Utilization of Game Meat and the Philosophy of AYTNmR

Exterior

AYTNmR (pronounced AYTNmR), a French restaurant newly opened in February in Tenmabashi, Osaka.

This restaurant, brimming with Japanese essence, embodies the philosophy of owner-chef Fujisaki.

Enjoy universal Japanese cuisine that lets you feel the essence of the ingredients.

https://aytnmr0204.foodre.jp/

Restaurant Name: AYTNmR

Interior

Phone: 06-7777-7532

Address: 1-4-3 Tsuriganecho, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture 540-0035

Access: 3-minute walk from Tenmabashi Station on the Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line

Business Hours: Lunch 12:00-15:00, Dinner 18:00-23:00

Regular Holiday: Irregular. Please check Instagram.

Number of Seats: Counter 4 seats

Tables: 2 tables for 4 people each

Private Room: 10 seats

AYTNmR Tenmabashi/French - Online Reservations Available | Hitosara

Initiatives for Game Meat

Why is 90% of Japanese Game Meat Discarded?

As mentioned in the first contribution, nearly 90% of captured pest animals in Japan are currently disposed of.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, approximately 1.3 million animals are captured annually, and while the utilization rate of game meat has slightly increased from about 7% in 2016 to about 13% currently, more than half are still disposed of.

Why doesn't it circulate like in other countries? Through dialogues with producers and hunters as a chef, AYTNmR owner-chef Fujisaki has identified factors unique to Japan.

・Difficulty in Transporting to Processing Facilities

It is necessary to transport and butcher the animal at a processing facility within approximately 1-2 hours of the kill.

When captured deep in the mountains, the means and time for transport are insufficient, leading to situations where it must be abandoned.

・Aging of Hunters and Labor Shortage

Hunters are aging, making it difficult to carry heavy deer and wild boar out of the mountains, sometimes resulting in burial disposal.

Aging and labor shortage are common topics when talking with farmers and fishermen.

・Lack of Profitability

The edible portion from one animal is only about 40% of its total weight. Considering the costs of bullets, facility maintenance, and inspection fees, it seems to be becoming a job you continue because you love it, similar to the restaurant industry.

Mr. Miyasako of Tsunuga Gibier

Grilled venison over a log fire at an event

Venison in the AYTNmR dinner course

Why Europe Cannot Be a "Model"

The word "Gibier" is French. As the word's recognition suggests, in Europe, especially Italy and France, deer and wild boar are treated as luxury ingredients, in contrast to Japan.

・Cultural Differences in Hunting

In Europe, hunting has long developed as a "gentleman's pastime." Hunters have high social status, and the culture of deliciously eating the prey is deeply rooted.

In Japan, which has a history of prohibiting meat-eating, hunting has a stronger aspect of "protecting crops" rather than "eating deliciously."

・Differences in Capture Methods

In Europe, animals are generally shot with a gun. They are often killed with a single shot, allowing for quick processing before the animal feels stress, maintaining the quality of the meat without blood congestion.

In Japan, about 60% of captures are by traps. This is due to safety concerns and complex terrain. The animals inevitably struggle, and the excessive stress degrades the meat quality.

・Logistics Systems

In Europe, the national qualification for hunters is very difficult to obtain, and hunters can perform primary processing themselves. In other words, if a hunter butchers and inspects the animal on the spot, they can sell it directly to markets or restaurants.

In Japan, based on guidelines from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, animals must be brought to a specialized meat processing facility. As mentioned earlier, the task of transporting the animal there is itself a high hurdle.

Efforts to Avoid Waste

Europe is often cited as a model, but it is impossible to imitate the European system given Japan's "complex terrain." Currently, methods suitable for Japan, such as use as pet food or leather products, are being explored.

Game Meat Intermediaries

Even if the barriers of Japan's terrain and regulations are overcome and the animal is brought to a processing facility, the final major problem of "no sales outlets" arises.

Naturally, meat processing facilities do not display the butchered products. Various sales activities are necessary, such as going to roadside stations (Michi-no-Eki) to get products placed there or contacting local restaurants.

Amidst this, Mr. Sugawara, a friend of Fujisaki, is undertaking an interesting initiative.

It is a specialized intermediary for game meat. This initiative aims to completely separate the roles of those who catch the game, those who process it, and those who sell the products.

Mr. Sugawara currently collaborates with several meat processing facilities in Fukui Prefecture, acting as a bridge to deliver processed game meat to restaurants nationwide.

The idea is to let restaurants introduce the deliciousness of deer and wild boar, thereby increasing consumption among the general public.

This system also offers a major advantage to the restaurants. That is the clarity of information from the kill to the delivery.

If you ask Mr. Sugawara, you can get clear information on "who caught it and when," "when it was killed," and "how many days it was aged."

All necessary information is clear. In other words, the quality of the meat is guaranteed.

AYTNmR basically sources its game meat from Mr. Miyasako of Tsunuga Gibier in Tsuruga City.

The reason is that, as you can see in the photo background, the workshop is very clean, and we know Mr. Miyasako's character. I believe this character is directly linked to the cleanliness of the meat quality.

Our Restaurant

At AYTNmR, we make it a point to use Japanese game meat somewhere in our course menu throughout the year.

While the efforts of a single restaurant won't dramatically increase the utilization rate, we basically use only domestic ingredients. Therefore, using the wild meat, whose quality changes with Japan's seasons, throughout the year feels like a natural flow.

From AYTNmR Owner-Chef Fujisaki

In the genre of Japanese game meat, our work carries great responsibility.

This is because if our skills turn the baton passed from hunters, processing facilities, and intermediaries into a dish that makes people think, "Hmm, that was just okay," it would all be for nothing. This distribution system is commonly applied to any ingredient, but fish and vegetables have buyers. The imbalance between supply and demand for game meat, coupled with the reality that it must be culled as a pest, feels quite unique.

However, this is also an opportunity for growth for us on the cooking side.

A phrase from those who taught me cooking is "cook with your head." If you just do the same thing, getting better is only natural, right? That's true. I myself like classic dishes, and there is a certain demand for them. However, cooking with a standardized recipe doesn't require using your head and doesn't broaden your culinary range. It's not so much creation as it is just getting better at a repetitive task. It's debatable whether that can be called growth. By using game meat year-round, we think about how to combine it with seasonal ingredients and how to compose the dish. I believe this act is a good opportunity for our growth.

And I've written various things, but to our guests...