A certain street corner in Nishi-Tokyo City, Tokyo. Tokyo Ramen "Ippachitei". Everyone who visits here always says this. "I've never eaten ramen like this." The man who makes the ramen that attracts many fans is Italian guy who was born in Rome. Ramen was not built in a day. Symphony No. 18 played by ramen and Italian. Please watch the video to the end. "Ippachitei" in Nishi-Tokyo City, Tokyo. "Ippachitei" is a long-established ramen shop
founded 39 years ago. The restaurant looks like a bar,
you can enjoy Italian-style ramen. Gianni from Rome. I took video from 3:00 p.m. after lunch time. I am always at the shop by 9:00. JKT) From 9 o'clock in the morning? yes. The shop opens at 11:00. Come early in the morning and make noodles. I usually start by making the noodles.
There are thin noodles and thick noodles. The shop opens at 11:00.
Last order at 3:30 the next morning. Until 4:00. JKT) until 4 o'clock? that's right. I'm up to 8pm. My wife will come at 8 o'clock. wife until morning. JKT) Take turns as a couple? Yes. She is pretty busy in the middle of the night.
Many of my wife's regular customers come. The shop is 39 years old this year. JKT) 39 years? I have been here for 18 years. Since 2004, I have been helping out
at the shop from time to time. I have been working there since 2007. JKT) What made you come to Japan? Wife. Because I met my wife. JKT) Meeting your wife? We met by chance. I met my wife for the first time in Thailand. in phuket. I met her there. I was there for fun at the time, but my wife was there to study. My wife had come to study Thai.
She came here to look for something she wants to do. But I think she couldon't found it. A few months after she returned to Japan, I came here too. That was 2004. He received the order. He will make ramen and gyoza. He also make boiled dumplings. Ramen noodles are homemade. This is thin noodles. This is the popular mozzarella gyoza. Mozzarella cheese is wrapped in gyoza wrapper
and finished with tomato sauce and parmigiano cheese. I like the three colors red, white and green. Baked gyoza was also completed. Looks delicious! It looks so delicious. looks delicious. The ramen was also completed. Soy-sauce Ramen. This is a large serving. It looks delicious. JKT) Do you come up with all the menus? I work with my wife on recipes for Italian style food. Start with abura soba. At first. Abura soba. With Italian cheese. Parmesan cheese. It's very popular. Then came Genovese of basil paste. Also, "Miso Ponata". miso and tomato sauce. JKT) Does it contain caponata? yes. The rest is "Miso Ragu". miso and meat sauce. And "Roma mixed soba". A bit like carbonara. Raw ham and raw egg. there is the side menu. "Mozzarella gyoza". JKT) Mozzarella dumplings? I will make it from now. Also, "Sarusiccia dumplings". Italian sausage and mozzarella. JKT) Is there salsiccia in the gyoza? Yes. Preparation is done before opening and during idle time. Gianni came to Japan in 2004. At that time, he didn't know anything about Japanese cuisine. Ippachitei is run by his wife's father's company and was
originally popular as a traditional Japanese ramen shop. Then, little by little, he added a touch of Italian cuisine. Now it is gaining popularity from a wide range of people. The base soup inherits the taste that has been loved. Many long-time regulars are still visiting. Gianni's quick work. preparation is progressing steadily. mozzarella cheese. JKT) You first became popular for your Abura soba? yes. Then Genovese. JKT) Next to Abura soba is Genovese. JKT) What kind of ramen noodles did you use then? I haven't made one myself yet. I started making my own in 2011. Everyone like the thick noodles that I make. I make it here every day. This one is for thick noodles. This one is for thin noodles. This is thick noodles. Ordinary flour and a little semolina too. JKT) Durum semolina? Yes. Add the durum semolina. This is thin noodles. Flour is different. Add whole grains. Durum semolina and whole grains. Feels like soba. JKT) This is like Tagliolini. Gianni makes ramen noodles every morning. This is a valuable video that his wife took. First, roll out the dough thinly. Set the stretched fabric again. Roll out the two pieces of dough on top of each other. This gives the noodles a firm texture. You can see that the fabric is firmer than the first time. Repeat this process over and over. Thick noodles have a lot of water,
so make them with 6 kilograms of flour. Thin noodles are made with 7.5 kg of flour
because the amount of water is small. They make about 20 kilos of noodles every day. They use durum semolina flour. Wheat flour is mainly used for pasta. Soft and elastic. Repeated kneading makes the noodles stronger. It will have a springy texture. I was surprised at the elasticity of the cut noodles. It's done. JKT) Were you born in Rome? Born in Rome. 56 years old now. I was in Rome until I was 37. JKT) You lived in Rome until you were 37,
met your wife in Phuket and moved to Japan? yes. At that time, wife wanted to do business there. That's why she study Thai. However, business did not progress much
and she returned to Japan. I was still in thailand but she returned to Japan in July 2004. I moved to Japan in September
and have been living in Japan ever since. My wife was surprised.
