How to describe The House of Suntory DOJO programme? We like to think of it as a pHD in the art of Japanese bartending. More than a cursory nod in the direction of what is probably the most revered bartending styles in the world, this particular platform is devised to go deeper, offering those who are participating in the programme practical advice in all aspects of Japanese culture. But more than that, those taking part gain invaluable, hands-on experience in the various disciplines taught by those at the very top of their respective crafts.
This year, the programme was divided into three Monozukuri masterclasses, each carefully curated to illuminate, inform and inspire the bartenders on core philosophies in Japanese culture. As detailed below:
The Monozukuri Masterclasses
The Art of Seasoning & Aesthetics
Session 1: Mastering blending with Dojima sake Master Toshiyuki Mizohata
Session 2: Mastering flower arranging with Ikebana Master Keiko Smith
Challenges: Haku Martini making with seasoning, utilising blending; Roku tonic garnish utilising Ikebana
The Art of Blending & Hospitality
Session 1: Mastering dashi making with Wagyu & Kazarigiri specialist Chef Santo
Session 2: Mastering the tea ceremony with Kevin O’Duffy
Challenges: Toki highball making utilising dashi making
The Art of Mindfulness
Session 1: Mastering meditation with Tamara Meditation Master Keiichi Tada
Session 2: Mastering Japanese pottery with Master Martin Miles-Moore
Challenges: Refining the Kaizen Classic
Meet The House of Suntory DOJO Masters 2024
Keiko Smith
While the bartenders get to put the Monozukuri lessons into practice during each session, they will also get the opportunity to apply the learnings in their Kaizen Classic which will be judged by esteemed bartender, Hidetsugu Ueno, from legendary Bar High Five in Tokyo, James Bowker, House of Suntory Global Advocacy Manager and The Cocktail Lovers in September. And that’s just the start of it…The aim is they will take the principles forward in their bars. In short, The House of Suntory DOJO is for life, not just the duration of the programme. Which is why the choice of masters is so important. Here we hear from three who shared their learnings and passions this year.
The Pottery Master: Martin Miles-Moore
The Monozukuri masterclass: Mastering mindfulness
Martin Miles-Moore’s captivation with the art of ceremonial vessels began in church. “As a young boy singing in the village choir. I was fascinated by the fact that a communion cup is more than just a drinking vessel – that a simple cup could have meaning and importance on so many levels,” he explains. “A little later as a teenager, taking part in Shotokan Karate gradings and competitions, I witnessed my first Japanese Tea ceremony. Once again, I was amazed by the reverence with which the cup/bowl at the centre of the ceremony was treated.”
After signing up for his first pottery class in the mid-1980s, he’s gone on to take part in the Festival of Britain, has one of his pieces in the permanent collection of the American Arts Council and is called on to create bespoke dining ware for Michelin-starred restaurants.
This was your first masterclass for The House of Suntory DOJO, how did you prepare for it?
Knowing that I would be working with highly skilled and motivated bartenders, I spent a lot of time researching, and days in conversation with an award winning bartender, honing my understanding of current expectations and fashions within the world of whisky drinking. It was fascinating.
How, if at all, did this impact the way that your session evolved?
This insight led to the masterclass developing into an interactive demonstration, giving the bartenders an opportunity to learn and appreciate how ceramic drinking vessels are crafted. It was important to me that at the end of the process each bartender would have a unique vessel they had crafted alongside their increased understanding and appreciation of Japanese aesthetics, rituals and traditions, surrounding the presentation and consumption of food and drink.
What did the session entail?
It was important to me that at the end of the Masterclass process each bartender would have a unique vessel that they had crafted alongside their increased understanding and appreciation of Japanese aesthetics, rituals and traditions surrounding the presentation and consumption of food and drink.
The session evolved from a demonstration and talk into four sections:
1. Talking about Japanese ceramics and aesthetics whilst demonstrating some standard Tea bowl forms.
2. Throwing a vessel to the specification that emerged as I threw.
3. Demonstrating shaping and finishing techniques for clay vessels.
4. Providing an opportunity for all the bartenders to create their own unique vessel.
Is there a discernible difference in the bartenders’ level of engagement compared to other groups you teach?
