so when I saw how much he enjoyed it, I started making sure to serve him soup every time. 

I’ve also gotten to know the Chairman’s preferences, and since he’s not a fan of heavy, cream-based dishes, I try to use soy milk in his soups whenever I can.

Morizo
I do like rich foods, but I’ve asked him to make them healthier.

Executive Chef Ishii
I give careful consideration to the finer details, but at the same time, I like to make sure he enjoys his soup when he comes. In summer, I serve up chilled edamame soup, for example, and he also loves vichyssoise and chowder, so I prepare variations that are light and refreshing while avoiding anything too rich. 

Morizo
This is really good!

Tochika
You can really feel the season.

Tomikawa
What is this frothy part?

Executive Chef Ishii
This is a foam made from equal parts soy milk and regular milk. 

Tochika
It feels very French.

Executive Chef Ishii
The mushrooms were just sliced. They’re from Murakami Farm in Shizuoka, and they give the soup an incredibly rich, concentrated flavor. I didn’t use any water at all.

Morizo
What! No water?!

Tomikawa
So, the liquid comes from the mushrooms?

Executive Chef Ishii
Mushrooms are about 70 to 80 percent water, and you keep sauteing to reduce them down.

Tomikawa
That explains the rich aroma.

Executive Chef Ishii
It’s full of flavor. 

Tomikawa
Delicious!

Morizo
Delicious, this is really good.

Tomikawa
You mentioned cold soups just now, which would be great for when Morizo has been racing or sweating a lot. 

Executive Chef Ishii
At times when it’s really hot and I want to help him cool down quickly, I go for something like a chilled corn soup or edamame soup. But then on days like today, when he’s feeling fired up, I’ll go the other way and serve more of a curry flavor to give a bit of an extra kick, maybe serving up a mild curry with breakfast. 

Morizo
Yes, the other day it was a curry-flavored tofu hot pot.

Tomikawa
Wow!

Executive Chef Ishii
I went with a curry flavor and a strong dashi broth. The Chairman loves tofu, so I try different variations on tofu dishes, like stewing it in soy milk. Cooking it that way makes the tofu almost melt. I simmer the tofu in dashi, and then before serving, I cook it again in soy milk. Then the chairman can pour it over his rice to eat. 

Tomikawa
Chef Ishii has just brought us the next dish, sushi. 

Executive Chef Ishii
It is sushi, but you can think of it as more of an appetizer. In Shizuoka, we have the wonderful Suruga Bay, and it’s home to an incredible fish called amadai, or tilefish. Today we were lucky to get a beautiful one over a kilo, and as I was preparing it, I thought, you really need to try this raw. So the menu changed partway through. I gave it a quick kobujime treatment—just a light cure between sheets of kombu seaweed—and I’m serving it simply with salt and yuzu. This wasn’t originally on the menu, so it’s a slight change.

Tomikawa
Mmm, this is tasty.

Executive Chef Ishii
You don’t often come across amadai of this size, so I wanted to make the most of it. The meat is really firm and fresh…

Morizo
It really is.

Executive Chef Ishii
I’ll bring out some cooked amadai for you later as well.

Tomikawa
It’s so good. That little sprinkle of salt really brings out the sweetness of the amadai, and the yuzu aroma balances it perfectly. The texture is so plump and tender, really delicious.

Morizo
After the soup we just had, something like this sushi goes perfectly, doesn’t it.

Tomikawa
It’s excellent.

Tochika
Such a wide range.

Tomikawa
There’s a lot of variety. And the rice is shaped beautifully. It just falls apart softly in your mouth.

Tochika
He has every base covered.

Morizo
It’s like, “What was his specialty again?”

Tomikawa
Yeah, you lose track.

Morizo
But that’s part of what I like about it. 

Tomikawa
Just like Toyota. Made for that specific person.

Morizo
A global full lineup.

Tomikawa
Mm, very good.

Tochika
But even though you’ve been here dozens of times, beyond counting, you say that the chef almost never serves up the same dish twice.

Morizo
Almost never.

Tochika
If you think about it, isn’t that amazing?

Tomikawa
It is amazing.

