On April 20th, Rose and Jean-Charles Carrarini, owners of the popular Parisian organic café Rose Bakery, visited Japan. We spoke with them on the occasion of their personal appearance at the Isetan Shinjuku store.
Rose Bakery is a bakery café originating from the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France. The British-born owner creates simple, natural dishes and pastries that bring out the natural flavor of the ingredients, making it a popular shop. In March of this year, to coincide with the remodeled Isetan Shinjuku store, she published "How to Boil an Egg" (English version), a collection of egg recipes.
Regarding her new book, Rose said, "The book introduces 84 egg recipes based on adaptations of everyday home cooking. Some of the dishes, such as chawanmushi, were inspired by Japanese cuisine. I've been a fan of Japanese food since my first visit to Japan 30 years ago, and I often visit Japanese restaurants in the UK and France." The bakery focuses on organic ingredients, using French ACO butter, Rescue and Viron flour for cakes, quiches, and scones. "This is my sixth visit to Japan, and every time I visit, I'm always looking for new ingredients, especially organic ones. My current favorite is warabimochi (bracken-starch dumplings). It's incredibly natural and healthy, so I'd love to incorporate it into future recipes," says Rose. Another defining feature of the bakery is its fusion of fashion with brands like Dover Street Market and Comme des Garçons. Regarding the Isetan Shinjuku store, Jean said, "This time, we aimed to create a casual, enjoyable space, keeping in mind the store's 'park' concept. We had heard in advance that the ceiling would have an impact, so we kept the interior simple and white to create a more striking presence." Many customers flocked to Isetan to meet the couple. "Even though this new book is only available in English, I was deeply touched by the number of people trying to understand the English recipes," she said in a final message of gratitude.
Since opening in Paris in 2002, the bakery has expanded to include locations in London and Seoul, and in February 2011 opened its first Japanese flagship store in Marunouchi. A store in Kichijoji followed in July of the same year, and the brand's first tea room in Ginza in March 2012. In March of this year, the fourth store in Japan opened on the third floor of the main building of Isetan Shinjuku. Rose's first recipe book, "Breakfast, Lunch, Tea," has been translated into English, French, German, and Japanese and has become a best-selling cookbook.