Because I came to Japan from Phuket. JKT) Did you come without saying anything? called. "I'll come tomorrow". I came here and I have nothing. I didn't even have winter clothes. JKT) Wow! You came to Japan with nothing. yes. I just came here from Phuket. JKT) Did you already decide to live in Japan at that time? For the time being, I had a visa for 3 months at that time,
so I decided to stay for 3 months. If I can't do anything, I'll go back to Italy. JKT) You came because you wanted to see her. Yes. But it's been 19 years since then. JKT) So you've been here since then. The shop is probably from 1984. The shop was very busy at that time. My wife worked here. There were a lot of staff. I didn't work here. I was at an Italian restaurant. JKT) Did you work at an Italian restaurant? Yes. Waiter. After that, suddenly,
one of the staff of this shop decided to return to China. My wife asked me, "Can you do this job?" "Well, I can do it. It's okay." At that time, I studied with the Chinese man for a month. When he returned a month later, I was alone. The customer was astonished. Quite often, customers saw me and didn't enter the store. They were surprised and went home. It's happened many times. Around that time. Has the cook changed? Why? The customers were surprised. "Europeans are running ramen shops." It was already very stressful for me at that time. "I'm quitting now," I thought. JKT) You didn't speak Japanese at that time, right? I only know what to order here. Ramen or gyoza. But at that time I was just stressed. It was difficult, but my wife helped me a lot. Helped me with everything. The trouble is, I can't speak Japanese. It was hard. JKT) So the language barrier was a challenge. yes. Only words are difficult. The image that all Japanese people have is "Italians don't work." I will work! the Italians.haha It is often said that "Italy is always a siesta,"
but siestas aren't in Italy!haha JKT) Spain, right? it's spain. But a lot of people think that
"Italians always have a 3-hour siesta." I have never seen such a person. JKT) When you meet your wife in Thailand,
you don't think you'll open a ramen shop in Japan. I didn't think so! At the time, I didn't envision myself living in Japan a year later. JKT) You weren't expecting it! I never thought of coming to Japan. JKT) Life is amazing, isn't it? Really. I'm surprised too. JKT) Parmigiano, right? Parmigiano Reggiano. King of Italian cheese. Pecorino Romano.
The oldest Italian cheesemade from sheep's milk. JKT) That's amazing. JKT) You are particular. But it's expensive... And the price has suddenly gone up. JKT) Isn't it expensive? JKT) But it's delicious, isn't it? delicious. I love. This is a chashu topped with spicy miso ramen. This is salsiccia dumplings. Italian sausage and mozzarella dumplings. JKT) It contains salsiccia. And mozzarella. It's also very popular right now. Juventus goods are displayed everywhere in the shop. Gianni is an avid Juventus fan. The video ends with Gianni talking about soccer. It is very interesting, so please check it out. A regular customer came here. It's cold, isn't it? Today. Customer) I got cold because I cut my hair. Wow! I didn't know right away. You cut your hair. He got an order for soy sauce ramen. Soup made from chicken bones and pork bones.