Morizo
Truly. I’ve been here on lots of different occasions, from New Year’s to my grandchild’s kuizome (a meal to celebrate a baby’s weaning, usually when they are 100 days old). 

Tomikawa
Oh really, you did that here?

Morizo
We did it here.

Tomikawa
Wow!

Morizo
Whatever the season, whether I’m here for the racetrack or on holiday, no matter the reason I come, he looks at me as a person. And I’m incredibly grateful for that. When I go to different places, people tend to see my position or my title. That’s the society we live in. But he sees the real, human me. And for him, the “game,” if you will, is taking what’s in season at that moment and seeing whether I say it’s delicious or not. And when I smile and say, “Mm, that’s delicious,” that smile he gives back—it heals me too. So it feels like we’ve built this relationship that feeds off each other, and it’s still going strong. 

Taiko
In terms of the food, do you say, “I feel like this today,” or make similar requests?

Morizo
I don’t say a word. That’s sort of our unspoken rule. But what’s funny is that something I happen to be craving that day, like curry, just shows up. And that’s when I feel like he’s really seeing me as a person.

Tomikawa
That’s fascinating.

Morizo
Hotels are usually places you stay for the night, but I practically treat this one like home. And it’s as if I have my own personal chef while I’m here. That is real luxury. 

Tochika
What a luxury!

Morizo
It really is.

Tomikawa
But if these dishes get turned into products thanks to you, then customers can enjoy them too. 

Morizo
Yes, that’s right.

Tomikawa
Other customers can enjoy them as well.

Tochika
That’s true.

Morizo
So here you have Mount Fuji, and you have the circuit, which brings in motorsports fans. But there are also people who come just to see Mount Fuji. And then there are people who want to experience the forest here — to take it in, and to enjoy the food. Then after their meal, they might have a glass of this Gaiaflow whisky. I think it’s wonderful that this hotel offers so many different ways for people to enjoy it.

Tomikawa
And what’s more, this Fuji Motorsports Forest is constantly evolving with an eye on the future. Morizo, what kind of vision do you have in mind for this place?

Morizo
When you think of a circuit, you usually picture an amusement park or family attractions attached to it. But from the very beginning, our concept was a playground for adults. 

And with an adult-oriented circuit, it’s not just for people who already love cars. Even visitors who have never cared about cars or racing might come here and think, “What is that sound? Wait, are cars running out there? Let’s go take a look… Wow, this is actually really fun!” That is the kind of experience we wanted to create.

Looking around the area, we have Mishima City, and Odawara Station on the shinkansen line, as well as the Tomei Expressway, the Shin-Tomei, and other roads out of Gotemba converging on here. Plus, the road in front of us leads to Yamanakako and runs all the way through the Fuji Five Lakes region, serving as a transit route. Those interested in racing, for example, come for the circuit. But other people might just be passing through to the Five Lakes area. For these passersby, we are trying to add things that might catch their eye, on the right side of the circuit if you’re facing Yamanakako—things like hot springs, little restaurants, places where people gather.

There’s also the Oyama service interchange being built, which will be a smart interchange. Once cars can come in through there, we hope to have racing teams setting up lots of garages in this area. ROOKIE is already there. At the moment, they’ve just finished leveling the ground, and I think they’re probably waiting for the interchange to open. When that happens, you’ll be able to come straight through from the interchange.

Tomikawa
That’s very convenient.

Morizo
It is convenient, and you avoid the traffic you would hit if you went all the way into Tokyo. From here, Fuji is close, and you can even get to Suzuka. And depending on the situation, most race cars are transported on big trucks, aren’t they?

Tomikawa
Yes, on transporters.

Morizo
I think this location would make an ideal hub for them. And, as a playground for adults, for those who need it there’s also this hotel. Fortunately, we’ve been able to attract all kinds of visitors during circuit events, but of course there are also times without any races. We can’t simply tell the employees to stay home during those periods, just as we can’t tell the farmers they can stop growing vegetables for a while. For that reason, given that the hotel has a set capacity, we need to find ways to boost the occupancy rate. That’s what this product decision meeting is about.

Tomikawa
Ah, and right on cue Chef Ishii has returned, as if he was listening in on our conversation. Perfect timing.

