南半球便り　＜その2＞公邸料理人（令和3年2月9日）

一に料理人、二に料理人、三、四がなくて五に「？？」

　大使にとって何が重要か問われた際に、私の尊敬する大先輩が発した言葉です。実は、（大先輩の言う）「？？」は、大変重要だと考えられている大使館のポストです。でも、具体的に書いてしまうと、館内の士気（？）に関わるので控えます。

　言いたかったことは、大使館や総領事館といった在外公館にあっては、外交活動を進めるに当たって公館長（大使、総領事）の公邸料理人が非常に大きな役割を果たしている点です。

　こういうと、「大使って、プロのコックさんが作る料理を毎食食べているの？」という素朴なご質問を屡々受けます。後述のとおり、そういうことではありません。

外交活動の一環としての設宴

　大使の仕事の最も重要な柱は、（１）人脈を作る、（２）情報を収集する、（３）日本の立場を説明し、理解を広げる、という三つでしょう。これらの役割を果たすに当たって最も効果的な方法は、これはという相手を公邸に招き、とっておきの料理と酒でもてなし、壁耳や障子目がない環境でじっくり懇談することです。古今東西を問わず、人間の営みの場で行われてきたことでもあります。

　お客様に出す料理が和食で、酒が日本酒や日本のワインなどであれば、その面でも日本の売り込みになることは間違いありません。

小形料理人の活躍

　今回キャンベラに赴任するに当たって、実に有り難かったことがあります。私の後輩が紹介してくれた東急ホテルズの五島泰夫さん（米国ロサンゼルス在勤）、そして小林昭人前社長他の格別のお計らいで、渋谷のセルリアンタワー東急ホテルで大活躍していた新進気鋭の小形禎之（おがたさだゆき）料理人をキャンベラの大使館に派遣していただいたのです。

　若いながらも、既に、「第一回エスコフィエ・ヤングシェフコンクール」4位入賞、「マイユ料理コンクール2019」優勝など、多くの賞歴を重ね、輝かしい成績を収めています。元々フランス料理が専門ですが、様々な料理への飽くなき探究心に溢れ、寿司を握り、天ぷらを揚げ、ドラ焼きを作ります。

　キャンベラのような土地柄にあって重要なことは、「いきの良い魚が手に入りにくい」と嘆き続けるのではなく、「手に入る素材を最大限に活用して、こちらの方に喜んでもらえる料理を精一杯作る」ことをモットーに頑張ってくれていることです。

　赴任と同時に購入した自転車を駆りながらキャンベラの丘を食材探しに走り回る若いシェフの溌剌とした姿を見ていると、唐津出身の九州剣士（三段）という、もうひとつの姿と重なるものがあります。

「チーム･ジャパン」の活躍

　公邸での設宴を支えるのは、料理人だけではありません。かつてハイアット･ホテルでもまれ、接客の技量とワイン･酒の知識で皆をうならせるイアン（豪州人）、厨房で料理人補助を献身的に務めるマリアム（タイ出身）、テーブルクロスやナプキン等のリネンを綺麗に仕上げるだけでなく、カメラマンとしての腕も持つアンジェラ（インドネシア出身）のチームが一体となって、昼食会や夕食会を盛り上げてくれます。

　まさに、英国のテレビ映画「ダウントン･アビー」でご覧になったような、匠によるおもてなしの協奏曲が奏でられます。

体が資本

　ここまで筆を進めると、「大使は美味しいものを食べるだけだから楽でしょう？」との声が聞こえてきそうです。確かに、おいしいです。でも、毎回もてなす相手の経歴を頭にたたき込み、TPOに応じて話題を変え、時には押したり引いたりしながら、前記の三つの目的を達成すべく切り盛りしていくのは、生やさしい心がけではできません。一回一回が真剣勝負なのです。

　また、胃腸の強くない私には、漢方薬が欠かせない存在です。キャンベラに赴任し二週間の隔離明け直後から、毎週4回くらいは公邸で設宴をする状態です。加えて、他国の大使などに招待されたりするので、空いている日は、ソーメンかお茶漬けしか、のどを通りません。

お待ちしています

　公邸での行事には、着席の昼食会や夕食会だけでなく、近く行われる予定の天皇誕生日記念レセプションもあれば、各種のお茶会などもあります。

　是非、お越しの際は、落ち着いた公邸のたたずまいや日本庭園に加え、一部の豪州人から「キャンベラ１のレストラン」と呼ばれる「チーム・ジャパン」の料理とおもてなしをご堪能いただきたいと存じます。お待ちしております。

在オーストラリア日本国大使　山上信吾

やまがみしんご
東京大学法学部卒業後、1984年外務省入省。コロンビア大学大学院留学。茨城県警本部警務部長という異色の経歴を経て在英国日本国大使館公使、国際法局審議官、総合外交政策局審議官（政策企画･国際安全保障担当大使）、日本国際問題研究所所長代行を歴任後、17年国際情報統括官、18年経済局長。20年12月、在豪日本大使に着任。

“Number 1 is chef. Number 2 is chef. Number 3, 4 and 5 are what? You guessed it”

This is what a very senior colleague of mine who I respect much once said when asked what was most important for an ambassador. Truly, the role he speaks of “what” is considered a very significant position within an embassy. But I refrain from writing in details about “what”, because it may have an impact on morale at the Embassy.

