The restaurant "Chianti" opened in 1960. It was when I was 18 years old. In those days in Roppongi, there was "The Hamburger Inn", "Nicola's" Pizza House and an Italian place "Sicilia". On the Iikura crossing there was "Club 88" and the "Casanova" Night Club. That was about it. My memories of my youth are going to those night clubs, acting older than my age and having a lot of fun. I don't want to blame my father, Hiroshi Kawazoe, the founder of "Chianti" but he loved to party. He would take me out with him and that's how I learned how to have fun. When I was younger, I remember hanging out with my friend from Keio Junior High School, Yukio Fukuzawa (He was a race car driver and died in 1969 in an accident. He was only 25 years old). In those days, we used to hang out at "Sicilia". Around 2:00 in the morning, the ladies from the Akasaka night clubs would drop by "Sicilia" after work. We were only junior high school kids (14 or 15 year old ) but we'd say to them "Order anything you like". Isn't that crazy?

When I danced with these ladies, they smelled so good and that's when I first learned about perfume. I wore tailor-made shirts and ties from Paris by Yves Saint-Laurent and Pierre Cardin. I was such a privileged kid. Now that I think about it, I was what you might call a delinquent. A "delinquent" these days is a little different though. The point is that I just wanted so badly to be a part of the adult world, I was a child, trying to grow up too fast.

When Chianti opened, I was going to high school in Kagoshima, La Salle Academy, I graduated the following year and entered Seijo University and started helping out at the restaurant right away. I had the late shift and I worked from 5:30 in the afternoon until 3:00 am so I couldn't really go to university at all. I told my professor that I liked working more than being in university and I quit. When I told my father that I dropped out, I thought he was going to get mad at me but I still remember the happy look on his face when I told him. I think he secretly wanted me to take over his restaurant one day. So in 1965, when I was 23 years old, I was sent to Paris to study at "Maxim's de Paris", a 3-star restaurant in those days.

At that time, it was rare to see an Asian in the kitchen and it was a time when it was unheard of for a Japanese person to be standing there so I'm sure people were surprised to see me. Their customers included the Greek shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis and Maria Callas, Texas oil tycoon, Nelson Bunker Hunt, and Pierre Cardin who always arrived with a model. It was such a flamboyant society. After 11:00 at night, the lights dimmed and the restaurant became a dance floor. It was an incredibly decadent atmosphere. When I was there, I learned the style and ambience that was required of a first class restaurant, . And just like that, I was completely caught in my father's scheme (lol) but yeah, I really did love the restaurant business and I was destined to take over my father's restaurant one day.

"Chianti" had a lot of regular customers, but some that stand out in my mind are (looking at the autograph book we had from when we first opened), Yves Saint Laurent, Yukio Mishima, Toshio Mayuzumi, artist Toshimitsu Imai, who took care of me when I was in Paris at "Maxim's", Salvador Deli, Yves Montand, Shirley Maclaine . . . to name a few. Frank Sinatra always came with his bodyguard whenever he visited Japan. Hiroshi Kamayatsu, Mariko Kaga and I were around the same age and friends from before the restaurant opened. We went to each other's homes and were like family. Hiroshi is like my big brother and Mariko still calls me by my nickname "Micchan".
　
In the 1980s, there was a surge of restaurant chains and people said that Roppongi completely changed. But fortunately for us, the customers who came to our restaurant didn't really change. No rude or troublemaker types came. My father always used to say "I made this place for adults with children's souls and children with adult's souls". I feel that this is still how it is and most of our customers are adults who enjoy eating. I'm very grateful. On the other hand, I can't change the taste of our cuisine or the interior décor. Customers would get angry and tell me "it has to be that lighting and those checkered table cloths".

I have memories of each table and its customers, they came on their first dates, they came when they were married, and later they brought their children . . . I guess that's why these customers don't want change. Now, we have grandfathers, their sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren, four generation families who come to our restaurant. To preserve our place without making any changes actually takes more effort and costs more than to make everything new but it sure feels great when you can keep a wide age group of customers happy. That's why I want to remember the importance of not changing anything. I really think being in the restaurant business is a great job.

In the old days, each building was individually designed and the face of its establishment created its brand. I hope we can build a town like this again. Before, the fashionable women would get together in Roppongi or Ginza but now its Aoyama or Daikanyama. I want Roppongi to become a place where fashionable women can once again feel the charm, beauty, and safety of the town. As for me, I hope to take over this phrase "It's a real restaurant when it continues for 100 years" handed down from my father and I want to keep "Chianti" going until my grandchildren's generation.

Restaurant Chianti Iikura
Address: 3-1-7 Azabudai, minatoku, Tokyo　TEL：03-3583-7546