Drake's in Tokyo: Makoto Konno's Kitchen

In the world of Tokyo hospitality, Makoto Konno is a bit of a legend. Decades of experience, two very successful French bistros in the city: Organ and Uguisu. He was one of the first to explore the potential of introducing natural wine to Japanese drinkers. “Twenty years ago that word, natural, didn't exist here,” says Konno, sat across from me at a large, pale wooden table, afternoon sunlight pouring in floor-to-ceiling windows 10 floors up. “Soon we’d built a community, word spread, and we built something a bit different.” 

For his latest venture, Konno is leading the kitchen at Orby, a new restaurant high up in the Azabudai Hills Tower Plaza, a swish shopping centre that caters to Tokyo’s well-heeled locals. As part of a venture with Conran, it borrows its title from Sir Terrence’s middle name. “We have some traditional British dishes on the menu,” says Konno, salt and pepper hair tucked behind his ears. “There’s beef wellington and fish and chips, but my favourite is Welsh rarebit. My background is in French cooking, but it’s interesting to work with a new concept.”

Around us Orby’s fleet of staff are setting up for service, the a calming soundtrack of clean cutlery being placed next to hand-made plates sourced from Mashiko in Japan’s Tochigi prefecture, the country’s pottery heartland. “I started out as a sommelier,” says Konno, “I’ve never lived in France, but it’s somewhere I know very well, it’s formed the basis of my philosophy around cooking I suppose. The appreciation for ingredients, technique and tradition all appeals to me.”

Before we arrived, our friend Ken let us know that Konno never takes a day off—seven days a week in the restaurant, on the floor or in the kitchen. “It’s true,” he says, with a wry smile. “I’m okay. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”