Executive Chef Ishii
Oh really? This is the amadai from earlier, prepared as matsukasa-age (fried crispy with the scales on). The scales have a great flavor. I first fry just the scales in 220-degree oil, then coat the fish in a light tempura batter, and finally add spiny lobster surimi on the underside. 

Tomikawa
How do you manage that?!

Tochika
So, it’s not only fish then.

Executive Chef Ishii
No, it isn’t. I wanted to cook it with indirect heat, so it has come out a bit more tender. Crispy, crunchy, soft and fluffy—it’s all there in one bite.

Morizo
It’s kind of like a fishcake. 

Executive Chef Ishii
Exactly. It has a bit of that shinjo feel to it. You get a subtle hint of ginger coming up from the bottom, the top is nice and crispy, and inside I wanted to really trap in the fluffy texture of the amadai. That’s why it slightly resembles a fishcake.  

Chairman, just dab a little of that dipping sauce on, I think that will really bring out the flavor. 

Morizo
You’re right.

Tomikawa
Tochika is going for a big bite. Listen to that! Everyone can hear it.

Tochika
Crispy, crunchy, and juuuicy!

All
(laughter)

Executive Chef Ishii
I’ll take that. Thank you very much.

Morizo
Did he say the main is next?

Tochika
He did. I guess he’s bringing out the fish and meat. I’m not sure. What usually happens?

Morizo
Are there two mains?

Tomikawa
I don’t know. It depends… We’re really just having a regular meal, aren’t we.

All
(laughter)

Tochika
Good food, good fun.

Tomikawa
Our listeners might be wondering, “What on earth are we listening to?”

Morizo
Are we okay?

Morizo
But lately, the podcast has been full of curveballs. The other day, we even did a broadcast with me in Las Vegas and Tomikawa in Japan. 

Tomikawa
Yes. All on a whim — Morizo’s whim.

Morizo
Since I was going to Las Vegas for the National Dealer Meeting, I said let’s do it right after the event. That way I could talk about it while the feeling was still fresh. 

Tomikawa
It really felt like I was right there with him.

Tomikawa
Ah, here we are!

Morizo
Sea urchin and eggplant!

Tochika
What’s the meat?

Executive Chef Ishii
Beef. Shizuoka-raised tenderloin, topped with abalone and sea urchin.

Tomikawa
Wow! Abalone and sea urchin!

Executive Chef Ishii
In French cuisine, one of the highest-end dishes is called Rossini. It is basically a piece of filet topped with foie gras, which is considered the pinnacle of luxury. But the Chairman is not particularly fond of foie gras. 

The name Rossini comes from the Italian composer, and it is considered one of the highest forms of fine cuisine. But in my mind, the true “top” is Morizo. So I thought I would name this steak after him. It is an original dish I created myself.

Tomikawa
Now we’re really sounding like a product meeting.

Morizo
Instead of foie gras you’ve gone with abalone and sea urchin. Very nice.

Executive Chef Ishii
For the sauce, I use a browned soy sauce with a touch of garlic, and I blend in a little wasabi.

Morizo
This is really nice.

Tomikawa
This is turning into a full-on product meeting.

Morizo
Mmm, delicious.

Executive Chef Ishii
I’m happy to hear that.

Tomikawa
That “delicious” is your green light, isn’t it.

Executive Chef Ishii
I think we’ll have to put this on the menu.

Tomikawa
Can I ask a really blunt question? If you were to put this on the menu, how much would it cost?

Tochika
I wanted to ask that too, but I was holding back. Thank you, Mr. Tomikawa.

Executive Chef Ishii
Just the meat alone runs about 13,800 yen per 100 grams. It is top-grade A5 beef, and only from heifers that have never calved. And these are Shizuoka-raised. A fillet like this naturally costs that much per 100 grams. On top of that, the sea urchin is extremely high-end, and the abalone as well… so I would say the minimum would be around 18,000 yen.

However, I am thinking of offering it as a standalone dish, and also as part of the course menu, in smaller portions.

Tomikawa
You won’t see me reaching for the bill.

All
(laughter)

Tomikawa
Let’s try it. All in one mouthful.

