INDEX
I want to offer unexpected flavors by combining familiar ingredients.
Celeina: In 2015, you opened the patisserie “Ryoura” in Yoga, Setagaya-ku. What kind of store did you decide to start?
Sugamata: I opened the store because I wanted to live in a town that I wanted to live in, and I wanted the store to blend in with the scenery of that town.
Celeina: I see, so you started by choosing the town.
Takano: The blue walls are very stylish and cute.
Sugamata: In Japan, at the time, people said that cold wall colors were not suitable for restaurants. But it’s beautiful, and there’s nothing else like it, so we decided to do it.
Celeina: Did you choose bright colors because you were inspired by the European cityscapes you saw during your training in France?
Sugamata: That was part of it. When I was in Japan, I was sometimes concerned about what people around me thought, but in France, there were many people who lived their lives with their own style, so I was inspired. I felt like I should have my own style, and I guess that’s what I am doing now.
Takano: There are many variations of sweets. Isn’t it difficult to devise such a large menu?
Sugamata: Yes, it is. We have a concept of combining familiar ingredients to offer unexpected flavors, and it’s hard not to stray outside of that framework. But it’s fun to think about it.
Takano: When do you come up with ideas?
Sugamata: When I am driving, I concentrate on driving. But the moment I get stuck in traffic, I can think for a moment, and once I start moving, I concentrate on driving again. This switching between the two is like being refreshed, and ideas come to me like, “This could be good. I also sometimes pull out ingredients that I think are good from my daily meals or conversations with the staff and try to make them.
Celeina：I find myself craving Ryoura’s sweets more and more. Do you have a menu item that is the most popular at the restaurant, or a menu item that you recommend that you think is the best?
Sugamata: We don’t usually serve this kind of sweet at the shop, but the sweets made with matcha green tea, banana, milk chocolate, and a bit of salt were a personal challenge, but they were surprisingly delicious.
Celeina: I haven’t heard much about matcha and banana.
Sugamata: That’s right. The matcha and banana with a little bit of chocolate brings the flavors together.
Celeina: I see. So the milk chocolate is the link between the two.
Takano: Everyone, please visit Ryoura when you come to Yoga.
Celeina：“FIST BUMP” is a circle of friends that can be connected through a goo touch, so I have people introduce me to their friends. What kind of person will Mr. Sugamata introduce?
Sugamata: It’s Naoko Sakurabayashi who is a person whose job is small talk.
Takano: What kind of connection?
Sugamata: Ms. Sakurabayashi’s child is an illustrator, and it all started when she drew an illustration on one of our cake boxes. Originally, a staff member I worked with was friends with Ms,Sakurabayashi and that friend connected me with her. After that, we had frequent meetings and became good friends as we talked about many things.
Celeina: If you had to sum it up in one word, how would it be?
Sugamata: Someone who encourage me.
Takano: That’s good. Thank you very much. Tomorrow, I will connect to a person whose job is small talk, Naoko Sakurabayashi.
Celeina: “FIST BUMP”, today we have Ryosuke Sugamata from Ryoura, a French pastry shop in Yoga. Thank you very much.
GRAND MARQUEE
J-WAVE (81.3FM) Mon-Thu 16:00 – 18:50
Navigator: Shinya Takano, Celeina Ann