My experience of working with the bartenders was wonderful. They were each distinctly passionate about their art, engaged with the process of learning about ceramics and excited by their own creative expression within the Masterclass environment.
As a group they had a lot in common with the Michelin-starred chefs I work with, but they are artists working with drinks as opposed to food! Their curiosity and inventiveness definitely set them apart from some of the groups I have worked with in the past! Also they were all very confident in the handling of tools and some of the mark making and carving techniques.
What are the three most important elements that you tried to get across to the bartenders during your session?
1. An appreciation of a non-Western aesthetic and approach to the use and enjoyment of bespoke drinking vessels.
2. How a mindful and respectful attitude to the presentation of food or drink can radically alter the experience of the consumer.
3. The importance of listening to and understanding the customer and how you want them to be impacted by your serving.
How does your particular specialism work towards their Kaizen Classic?
As a creative working in pottery, I challenged the bartenders to explore the idea that the vessels for their Kaizen Classic could be something other than mass or even batch-produced glass. I also encouraged them to understand that the customer experience of handling the vessel is an essential part of the appreciation of their carefully crafted drink. There is little point in innovating purely in terms of technique and flavour when the vessel and the presentation can create additional value!
What have you learned from the bartenders?
I learned that the bartenders were passionate, creative, open minded and interested in challenging themselves. I also learned more about their preferences in terms of the weight, shape and functional experience of the vessel. I learned that all the bartenders have their own unique style and approach and I came back to the studio thinking about making more faceted vessels and wider vessels as well as some finer ‘elevated’ forms as a result of some of the conversations I had.
Experimenting with shapes and being creative in your thinking while at the same time respecting past traditions can lead to beautiful evolutions in form and function, I am looking at cocktails with a whole new respect and awe!
What do they learn from you?
I would like to think that they left with a new appreciation of the possibilities of ceramic vessels and a greater understanding of a more natural, aesthetic and less obsession with symmetry! I am certain that at least some learned that clay is an amazing and responsive material, which can be incredibly rewarding to work with and to handle. I sincerely hope that they were all encouraged to think about working with other artisans to create bespoke servings and experiences.
The Ikebana Master: Keiko Smith
The Monozukuri masterclass: Mastering aesthetics
Keiko grew up in Kyoto, Japan, where she was surrounded by temples and shrines. “I was a bit of a tomboy,” she admits. “ So at the age of 16, I decided to learn Ikebana.” Her studies continued in later life, leading to a Professorship of Ikebana and a member of the team that won the prestigious ‘Gold’ and ‘Best Garden’ awards at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2001.
You’ve been working with The House of Suntory DOJO programme since its launch four years ago. How have your sessions evolved during this time?
Even though I have been teaching ikebana flower arrangements for a long time, it’s a continuous journey of learning and discovery. At first, I had the bartenders use the same floral materials that I used in my Ikebana. However, in more recent sessions, I wanted to really bring out their individuality,so I encouraged them to use different materials more freely to create unique designs.I was truly impressed by how passionate and creative everyone who participated was, and how they produced wonderful Ikebana designs.
Is there a discernible difference in the bartenders’ level of engagement compared to other groups you teach?
The bartenders are all very enthusiastic and arrange flowers very skilfully. I think it’s probably due to their profession; they are naturally very creative in their arrangements. Being young, they learn quickly and have strong ambition and a desire to improve. Additionally, they have the goal of being selected as the best bartender, so there is real motivation to thrive here.
What are the three most important elements that you try to get across to the bartenders in your sessions for The House of Suntory DOJO Programme?
Aesthetics, balance and wabi-sabi [finding beauty in all aspects of imperfection in nature].
Aesthetics teach us how to make each element look beautiful through flowers and how this can be understood by guests, embodying the essence of Japanese hospitality.
Balance is extremely important, as the design uses about four different floral materials. Naturally, harmony also becomes necessary here, which is essential not just in our profession but in daily life.
Wabi-sabi allows us to feel the sense of seasons, not only through beautiful flowers and leaves but also by using leaves that are starting to wither in autumn. Creating works with minimal materials connects us to sustainability and fosters a sense of living without waste.