Mmm, unbelievable. I was expecting a nice balance of different textures, but the meat and the abalone are both tender, and the sea urchin brings it all together as one. They all share this same softness. And since you have all of that in your mouth at once, it blends and goes down together from the first bite. Pure happiness! Doesn’t get better than this!

Morizo
Each ingredient could take the leading role.

Tomikawa
And yet somehow they don’t clash.

Morizo
Three actors playing a single character.

Tomikawa
Amazing.

Morizo
I’ve more or less had meals like this all to myself until now. But I really want everyone to be able to enjoy this same happiness.

Tomikawa
Since Chef Ishii just mentioned putting it on the menu, can we take that to mean everyone will get to try it?

Morizo
As for bringing in customers, I think we could get a certain number together for something like a dinner event, hosted by Jun Ishii, where he briefly explains each dish while going through the course.  

Tomikawa
And all of them have Morizo’s stamp of approval. 

Morizo
That’s right.

Tomikawa
You eat all sorts of delicious things, so you know what you’re talking about.

Tomikawa
Oh, the Whisky M has arrived.

Morizo
I’m already drinking it.

Tomikawa
You’ve been drinking it already? I didn’t even notice.

Morizo
I don’t have to say anything; it just gets brought out.

All
(laughter)

Tomikawa
It goes well with meals, doesn’t it.

Morizo
The first time I tried it, I truly thought it was delicious.

Tomikawa
The color is interesting. It’s a little different from the color of whisky I usually picture. It’s more vivid, almost orange in tone.

Taiko
There’s no coloring added at all, it looks like this straight out of the barrel.

Tochika
Every whisky has a different flavor and aroma, doesn't it? Where do those differences come from?

Taiko
To be honest, I only learned this recently, but it depends on the type of barley used and where it was produced.

Tochika
Just like grapes, for example.

Taiko
And the yeast used during fermentation also makes a huge difference, as does the distillation method, and finally the barrel. Every tree has its own distinct character.

Tochika
They use different types of wood?

Taiko
There are different types of wood, but even if made from the same wood, every barrel develops its own flavor as it ages.

Morizo
And you know, whisky can take more than a decade to make.

Tochika
Of course.

Morizo
Which means the person who crafted the barrel might not even be there for the final whisky. I like to use that as an analogy for carmaking—everyone wants to earn praise as the person creating great products, but they are not the ones making the barrels. By the time the finished whisky comes out, the barrel craftsman might not be around anymore. Yet their tradition is passed down through the generations, embodying the spirit of working for someone other than ourselves. And then finally, there is the person who drinks it… I tell people that this is essential in carmaking too.

Taiko
Recently, we’ve been sourcing a type of oak from Mount Fuji that is ideal for making barrels. The lumber is milled and crafted into barrels in Shizuoka, and we fill them with the whisky base made from Shizuoka barley. We’ve begun the aging process, but for the whisky to age in this particular oak, we need to wait 30 years.

All
Thirty years?!

Morizo
So you’re laying the groundwork for the next generation, and beyond.

Tomikawa
Morizo will be 98 years old.

Morizo
I hope one day you make a 32-year whisky.

Tomikawa
As in your #32 car.

Morizo
Thirty-two years for car #32.

Tomikawa
Well then, only 31 years to go. Morizo, you’ll be 100.

All
(laughter)

Tochika
To celebrate your centenary!

Tomikawa
Perfect! It’s all set. We’ll drink to celebrate Morizo’s 100th birthday!

All
(applause)

Morizo
Even if we decide to make this a product, who’s actually going to get to drink it? By then I’ll be a hundred years old.

Tomikawa
You’ll have some.

Morizo
I’m saying I won’t be around.

Tomikawa
No, no, no, don’t say that. You’ll make it!

Taiko
We can meet again like this in 31 years. 

Tomikawa
Shall we?

Morizo
In 31 years… that would make me 99…

Tomikawa
Let’s make it happen.

Morizo
What?! And who are you again? Tomikawa, was it? It’ll be like that.

Tomikawa
So you’ll be a hundred… Morizo will become a Century himself.

Morizo
A Century. A Century.

Tomikawa
Amazing.

Morizo
In 32 years.

Tomikawa
That gives you a great goal.

