Ginza Natsuno chopsticks Case study: Dim Dining

DIM Dining (Belgian Japanese restaurant)
Owner and sake sommelier Jonas Kellens

‘ I can feel the craftsmanship and spirit of Japan in Natsuno chopsticks. Through the chopsticks, our customers feel a connection with Japanese culture.”

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Minemura　Thank you very much for coming from Belgium. How did your customers react when they used the chopsticks in your shop?

Mr.Jonas Kellens　I feel the craftsmanship and the power of Japan. In our restaurant we have a big tray with a lot of chopsticks and the customers choose which ones they want to use. It is exciting to see how customers react to chopsticks of different colours, shapes and lengths.

Minemura　How many pairs of chopsticks do you show your guests when they are seated?

Mr. Jonas Kellens　 I usually present around 14-16 different types of chopsticks. They are surprised.

Minemura　How has using Natsuno chopsticks helped attract customers?
How is the experience of using the chopsticks good for your customers? Do you think it is a good experience for your customers?

Mr. Jonas Kellens　 Our customers can experience a piece of Japanese culture. In Europe, most people use western cutlery, so it’s a good experience.

Minemura　 I see. What does it mean to you DIM Dining, to use chopsticks with the name of the restaurant engraved on them?
What does it mean for DIM Dining to use chopsticks with the restaurant name engraved on them?

Mr. Jonas Kellens　As a restaurant, we always have our producers in view. We aim to bring culture and food together. We have received many Natsuno chopsticks with the restaurant’s name engraved on them. When you eat our food with those chopsticks, you feel a strong connection with Japanese culture. We also want our customers to feel the craftsmanship in everything else, including chopsticks, tableware and boar’s mouths. We want you to feel the craftsmanship in everything we do.

Minemura　You show customers 14 to 16 different types of chopsticks, including thick, colourful and sharp chopsticks. Which type of chopsticks do customers most often choose?

Mr. Jonas Kellens　 They especially favor chopsticks with cherry blossom patterns and unique styles.
Occasionally, customers who use them like them so much they want to take them home.

Minemura　I see. Why do customers tend to choose thin chopsticks?

Mr.Jonas Kellens　This is because thin chopsticks are easier to Using thick chopsticks often requires more experience. It is also very important to teach people who do not know how to eat with chopsticks how to use them. Learning how to use chopsticks changes the way you eat and makes eating more enjoyable.

Minemura　In Japan, there are two different lengths of chopsticks – one for men and one for women – but do Belgian customers know this?

Mr.Jonas Kellens　Most customers look at the chopsticks on the tray and choose the appropriate size, but rarely a customer with very large hands will pick up the shorter chopsticks. In such cases, I tell them they are for women.

Minemura　We were surprised that some of our customers knew the sizes. Do you see chopsticks being sold in Belgium?

Mr.Jonas Kellens　No, I don’t see many chopsticks on sale. Even major tableware retailers only sell metal chopsticks, and there are no chopsticks that show Japanese craftsmanship.

Minemura　What type of chopsticks do you consider appropriate for use in restaurants?

Mr.Jonas Kellens　Wooden chopsticks are good. Because they are light and you can enjoy the texture of the material, they do not interfere with the taste. Metal chopsticks can very much affect the taste, especially of fish. Wooden chopsticks are less likely to interfere with the taste. Even the finish of a single chopstick tip, It is a very delicate part of the chopstick as it affects the food.

Minemura　Which is preferred by customers: simple wooden chopsticks or chopsticks with non-slip tips?

Mr.Jonas Kellens　In fact, many people prefer chopsticks with non-slip chopstick tips.

Minemura　I see. We will make use of this in our future product planning. By the way, do you wash your chopsticks in a dishwasher?

Mr.Jonas Kellens　We wash by hand, but most Belgian households use dishwashers. Many of our customers do not know the importance of washing chopsticks by hand. We wash our chopsticks, crockery and drinking cups by hand because of course they are delicate and we want to take good care of them. We believe that quality tableware must be washed by hand.

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Editorial Postscript

Jonas’s deep knowledge of Japanese food culture is a constant source of inspiration.
　I am proud that we are able to pass on Japanese food culture to the Belgian people through the supply of chopsticks to DIM Dining.
　I am proud to be able to convey Japanese food culture to the people of Belgium through the provision of chopsticks to DIM Dining.”