Although lunchtime was long over, many customers were enjoying their meals. The hall, where Italian was being spoken all around, suddenly became more lively when the owner, Elio Orsara, appeared. Elio recognized Hideaki Sato of Pecora Ginza and they exchanged friendly greetings. The atmosphere between the two, who have known each other for over 10 years, was like that of family.

Left: Hiroki Kawano, Oga; Center: Elio Orsara, owner of Elio Locanda; Right: Hideaki Sato, owner of Pecora Ginza

We have a deep respect for each other's craftsmanship.

Hello , Elio. Sorry to keep you waiting.
Kawano , thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule. Today's purpose is to reveal what kind of person Sato is by looking at his favorite restaurants.
Elio , I don't give compliments. So I might end up saying a lot of mean things (laughs).

(Everyone laughs).

How did you and Kawano become acquainted?
Sato: It was over 10 years ago, but we met at a party. A close friend from my time living in Italy was also there. Like me, he loves to eat, and when we went there together on a whim, we were hooked. Since then, we've been going so often that we miss it if we don't go for a month. When friends come from Italy, it's not uncommon for us to eat at Elio's for both lunch and dinner.
I haven't seen Elio in a while.
Sato : Well, I'm a bit busy.


Kawano (waiting for the two to finish their exchange): I hear that many prominent Italian figures also visit frequently.
Sato : This isn't just Italian-style food, it's real Italy. The food is absolutely delicious. With Elio and many of the staff being Italian, you might even mistake it for being in Italy.
Mr. Kawano Sato, you were in Milan, weren't you? Elio's cuisine is Southern Italian; were you familiar with it?
Pecora (where Mr. Sato trained) is from Sicily, and his wife is from Puglia. I was treated to dinner there so often that I'm very familiar with their cuisine. The portions are also appealing. Even at my age, I eat three times as much as the average person. And I eat quickly. I once finished Elio's full course in a record 17 minutes (laughs). I can't stand small portions of refined dishes.


Helio, who eats with such gusto, is like a brother to me in Japan. No, he doesn't seem Japanese at all. I've never spoken Japanese with him. He has a deep understanding of the culture. Now we can talk about anything, from work to personal problems. I have complete confidence in the suits he makes for me. That's why I've never given him any instructions. I leave everything up to him.
Apparently, Kawano already has more than 10 of them in his wardrobe.
I also order from Elio Italia, and if you just look at the price, they're cheaper. But, even I'm impressed with how I look in Mr. Sato's suits. Even though I'm fat (laughs). Not only do they look good, but I can wear them all day at work without getting tired. Considering the balance between quality and price, it's a great purchase.
They were probably the last generation to have properly learned the good old tailoring culture.


Sato: I wouldn't be where I am today without Pecora. There's an anecdote that illustrates just how amazing he is. Once, someone asked him what was difficult about making a suit, and he replied, "Everything." I was really impressed. Japanese people are said to be meticulous, but Pecora is on a whole other level. He pursues perfection in every single detail, and Pecora suits are built upon that foundation of perfection. And even though they may look like ordinary suits at first glance, once you put them on, the wearer's personality shines through.
He's in his mid-70s, but he works non-stop from 7 a.m. until 8 or 9 p.m. That's why he falls asleep while eating dinner (laughs). When I visited him this February, all we talked about was work. He thinks about tailoring 365 days a year.
Elio: Women can adorn themselves with accessories and makeup, but men have no choice but to rely on their suits. When it really matters, I always go for a suit from Mr. Sato. Oh yeah, this jacket was made for me five years ago. Isn't it great?
Sato, what happened to the suit I delivered yesterday?
Elio was so cool, I took him home and showed him off. Then I forgot about him. I'll have my wife bring him back. (Takes out smartphone) Pronto...


We want to nurture the culture that is rooted in that land.