Morizo
Yes, a nice goal.

Tomikawa
Both in terms of making whisky and living long.

Taiko
We can drink to good health.

Morizo
Yes, when the day comes.

Tochika
By the way, can you buy this Whisky M? Like online?

Taiko
You can buy it in stores.

Executive Chef Ishii
The Fuji Speedway and ROOKIE versions are only available here at the Fuji Speedway Hotel. And generally, Gaiaflow hardly ever does collaborations, so they normally would not allow a name like this to be put on their bottles. 

Taiko
I never imagined I would have the chance to make a whisky with the Fuji Speedway name on it.

Tomikawa
And yet, here you are.

Taiko
Honestly, back when I was a student, I used to be out at the final corner taking panning shots.

Tomikawa
It was destined to be. What a happy story.

Tomikawa
Oh! Here we go, a mouthwatering dessert!

Executive Chef Ishii
This is one of my signature creations, a roll cake made with spinach and black sesame.

Tomikawa
Spinach! That’s the leaf on the side?

Executive Chef Ishii
That’s spinach as well, but I blend spinach purée into the sponge itself. And with the black sesame, it’s not so much about sweetness as it is about enjoying the overall character of the dessert.

Tomikawa
And you created this for Morizo because he has a sweet tooth but needs to watch his health?

Executive Chef Ishii
Exactly right.

Tomikawa
What’s the verdict, Morizo?

Morizo
Delicious. You can really taste the sesame.

Executive Chef Ishii
Right. I’ve toned down the sweetness, so it’s nice and light. And for the roll cake I used rice flour to give it a bit more of a chewy texture.

Morizo
It’s really good.

Tomikawa
Absolutely delicious!

Executive Chef Ishii
Does this get the green light?

Tomikawa
I don’t have any authority, but please!

Executive Chef Ishii
Thank you.

Tochika
Even on a full stomach, it goes down very easily, doesn’t it.

Morizo
You could drink it.

Tomikawa
You heard it here folks: spinach-sesame roll cake is a drink!

All
(laughter)

Executive Chef Ishii
Thanks for that.

Tomikawa
On the menu you’ll have to put it under “Drinks.” That’s how Morizo approved it. Not in the dessert section.

Morizo
It’s not a dessert, it’s a beverage!

All
(laughter)

Tomikawa
Please be mindful of that.

Executive Chef Ishii
I will, thank you.

Tomikawa
For everyone listening, if you come here and can’t find this dish on the dessert menu, check the drinks section, it’ll be in there. 

To recap, what new menu items have we approved today…

Executive Chef Ishii
I would like to start offering the Morizo Salad from December.

Morizo
For me, with Chef Ishii’s dishes it’s about the complete package, starting with the appetizers and savoring the visual presentation. That’s why I think a course is the best way to go. But the thing with course meals is that, because you’re making many different things, the individual portions are small. So, while having à la carte options is fine too, I think we should have a course meal as the main offering.

Tomikawa
I see, so the entire experience from today becomes the product. 

Morizo
Exactly.

Tomikawa
I think this product decision meeting went really well.

Executive Chef Ishii
Thank you very much.

Tomikawa
Ahh, this is bliss. Great conversation, wonderful food, and such a beautiful space.

Executive Chef Ishii
All thanks to the Chairman.

Tomikawa
Thank you very much.

And we really should apologize to everyone listening. We’ve been the only ones enjoying all this great food and conversation. Sorry about that.

Morizo
But someday, when these dishes are finally added to the menu, and you come to the Fuji Speedway Hotel and visit this restaurant, I’m sure the day will come when you can enjoy this same experience for yourself. I truly hope you’ll look forward to that.

Executive Chef Ishii
We certainly do.

Tomikawa
Wonderful! Thank you very much!

Executive Chef Ishii
Thank you.

All
Thank you for the meal!

(applause)

Tomikawa
To close out the episode, we have a special announcement. A course based on Chairman Akio Toyoda’s dinner, as introduced today, will be offered at the Fuji Speedway Hotel for 13 days only, starting January 13th next year. [applause] Morizo Tea will also be available, so please look forward to it.

For details, please check the Fuji Speedway Hotel website.