Dashi made from seafood. It's a deep and delicious cup. thank you. It was cold in Tokyo that day,
but the time here is warm and slow. Customers seem to enjoy talking with Gianni. His mother always come too. The mother is a regular customer from the old shop. JKT) When do you feel the happiest when you run the shop? Of course, the happiest thing is when customers come. The most pleasant thing is at the end,
"It was delicious. Thank you." It makes me the happiest. That's the best. JKT) Do you have a dream? dream... I want to live in Okinawa. JKT) Do you want to live in Okinawa? I will be 70 when I finish this job. After quitting my job, I want to live in Okinawa. JKT) You have to do my best until then. Yes! I'm looking forward to it! I also ate ramen before dinner time. I ordered the Genovese ramen that I was interested in. I can't get enough of the scent of basil. Genovese Ramen. The anchovy flavor goes well with the salt ramen soup. Shocking elasticity of noodles! It was chewy and the best. After 17:00, evening business begins. He received an order for the popular menu
"Mazesoba Pork Lemon". Salt-based abura soba with pine nuts and nuts. Sauce with a deep flavor derived from
grilled sardines and bonito. There are many customers who eat once
and become repeat customers. The topping is homemade porchetta. The Scent of rosemary and fennel brings out the flavor. It's getting pretty dark outside. An Italian customer living in Japan also visited us. You can speak a lot of Italian when you come here. This customer is looking forward to seeing Gianni every time. BGM is a popular Italian singer "Laura Pausini". When I am here, I feel like I am in Italy. I am happy to spend a very luxurious time. Grazie! (thank you). Arrivederci! (good bye). Chao! (see you). Night hours will be from now on. I got an order for salt ramen. Light taste. It smells so good. Check ingredients and preparation between orders. He will also handle delivery orders at the same time. ricotta cheese. It is quite difficult because it is one operation until 20:00. "thank you". 2 male customers. Customer) Medium spicy ramen! Customer) I think I'll get some tsukemen. Customer) It's been 5 years since I came to the master's shop. Gianni) After 5 years? Customer) Because I had gone back to the country. Customer) Don't change the master. Gianni) Right? It's been five years. Spicy miso ramen. tsukemen. At 20:00, His wife left for work. JKT) Did you come around this time and take over? Yes. His wife will work until 4am from now on. Gianni seems a little tired too. I'm a little tired today. I always go to the gym after this. But I'm not going today. JKT) Do you go to the gym after work? yes. pass today. I will go tomorrow. Popular char siu noodles. Boiled dumplings are also plump and delicious. Abura soba is another very popular item on the menu. Parmigiano for topping. Finished with seaweed and bonito flakes. Grilled pork bowl. Ippachitei's proud menu! "Roman Mazesoba". Ramen topped with uncured ham,
pecorino romano, and egg yolk. It has a rich flavor similar to carbonara. This star-shaped gyoza is shrimp chive gyoza. It's hearty. The last is Misoponata (Miso+Caponata). The combination of tomato sauce and miso is outstanding. The right side is miso ramen soup. It is Italian style that is full of colors. Top with caponata and you're done. Then, should I start with Genovese? . Yes. It's hot. thank you. This is miso ponata. It is the ultimate ramen that can only be found here. Gianni eats his wife's home cooking every day after work. He went home, changed his clothes and came back. Gianni loves wine. Southern Italy Puglia wine "Primitivo". It was a souvenir from his wife's trip. Relaxing time after work. I'm feeling great. good! It's time to get rewarded for your hard work. She is good at cooking. Good at cooking. That's why I got a little fat. Braised beef tendon in red wine. What she makes is always delicious. It's always a good night. He met his destined person while traveling
and worked at a ramen shop in Japan. For some reason, I felt that
ordinary life was full of miracles. JKT) From yours point of view, what kind of person is Gianni? Serious person. He is a very sincere person. Because in a place like this,
He has been running a ramen shop for over ten years. He is serious. I think it's different from what people think of Italians, but He is optimistic. He's both optimistic and not-so-optimistic in some ways. JKT) He is basically serious. Yes. If I go to Italy and live a little outside the city,
I can't do this. JKT) Was that your impression from the very beginning? Not really. Each other because we are young. But I think he is serious. JKT) As you got to know him,