Kawano: What was the reason that you came to Japan in the first place, Elio?
I was approached by a businessman named Helio . At that time, I was traveling the world as a cook, but Asia was an unknown territory to me. Antonio Inoki and Mazinger Z were my heroes, though (laughs). I came to Japan in 1990. Kobe, where I lived for the first time, was a wonderful city. It was elegant, and everyone was smiling. As I lived there, I came to understand that the Japanese cherish their families, eat raw fish, and have four distinct seasons. This is just like Southern Italy. I thought I could make it, so I became independent in 1996.
Kawano -Kojimachi is quite an understated location you've chosen.
Elio: That's because there were a lot of fashion companies in that area at the time. After all, Italians are proud of their food and fashion culture.
Kawano: Elio, you've lived in various countries, but is Italy the place where you feel most at ease?


Elio : Well, my wife is Japanese, but I always felt like a guest. In America, if you live there for 10 years, you can become a full-fledged American. But in Japan, you always feel like a guest. I used to think I'd go back to Italy when I got older. But now, I sincerely want to become a Japanese grandfather.
The turning point was the Great East Japan Earthquake. The catering center I had built with a fortune was destroyed. I was burdened with a lot of debt. Many foreigners returned to their hometowns, but I baked bread and went to the disaster area many times. Through these one-on-one interactions, the resentment gradually disappeared. What I realized after coming to terms with it was that while you can eat anything in Japan, everything depends on the trading company. If something happens, Japan's food culture will be wiped out in an instant. So I set up a workshop in Hokkaido. I invited artisans from Italy and started making cheese.


One of Sato 's staff members is returning to Hokkaido, where he was born and raised, due to family circumstances, and Elio has been very supportive of him in opening his own shop. That's how he became familiar with Hokkaido. What's admirable about Elio is that the foundation of his family business is unshakeable. When he heard that an employee was getting married in Italy, he closed the shop and they all rushed over to be there.
Kawano Sato also continues to have that kind of relationship with Pecora.
Sato really treats me like family. It was his idea to put up the Pecora sign. When we first opened the shop, we didn't get any customers at all. I guess it was out of parental concern. He said, "Then why don't you just use our name?" When I was on my recent business trip to Italy, he treated me to plenty of Verdura pasta. If I had eaten anywhere else, he would have been angry and asked why I didn't come to his shop (laughs).
Elio , oh yes, (towards the kitchen) could you bring me some cheese?

(The much-talked-about cheese was served to all the staff. Everyone was captivated for a while by the pure, natural flavor of the milk.)

Helio Japan has 120 breeds of pigs. We can definitely make salami that rivals the real thing. Right now, we're focusing on Mie Prefecture. It's the land of the gods, after all. The energy there is different.
Kawano is more Japanese than most Japanese people (lol).
Elio eventually wants to run an agriturismo (farm stay). When you pursue elegance, things become simpler.
What is Kawano Sato's dream?
Sato: I was fortunate enough to learn the finest tailoring techniques in Italy. It may seem unassuming, but it's important to keep this tradition alive. That said, I'm not planning on opening a classroom. My ideal is for people to learn by example and for it to spread from the grassroots. That's how the culture of the maestro has been passed down through generations. I still have a lot of work to do to achieve that. It's a humbling thought.

The owner of Pecora Ginza. Born in Tateyama as the third generation of a tailor family, he learned the fundamentals in Japan before moving to Paris in 1988. After gaining experience as a pattern maker, he trained for five years from 1990 at the Milan tailor "Mario Pecora". After returning to Japan in 1995, he opened "Pecora Ginza" in 2000. The moderately soft and voluminous chest area and shaped waist create a rounded form that is characteristic of Italian style, and the garments are comfortable to wear without feeling tiring.

Elio Locanda Italiana

Opened in 1996, the restaurant is based on the concept of the flavors and hospitality of Elio's grandmother, who ran a restaurant while raising 13 children in Calabria. The traditional Southern Italian cuisine has impressed even the most discerning palates of people from Italy.
■1F Hanzomon Building, 2-5-2 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo■Phone number: 03-3239-6771
■Business Hours: 11:45 AM to 2:15 PM, 5:45 PM to 10:15 PM, Closed on Sundays

Text: Takegawa Keiji
Photo: Fujii Taku

inquiry
Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 5th Floor = Made to Measure
03-3352-1111 (main representative)