A five-minute walk from the east exit of Kanda Station. Once you leave the area lined with restaurants in front of the station, you'll find a laid-back downtown atmosphere with elementary schools and locally-owned businesses.

Located in one corner of this area is the restaurant "Sustainable Kitchen Rosy." Based on the concept of "growing the future together," the restaurant provides a space to explore social issues and sustainability through food.

This time, we spoke with the representative, Satoshi Mori, about the history of Sustainable Kithen Rosy (hereinafter referred to as Rosy), its commitment, and his thoughts about customers.

The encounter that led to the restaurant's founding in Portland

In his twenties, Mori spent his days in Europe working as a waiter in a French restaurant, where he was deeply impressed by the environmental initiatives and culture in Europe, as well as the widespread use of organic food.

However, at that time in Japan, "organic" was not as well known as it is today. Mori felt the huge gap between Europe and Japan, and started a company with the aim of spreading organic in Japan.

The turning point for Mori was a visit to Portland, Oregon, USA. Portland is an area where sustainability and organic food are deeply rooted in the city and is attracting a lot of attention both from within Japan and overseas. Through an introduction from an acquaintance, Mori met a chef who runs an organic restaurant in Portland.

"On the day we met, the chef took me to his farm and gave me a warm welcome. After seeing his restaurant and farm, I told the chef that I wanted to open a restaurant like that in Japan. Things progressed smoothly and we decided to open a restaurant in Japan."

The two met and opened "Sustainable Kitchen Rosy" in September 2018. The name of the restaurant, "Rosy," comes from the rose, a flower closely associated with Portland, and shows how much Mori-san treasures his encounter in Portland.

Carefully conveying the background of the people behind the food

One of the great attractions of Rosy is being able to learn about the background of the food. By purchasing ingredients from producers who have direct contracts with the restaurant, we are able to use them in our dishes after understanding the background and passion of the producers. Most of the dishes are suitable for vegans, so vegans and non-vegans can enjoy meals together at the same table.

There are other eye-catching items scattered throughout the menu, such as the "Earth-Saving Beer" produced by Patagonia. If you ask the staff about the ingredients or drinks that interest you, you might come across an unexpected story.

When we asked Mori when he would like people to visit his store, he replied, "I would like people to come when they simply want to feel energized."

"Food is one of the most familiar and enjoyable aspects of our lives, so I hope that people will come here to enjoy some delicious food, talk to people nearby, and feel energized.

I think city life can often be lonely. That's why I want people to drop by on their own, or to come with friends and share a fun time together. I want people to enjoy the "food that saves lives" that can only be eaten here, not something you can eat at Rosy any time."

Behind the food you see in front of you, there is always someone who has made it with love and care. At Rosy, you can experience the warmth of these people. The "life-saving food" you taste here will satisfy not only your body, but your heart as well.

A place to enjoy a meal. A place to connect producers and consumers.

It takes a lot of time and effort to be particular about the background of the ingredients and things you use. Nevertheless, the reason why Rosy is so particular about the background is related to the nature of the restaurant.

"Serving delicious food at our restaurant means that we are supporting the farmers in Japan who carefully produce our ingredients through our consumption. That's why we want to stand between producers and consumers, and act as a hub, so that we can work together with consumers to protect Japan's environment and agriculture."

A restaurant is a place to enjoy a meal. But Rosy is not just that; it is also a place that connects producers and consumers, and shows people new perspectives and new worlds. Rosy is a place that connects many people and spreads a sustainable world by circulating food. Rosy's quest continues.

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Sustainable Kitchen Rosy
Address: 11 Kanda Kita-Norimonocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0036
HP: https://kitchenrosy.com/
SNS: https://www.instagram.com/kitchen_rosy/
*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.