Hey! Do you know what is the boss thinking?
Interviewed and Edited by Marketing Team
Every royal foodie knows Puro Yakitori 2.0 (プロ燒鳥專門店) now locates at the expended new site. Since I first met the owner まさる in 2014, まさる has treated employees like his own family. With his unique yakitori skills, he keeps promoting Japanese cuisine in Taiwan and developing his value and influence in catering. As a result, the enthusiastic fans sincerely admire the real ‘shokunin’ spirit in Puro Yakitori 2.0.
1. What are the secrets of making good yakitori?
What are your suggestions about selecting/ keeping food fresh?
We buy vegetables and meat butchered in the morning every day. After we process meat according to our menu, we keep them in different ways, ie. Chicken meat is kept in rapid freezing, while beef is kept in the fridge.
Puro Yakitori 2.0 opens between 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. The chefs start setting up the fire, preparing fresh meals for guests from 3p.m.
2. This could be a difficult question for まさる, but what are the top 5 must-order dishes?
- Puro Yakitori-Chicken skewer (もも)
- Puro Yakitori-Chicken sirloin (あか)
- Pork Tomato skewer (トマト豚卷)
- Vegetable marshmallow egg (野菜豆腐卵とじ)
(Inspired by my sister married in Japan. This is one of the family favorites in Japan. I adjust the flavor according to Taiwanese taste. It’s a family recipe full of mom’s love!) - Squid (ヤリイカ)(Tenderly chewy with a bit sweet taste)
The KGI team was impressed by Puro Yakitori 2.0’ s kitchen on the first visit. It was not a scorching hot “grilling” kitchen as we knew it, but a decent working environment with proper humidity and temperature. After the interview with まさる, we found out he put a lot of effort into improving the culinary equipment and design. When it comes to kitchen management, まさる looks for a sustainable plan for the next decade
3. What are the values of sustainable management for you?
Besides, people have experienced that the taste of food changes due to the retirement of a senior chef or boss. Do you have any comments or suggestions for an experience like this?
(1) From a few centimeters of kitchen working space to the wind pressure of the ventilation system, these are details representing my strict demand and insistence on kitchen design. These subtle figures such as temperature, moisture, and density of CO, can massively influence the comfort and safety in the working environment. Therefore, through the weekly analysis report from the KGI team, I can control these intangible but potentially dangerous figures which can make me more confident in sustainable management.
“The kitchen is the heart of a restaurant. If chefs feel uncomfortable in the kitchen, it’s difficult for them to serve each dish pleasantly.
The persistence in kitchen design I have had for twelve years is recognized by my chefs, which makes me proud for sure.“
(2) まさる shared his methods of training chefs: teaching by himself, leading by example, controlling food quality, and listening to customers. These are crucial principles. On the contrary, staying at home and waiting for financial reports gives me nothing. “I will stay at the frontline all the time, and play the role as a supporter. I will keep providing chefs opportunities to learn, motivations to learn.”まさる said.
まさる also shared the Japanese Shokunin spirit: Do one thing well in life. Sadly, this spirit is rarely spotted in the Taiwanese culinary field. Lots of owners would like to expand the business scale by opening new branches. It’s certainly fine if they figure out a set of cooking SOP to copy. However, for Yakitori restaurant, it is very difficult to duplicate the chef’s cooking, grilling, and frying skills.
Puro Yakitori is established in 2012. This 12-year-old uniform means persistence in lots of details, including using KGI IoT system. With precise figures and precaution system, まさる can protect employees and food safety all the time.
4. What is your expectation for the catering industry or new idea about innovation?
We still insist on fresh and high-quality food. One of the disciplines I have is knowing about the origin of local food. The more I understand about local food, the more delicious and in-season dishes I can master. For example, we use garlic from Yunlin for vegetable marshmallow egg, and sea bass from Kaohsiung in the miso hot pot in autumn/ winter.
5. What’s the upcoming new plan or event?
In 2023 Autumn/ Winter, we will have lanterns, chicken liver, and pig liver. Welcome to try them!
It’s our pleasure to interview まさる. Hope he will have Puro Yakitori 3.0 in Canada soon!