The point I wanted to make is that chefs of ambassadors and consuls-general have a very important role to play in the diplomatic activities conducted by embassies and consulates abroad.

In saying that, I am often asked out of curiosity if ambassadors eat meals prepared by a professional chef at every meal. As I will explain later, it’s not the case.

Dining occasions as an Element of Diplomacy

The three cornerstones of an ambassador’s work are (1) to build personal connections, (2) to gather information, and (3) to present Japanese perspectives to expand the support base for its position. The most effective way to achieve these goals would be to invite guests whom we zeroed in on, entertain them with superb food and saké and have private and in-depth conversation in a space where guests would feel confident in not being eavesdropped on. This is what has been done in the course of history as a practice of human beings regardless of time and place.

If the dishes to be served are Japanese cuisine coupled with saké or wine produced in Japan, it is needless to say this would definitely provide another opportunity to promote Japan itself.

Chef Ogata Sadayuki’s Achievements

There’s one thing I am truly grateful for upon my appointment to Canberra. Thanks to the extraordinary support from Tokyu Hotels Director GOTOH Yasuo (Currently based in Los Angeles), to whom my junior colleague introduced me, and the former President KOBAYASHI Akihito, Shibuya Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel has kindly agreed to dispatch hugely successful up-and-coming Chef OGATA Sadayuki to Canberra.

Despite his youth, Chef Ogata already has many glowing accolades to his name including Fourth Prize in the First Escoffier Young Chef Competition and First Prize in the 2019 Maille Cooking Competition. Originally trained in French cuisine, he is passionate about pursuing various other styles of cooking as well and now crafts fine sushi, tempura and dorayaki, Japanese pancakes with sweetened red bean inside.

What is impressive about him is that instead of deploring limited access to fresh seafood due to Canberra’s land-locked location, Chef Ogata is working hard with a motto that he wants to fully utilise locally available ingredients and create dishes that satisfy Australian and other guests. Seeing young Chef Ogata cycling energetically about Canberra searching out ingredients on his bike he bought upon arrival in Canberra, one may see his other aspect as a swordsman from Karatsu, a location of traditional lords’ domain, in Kyushu island, as he holds a third dan in the traditional Japanese martial art, kendo.

The Work of ‘Team Japan’

It’s not only Chef Ogata that supports the dining occasions at the Residence. There’s also Ian (born in Canberra, Australia), who earnt his stripes at the Hyatt Hotel, impressing guests with hospitality skills and his knowledge of wines and saké. While in the kitchen, Maream (originally from Bangkok, Thailand) is working with dedication and skills to support the Chef, Angela (originally from Jakarta, Indonesia) makes sure linens such as table cloths and napkins are impeccably prepared and regularly contributes her photography skills to the team. Working together as ‘Team Japan’, they are committed to staging our functions with perfection.

Indeed, a symphony of masters’ omotenashi, or Japanese hospitality is orchestrated just like you may have seen in the British historical drama, Downton Abbey.

Health is Wealth

By this point, I can imagine some might say that ambassadors get off lightly because all they do to is eat delicious meals. Certainly it is delicious. However, the role of host should not be taken lightly; it is not an easy task at all as a host to memorise their guests’ background information, change subjects as necessary to adjust to the flow of conversation and occasionally even engage in a psychological tug-of-war to accomplish the three goals I mentioned above. Each function is indeed a serious duel.

Having said that, herbal medicines are essential for me as I do not have a strong stomach. Since concluding my two weeks of quarantine upon arrival in Australia, I hosted on average four functions every week. In addition, I am often invited out by fellow ambassadors and friends on other days, such that I find myself eating very simply on days off from functions; somen noodles or ochazuke tea-over-rice is more than ample.

We Look Forward to Welcoming You

The functions at the Residence are not limited to seated dinners and lunches. The Embassy also holds events such as the upcoming Emperor’s Birthday Reception and various forms of teas. If you have the chance to come here, I hope you will enjoy the subdued ambience of the Residence and the beauty of the Japanese garden as well as the hospitality of “Team Japan” at what some call “Canberra’s best restaurant”. I look forward to meeting you.

YAMAGAMI Shingo – Ambassador of Japan to Australia

YAMAGAMI Shingo
Upon graduating from the University of Tokyo, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in 1984. He also studied at the Graduate School of Columbia University. His overseas assignment includes Washington D.C., Hong Kong, Geneva and London. After being seconded to the National Police Agency and the Japan Institute of International Affairs, he assumed the role of Director-General of the Intelligence and Analysis Service and then Director-General of the Economic Affairs Bureau. In December 2020, he was dispatched to Canberra as Ambassador to Australia.