The Kanda area is an office district lined with tall buildings. At lunchtime, the sight of business people in suits walking briskly through the area catches your eye. In the lively yet bustling Kanda area, you'll find COLAZIONE VARIO, a shop where you can relax at your own pace.

The shop's signature product, "UMAMI Bread," features the unexpected combination of kelp and bread. The creation of this product is said to have been heavily influenced by the store's history and encounters with people. We spoke to the owner, Yasuhiro Watanabe, about the type of store COLAZIONE VARIO aims to be and the story behind the creation of UMAMI Bread.

A public space inspired by Italian bars

Inside the store. (Photo provided by COLAZIONE VARIO)

COLAZIONE VARIO originated in Italy. When Watanabe was traveling around Europe to broaden his horizons, he came across a "bar" in a certain town in Italy. A bar is a snack bar in Italy. It's a place where you can have a quick coffee and do a little shopping. Watanabe describes the scene he saw when he entered the bar:

"The atmosphere in the shop was very natural. Some people took their time drinking their coffee, while others just bought some cigarettes and left. There were completely different types of customers in the same space, each using the shop as they pleased.

What's more, there was interaction between people there, regardless of wealth, age, gender, or other distinctions. It was a very comfortable space where even someone like me, who couldn't speak the language, was treated with friendliness on an equal basis. I felt that there were few places in Japan where you could have this kind of feeling, and I wanted to create a social space like the one I had experienced.

Watanabe opened "COLAZIONE VARIO" to provide the space he experienced in Italy. He calls the store a "public space" and is challenging himself to create a wide range of interactions, not only selling bread, but also operating a cafe and renting out space.

"UMAMI" bread born from a chance encounter with a producer

Konbu is an essential ingredient in UMAMI bread. Konbu from Kayabe in southern Hokkaido has a history of being presented to the shogunate and imperial family.

COLAZIONE VARIO's signature product is the "UMAMI Bread," made with wheat and kelp from Hokkaido. Watanabe-san carefully selects wheat from Hokkaido and kneads it with dashi made from kelp from Kayabe, southern Hokkaido, to create a bread with a light sweetness and chewy texture.

The combination of bread and kelp was inspired by a chance encounter with a retailer of real kelp.

"When I was renting out my shop as a rental space, I met someone who was dealing in ma konbu at the shop. This person had been involved with ma konbu for over 20 years, and spoke to me with great passion about konbu. At that time, I was very attracted to konbu as an ingredient.

Food may seem like a trivial thing when considered as a single meal, but it is important for building the body. Because we care about our customers, we don't expect only consumers to make an effort to be particular about food, but we producers should take that responsibility. That's why I thought kelp was the perfect ingredient to make something that is both delicious and healthy."

Watanabe's inspiration turned into conviction when he tried making a prototype, and the signature product "UMAMI Bread" was born. Currently, with the UMAMI bread recipe at the core, Watanabe makes a wide variety of breads every day, combining them with seasonal Japanese ingredients.

"I think it was all a coincidence," says Watanabe with a smile. Perhaps it was precisely because Watanabe, who values places where people meet and mingle, came up with the idea for "UMAMI Bread."

I want to be a catalyst that connects people through food.

Bread made using the UMAMI bread recipe (Photo courtesy of COLAZIONE VARIO)

Watanabe-san has operated his restaurant in an open manner as a public space, and has built "human connections" that go beyond food. He says he would like to meet more local people in the future.

"Our shop has always placed great importance on 'food communication that connects people's hearts.' That's why we want to do business in a position that is even closer to our customers. In the future, we want to provide value to local people in our shop, and as a carrier of food, we want to think about how we can contribute even more to the community."

"Food" is not just a means to live, but something that connects us with people and enriches our lives. Watanabe's attitude, which is conveyed through the way the shop is run and the bread he makes, teaches us the joy of food and the fun of interacting with people.

COLAZIONE VARIO
Address: 1F Kurihara Building, 2-3-7 Uchikanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0047
Access: 5 minutes on foot from Kanda Station
HP: https://page.line.me/787wtgyf?oat_content=url&openQrModal=true
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/colazione2016/
*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.