Blooming for the Dishes2019.05.07
A passion for the small things that make a space beautiful
Hiroo is a green and pleasant area. Arisugawa-no-miya Memorial Park is nearby, and Restaurant Hiramatsu Hiroo, too, is filled with flowers that delight passers-by with their reflection of the changing seasons.
Chef Hiramatsu’s cuisine aims to offer guests a flavour of Japan’s changing seasons, and that is why he insists on the very finest seasonal ingredients.
The flowers that decorate the restaurant reflect this same desire,and play an important supporting role, creating beautiful touches throughout the space.
Le Vésuve, in Aoyama, has been supplying flowers to Restaurant Hiramatsu Hiroo for more than 30 years.Its owner, Mr Tatsumori Matsuoka describes this long relationship:
“When I started out, I often had to work through the night, but I persevered. I talked to Chef Hiroyuki Hiramatsu (founder chef) and Madame Keiko about how we could make the restaurant even more beautiful, about matching the flowers to the food, and found my way by trial and error.”
Though they might not always see eye to eye, both men are masters of their craft. Starting from respect for each other’s artistic sensibility, they built a strong relationship of trust, and became indispensable to each other.
“The seasons play an important role in food, and flowers symbolise the seasons too, so the aim is that our flowers should give guests a sense of the changing seasons. But in a restaurant, the food has to take centre stage, and the flowers must not get in the way. They must be understated, but they should also be memorable. Since the beginning, I have alwaystalked to the chef about how to make the best use of the flowers.”
More than 30 years on, the staff of Le Vésuve still visit the restaurant twice a week to change the flower arrangements.
“It’s hard work, but changing the flowers twice a week allows us to express the seasons with greater subtlety, and to use many more different flowers.”
Surrounded by flowers and trees, Le Vésuve, in Aoyama, is a special place: you would never believe it is right in the middle of Tokyo. This is where Mr Matsuoka and his staff dream up the flower arrangements that make our restaurant a beautiful space.
Flowers and food have something in common
Mr Matsuoka says, “With experience, you learn that if you do a particular thing, you’ll get a particular result, like a kind of formula. But if that’s all you do, then your skill and artistic sensibility don’t grow any further, so I always try to add something adventurous. I think food must be the same. I sense that when I talk to Chef Hiroki Hiramatsu, too. I think flowers and food have something in common: you need inspiration for both.”
This synergy between flowers and cuisine, reflecting the changing seasons and creating a beautiful, natural ambiance, is a product of the artistic sensibility and dedication to the restaurant shared by Chef Hiramatsu, our service staff and Le Vésuve.
Every aspect of Restaurant Hiramatsu Hiroo, from the cuisine to the flowers that decorate the dining room, is designed to bring peace to your heart and make your visit a memorable experience.
Le Vésuve
Address: 7-9-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours: 11am to 6pm
Regular closing day: Tuesday