These elements are clearly prevalent in the House of Suntory, evident in the creation of Suntory whisky and Roku gin.
How does Ikebana work towards their Kaizen Classic?
Their sense of decoration and aesthetics for cocktails improves.
What have you learned from the bartenders?
Overall, the main thing that I’ve learned from the bartenders is their level of enthusiasm.
But also, my desire to pass on Ikebana, one of Japan’s representative cultural practices, to the young people here, has grown stronger. I hope to convey its deeper meaning, even if just a little, so that they can become world-class bartenders.
What do they learn from you?
Japanese culture and spirituality, and of course the essence of Ikebana, aesthetics and how to incorporate these things into their cocktails.
Can you share any highlights from your sessions with the bartenders?
How surprised and pleased I am to feel the enthusiasm of the bartenders .
The level of their Ikebana style is surprisingly good.
I teach a basic concept of ikebana such as main blanches, angle, balance and choosing their own flower material to express their creativity.
The Tea Master: Kevin O’Duffy
The Monozukuri masterclass: Mastering hospitality
Kevin was first introduced to Japanese architecture via the books in his parents’ library. “This slowly developed to other aspects of Japanese culture, such as ceramics, metalwork and many other crafts, which are all distinctly Japanese”, Kevin informs. This led to him studying the language before travelling around Japan for two months. His interest in tea came in the mid-1990s, “I was in the British Museum’s Japanese Gallery and saw a Chado (Japanese Way of Tea, or Tea Ceremony) presentation and it hit me how alive all the utensils became when in use in a Japanese tatami room as opposed to looking flat and ‘dead’ in a glass cabinet, on a shelf. The whole ceremony intrigued me, so I contacted the London Tea Master and started classes. Thirty years later I am still enjoying the continued study of such a deep art form.”
You’ve been working with The House of Sunory DOJO programme since 2021, what was your original brief?
“The organisers wanted to show the bartenders attending different aspects of Japanese hospitality. One of the main aims of Chado is to host guests to a Chaji, which is similar to a formal luncheon involving a five-course meal accompanied by saké, followed by a sweet, an intermission, then thick tea and finally thin tea. During this event, all barriers between host and guest dissolve.
For The House of Suntory DOJO programme, I usually only do the final part, the preparation and serving of thin tea but its ritualistic preparation, which I explain as I am doing it, shows how the Japanese approach is so different. A very important aspect of Tea is being aware of the seasons and making sure all the utensils and sweets are appropriate for the time of year.”
How, if at all, have your sessions evolved during this time?
Initially, I was just asked to make tea for all the bartenders attending. However, more recently, I have been asked to first do my presentation, then show the attendees how to sieve, measure and whisk their own bowls of tea, which is important as they may need to make it in the future if they wish to add it as an ingredient in a cocktail. Such factors as water temperature are also important and I explain this to them as well.”
Is there a discernible difference in the bartenders level of engagement compared to other groups you teach?
I found that the bartenders tend to pay far closer attention than the general public and this is also shown in the questions they ask at the end.
What are the three most important elements that you try to get across to the bartenders in your sessions for The House of Suntory Dojo Programme?
1. The host should show the utmost respect to their guests
2. The bartenders should be aware of the seasons and use appropriate equipment and decorations
3. Being respectful to your equipment and especially to the utensils of others
How does your particular specialism work towards their Kaizen Classic?
Something I try and impart during my presentation is the way we adapt each presentation to the current season, to show we are part of the ever-changing world we live in. This is shown in the utensils we use as well as the sweets we serve before the tea.
What have you learned from the bartenders?
That I do not know everything and still have much to learn.
What do they learn from you?
I hope each bartender will learn something but I imagine each one may come away with a different idea, which I hope they will go on to develop. In Tea, we try and make each bowl with the minimum of effort but in an aesthetically pleasing way whilst showing respect and our heart to our guests.
Can you share any highlights from your sessions with the bartenders?
Many of them are surprised to learn that the peaceful Tea we practice today was born on the battlefields of mediaeval Japan, where it was used as a brief respite from war and politics.
Photography courtesy of @distinctlyaware