you realized that he was a serious person. After all, a small business like this can't be done unless serious. He can do this because he is serious at heart. JKT) He can't continue without perseverance. I think so too. JKT) When I asked Gianni, JKT) "What is your dream?", JKT) He said "I want to live in Okinawa". That's rejected! What is he talking about? haha He will live in Nishi-Tokyo City forever! haha JKT) Isn't it Okinawa? No! What is he talking about? haha JKT) At first, before Gianni came, It was a ramen shop, right? It's still a ramen shop! What are you talking about? haha JKT) Was there an Italian taste? no no no There's nothing JKT) It was basically traditional Japanese ramen. I said it before. When Gianni was running the shop by himself, many people tried to enter the shop and quit. At that time, there must have been some people
who were embarrassed to talk to foreigners
or wondered if he understood Japanese. It was lonely and sad for Gianni. It makes him feel sad. It's stressful. So, if he add more and more Italian-inspired items to the menu, people will think, "Oh, he is Italian, isn't he?" That's what inspired us to add an Italian touch to ramen. We had to make it easier for ourselves. It's not that customers think, "I don't like foreigners. But there were times when customers actually tried to come to the shop and stopped when they saw him. As a fellow Japanese, I understand how you feel, but... So it was good for us. Be like this. JKT) That's what you started with,
but now it's become your strength. oh yeah. That's why it was good to do it. Keep doing it. "Just a little more. Just a little more." I wish I could think of it now. JKT) I may have misunderstood. JKT) It's like "Italian with ramen is fashionable!" It's not like that! It's not that easy! JKT) So it was. It's hard work. Isn't that obvious? It's not such an easy shop! JKT) Before I came here, I thought,
"Italian ramen is fashionable!" Some people perceive it that way. JKT) Now there are people who think that way. JKT) Looking back, it wasn't such a
"fashionable shop" from the beginning. JKT)It was a style you developed after a lot of hard work. That's right. JKT) Do you have a dream? my dream? JKT) A dream that you want to fulfill together with Gianni. dream. Come on, the age of dreaming is over. Be healthy. If I can keep the shop going, that's enough. Really. JKT) You hope that
the days you're doing now will continue forever. yes. As long as possible. Ippachitei's current style started with his wife's thoughts. It all started with her desire to work with a smile on his face. Thank you for your wonderful story. Gianni gave me coffee in the middle of the shoot. I really enjoyed talking with Gianni. JKT) Are you a fan of Juventus? yes. Ever since I was a child. All my friends are Roma fans and Lazio fans. I am a Juventus fan. I've been a fan of Juventus since I was 6 years old. So it's been 50 years. JKT) Juventus fan for 50 years. I can't change anymore. I can change a car. I can change a bike. I can even change girlfriend. But I can't change my favorite soccer team. There is a photo at the top. Ajinomoto Stadium. JKT) Huh? is this real? Oh yeah, real. There is also a signature. Del Piero player. JKT) Is Del Piero Juventus? He was at Juventus all my life. JKT) Nakata was there too, right? Nakata is Roma. JKT) I'm sorry.haha JKT) Oh,He scored two goals against Juventus. Yes. Nakata was the best. I like it the most JKT) He speaks Italian well, right? It's amazing. better than me.haha it is really amazing. I was surprised. in his Italian. If he's behind me and he's talking,
I don't know if he's Japanese or Italian. JKT) Do you still watch soccer? I'll watch I'll watch it, but I don't have the time. It's always the middle of the night,
so I only watch the highlights. Even if it was broadcast on TV,
I wouldn't watch it. I'm very nervous. I never watch Juventus games. JKT) Because you get nervous? yes! For example, if it's 3-0, watch. But if it's 0-0, I won't watch it. Final of the 2006 World Cup. JKT) It was a match against France. I went to Shibuya. We went to a sports bar, me, my wife and a friend. I didn't watch it at all. this style all the way. During PK, I was in the bathroom. My wife was laughing the whole time. about me. During the World Cup I was in the toilet all the way in Shibuya. JKT) Wow! You really like that soccer team. After the game,
I always watch the results on my phone the next morning. I'm so nervous. win or lose JKT) What was your first impression of Japanese ramen? I didn't know this food. Sushi is the only Japanese food I know. JKT) Didn't you know about ramen? I really didn't know Japanese food. The first dish I ate was spicy miso ramen. Since then I always eat it. Always spicy miso ramen. I love miso. I always eat miso ramen wherever I go. I don't eat pork bones. Do not fit. To me. JKT) I live in Hakata, so I only eat tonkotsu ramen. I know. Hakata ramen. I ate pork bones several times. everytime…. I feel sick to my stomach. I won't eat anymore after that.haha Thank you for watching the video to the end.
