Food designer Takahashi Yoshiko's eyes always sparkle like a little girl's. That's because she discovers many moving moments and happiness every day and shares them with others. We visited her atelier, "S/S/A/W," in Nishi-Koyama, Tokyo, to ask about her daily life.


■A Person Who Pursues the Seasons

From the many tableware and pots arranged in an easy-to-use manner to natural objects like the soft coral on the wall, the atelier is filled with items that have been collected with love and time, creating a nostalgic and comfortable space that reflects the owner's personality.

The name "S/S/A/W" comes from the four seasons. Her husband, who works as an art director, suggested it, saying, "You're someone who is always pursuing the seasons." Indeed, Takahashi's year is filled with delicious ingredients nurtured by the four seasons. "The ingredients available in each season are so delicious, so I keep them in mind when making my food," he says with a gentle smile.




The menu is above all based on the producers. With a list of vegetables that "are at their best this time of year," Takahashi only serves spring produce, and winter produce if it's spring. Nothing but seasonal ingredients graces the table. "Purely delicious food is made in a pure environment by producers with pure intentions. When you eat it, all of that sinks in. I cook because I'm moved by the background behind it, so I have a strange confidence that people will understand once it's in their bodies, even if I don't explain it (laughs). I want to communicate it, and I want others to eat it. I also love seeing people's faces while they're eating it. I hope to be able to share my emotions through food."


■Selecting things based on shared passion

Takahashi originally moved to Tokyo with the aim of becoming an interior designer, but at one point she realized that rather than focusing on large-scale spatial design, "I'm looking at a world that's closer to me, right in front of me," and so she dove into cooking, her calling. Food is the pillar of her life, both at work and in her personal life. However, Takahashi values every aspect of her daily life, from food and clothing to shelter.




"Everything is connected, isn't it? For good food, you need good tableware, and in turn you need a good table, a good space, and clothes that make you feel comfortable." But this is a world that isn't necessarily limited to expensive brands or tied to a particular country. "There's nothing that absolutely counts. There are people and things I like in all sorts of genres, and it doesn't matter what country the artist is from as long as I think it's good. It's fine even if it's something I don't understand and it's like garbage (laughs)."



Regardless of whether it's from the past or present, East or West, the things she chose based solely on whether she liked them clearly reflect everything she holds dear. "There are a lot of things in the world that look cool at first glance, but I'm drawn to things that I can look at for a long time and never get bored of. That hasn't changed since I was in middle or high school (laughs). I have an admiration for cool things."


■ Food is a form of "happiness" that comes many times a day

Even in her cooking, Takahashi aims for a deep flavor that seeps into the heart. "There are a million people who cook delicious food, right? Your mothers are like that too. Everyone has their own role to play, so I think it would be great if I could make food that is rich in flavor." Just like the producers, Takahashi approaches cooking head-on. Her days are filled with happiness. And in fact, the same is true in our daily lives. "When I'm cooking, surrounded by the emotion I received from the chef, I feel incredibly happy. That feeling is transmitted to the people eating the food intuitively. There are many inspiring experiences, like listening to music or going to an exhibition, but it's not something you experience every day. But with food, you experience it many times a day, so happiness comes to you in small increments. I want to share that time with my family, so I make it a rule to have breakfast and dinner with my husband and daughter."

Because it's a "treasure." "The cover of Kagoshima Mutsumi's picture book said, 'Delicious memories are treasures,' and I thought that was so true. I have four siblings and we had a large family, but my mother cooked for us and rarely used pre-made foods. Eating together was so normal every day that it got to the point where I got sick of it (laughs). But looking back now, I feel that it was a very important time. I don't remember her buying me many things, but the memories of eating delicious food together are the best gifts of all."




Values nurtured through experience, rather than immediate possessions. It is this sensibility that Takahashi hopes to impart to her daughter. And in her work, Takahashi hopes to share with others the excitement she feels when she encounters a new taste and has the cells in her brain suddenly open. "I'm happy, and the people eating are happy too. That makes me so happy that today, too, I find myself gazing at everyone's faces from the kitchen in my studio."


【staff】
Photographs: Hideyuki Seta
Hair & Make-up: Shirouzu Mayuko (roraima)
Text: Aiko Ishii