Immerse yourself in the profound world of sweets, with its luscious aromas, sweet, bitter, and bittersweet flavors, reflecting life itself. On March 9th, the "Tokyo Sweets Collection 2013" was held at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel, showcasing performances and new creations by Japan's most popular pastry chefs. As per usual, Kenji Ohashi (Yume Kashikobo Puplier) served as producer, and this year, nine pastry chefs—Koichi Izumi (Asterisk), Kei Ohashi (Puplier), Hirotatsu Kanda (L'Autumne), Yuichi Shiratori (Catos Juillet Tokyo), Yasuhiro Takagi (Pastry Studio Entrée), Hironobu Tsujiguchi (Mont Saint Clair), Koji Tsuchiya (Theobroma), Yoshinori Matsushima (Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel), and Toshihiko Yoroizuka (Toshiyoroizuka)—gathered in front of approximately 200 guests, showcasing lively performances and new sweet creations. One of the highlights was the first-ever announcement of "Trend Sweets." At the beginning of the event, Kenji Ohashi announced, "The trend sweets of 2013 will be 'Neo-Traditional.'" "After discussing it together, we decided this was the only option. Not only food, but fashion and other cultures are returning to their roots. Sweets will also return to tradition in terms of technique, design, and taste. This trend will likely continue for some time, next year and the year after," he said. Another impressive performance was the eight-minute showpiece created by nine pastry chefs in groups of three. "This is a declaration of my determination to follow my own path, like a dragon soaring through the sky," said Hironobu Tsujiguchi, who created a dynamic rising dragon on a black board using Italian meringue. Finally, he demonstrated a bold technique of using a burner to create shading. Kei Ohashi, Yoshinori Matsushima, and Toshihiko Yoroizuka worked together to create the piece. In keeping with the event's concept, "Sending Messages from Japan to the World," a showpiece inspired by Japanese culture was created. The delicate technique of adorning a chocolate fan with candy flowers and decorations captivated the audience.
During the performance, guests enjoyed a series of sweet treats from participating pastry chefs. They enjoyed treats like Koji Tsuchiya's "Tiramisu Modern," an evolved version of tiramisu; Koichi Izumi's traditional French "Fréjus"; and Kei Ohashi's "A New Opera." They listened to the pastry chefs' own explanations of the next generation of sweet trends.
The final highlight was a fashion show featuring a collaboration between the pastry chefs and top stylist Ako Kondo. "The overlapping of Kondo's imagination and that of the pastry chefs went beyond mere collaboration, and we worked to create a connection that would allow us to create something beautiful and a wonderful culture together," said Kenji Ohashi. Guests were in awe of the glamorous appearance of the models as they walked the runway, clad in unique fashion and accessories made from sweets that symbolized the worldview of each pastry chef. "Sweets are a part of the 'happy times' in life. The origin of sweets is to bring joy to people," said Ohashi Kenji. As guests left the event, smiles brimming across their faces as they received limited edition sweets as souvenirs, seen off by the pastry chefs.
