Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on September 2010
Photo by Chris Betros
What brought you to Japan?
That’s a long story. I had a business disaster in Australia and for a while I was actually homeless in the UK. Fortunately, my younger brother (who is a Cordon Bleu chef, by the way) helped me. Then out of the blue, a friend in Hong Kong got me a job there. I saw a lot of exotic foods I had never seen before and I started practicing baking. My friends were my guinea pigs and I was really enjoying cooking. I first came to Japan in 1995 and worked as an advertising creative director, but I still kept my interest in baking. I had a stint in Dubai in 1996 before returning to Japan in 1998. For a few years, I did freelance advertising work for a couple of agencies.
Where did your love of food come from?
When I used to live and work in Sydney in the early 1990s, I was amazed at the diversity and quality of food there and became friends with two restaurateurs. They educated me in what was right and what wasn’t in food.
Why pies?
Last September, I went back to Britain for my first visit in 11 years. Everywhere I went, there were pies. I thought they were pretty good and that there might be a market for them in Japan, especially since British food has a reputation for not being very good.
How’s business been since you started?
In April, our first large catering event was to provide 200 pies to the British Embassy spring barbecue party. Suddenly, I had gone from delivering six pies to friends to catering for 200 people. We had to bake them at a pub in Yokohama because I didn’t have the oven capacity that I do now. All the food was eaten in 90 minutes.
What are your most popular items?
Cornish pasties, English pork pies, tandoori chicken pies with fresh coriander which everyone seems to love, Thai green chicken curry pies, Scotch egg pies, lamb and mint pasties, herbed pork and apple pasties. I also make my own pastry and only ever use fresh herbs, never dried herbs.
Is it hard to find fresh ingredients?
It is easier now than it used to be. Over the last four or five years, Japanese supermarkets have gone European with better quality cheeses, bread and condiments. Some herbs are still difficult to find, such as fresh sage, but I know all the supermarkets and can find it. The only frustration is that I can’t buy everything at one place.
How can customers place orders?
I take orders online. Your order may be delivered the following day, but usually I require two days’ notice. My partner does all the delivering—he used to be a garbage truck driver and he knows all the roads.
Why is your bakery in Omori and not somewhere in central Tokyo?
Because I live nearby. Often, I don’t finish until midnight and then I am up at 5 or 6am, so I need to have the bakery near where I live. Also, there is a good supermarket only five minutes’ walk away.
For further information or to place orders, see http://thepieguy.biz.
