Interview with Owner Kawanishi Eriko
A cafe that delivers energy and happiness with its vitamin colors, cafe menu, and the smiles of the staff.
We spoke with Kawanishi Eriko, the owner of Happy supply cafe spica, about her journey to becoming a registered dietitian and starting the cafe.
This interview features content from the initial interview conducted in August 2021.
I want to create an impactful "cafe with a registered dietitian" when starting a shop
Before asking about the cafe, could you tell us about your journey to becoming a registered dietitian?
Kawanishi
Perhaps because I watched my grandparents cook from a young age, I have always liked cooking. I was also a health enthusiast due to the influence of television.
I love cooking, but I didn't want to turn my passion into a job and end up hating it, so I didn't initially aim to become a chef.
In high school, I aimed to become a dog groomer.
However, when I visited a grooming school while considering further education, I thought this environment might not be right for me.
So, I considered going to a school where I could utilize my love for cooking. I thought it would be nice to not only cook but also to think about menus, so I enrolled in a junior college where I could obtain a dietitian license.
I obtained my dietitian license upon graduating from junior college and worked at a hospital afterward.
Did you study while working to obtain your registered dietitian license?
Kawanishi
I studied while working. I started to want to cook while working at the hospital.
At the hospital, the main focus was on menu planning, and I realized I really wanted to cook. While working at the hospital, I began to think about starting a cafe. I thought it would be fine to remain a dietitian, but I decided to obtain my registered dietitian license.
Don't you think a cafe with a registered dietitian would be impactful?
Moreover, since I obtained my dietitian license and have practical experience, I thought it would be a waste not to take the exam for the registered dietitian license.
After obtaining my registered dietitian license, I worked as a university assistant for five years to save money to start a cafe. I was hired as an assistant, but for some reason, I was assigned to the student cafeteria in my last year before leaving.
The cooking experience I gained during that time is beneficial for my current cafe.
I want to create a cafe in Kojima where everyone can be happy
What kind of cafe did you aim to open?
Kawanishi
I love visiting various cafes.
I asked a contractor who worked on my favorite cafes to design the interior of spica.
I aimed to create a stylish place where you can have a proper meal, enjoy desserts and drinks.
The interior is unified in a vitamin color orange.
With an interior and decor based on orange that energizes and makes you feel happy.
The menu offers what I personally want to eat.
It features balanced meals that can be eaten every day, with both main dishes and side dishes. I also focused on making it a place that offers not only meals but also desserts and drinks.
In Kojima, there are few places that offer both meals and desserts and drinks. Because there are no such places in Kojima, people from Kojima tend to go to Kurashiki or Okayama.
Partly because it's my hometown, I chose this area because I wanted to create something that doesn't exist in Kojima.
I can create menus that are gentle on nature and the body
Is there anything you are conscious of when planning the menu?
Kawanishi
I am conscious of providing meals that can be eaten every day, so I change the main dish for Happy lunch (daily set meal) among chicken, pork, and fish.
The spica bowl (rice bowl) changes weekly, but I do not repeat the same menu. At most, the same menu appears only twice a year.
What I am conscious of is changing the menu content.
Even if I don't think about it specifically, as a registered dietitian, I believe it is natural to provide balanced meals every day.
The lunch at spica is about eating every day and becoming healthy.
Are you not very conscious of the amount of salt or nutritional value?
Kawanishi
I don't think about the nutritional value in detail, but I consider what would be okay to eat in a day and plan the menu at the ingredient level.
I can reduce salt by using root vegetables in soups and using tomatoes for seasoning to enhance the natural flavors.
It is important that the food is not too salty and can be eaten every day.
Future aspirations
Do you have any goals you are aiming for?
Kawanishi
The most important thing is for customers to enjoy their meals.
When customers ask, "What is in this?" I feel pleased. It is proof that they found it delicious. There are no secrets, so I answer any questions they have.
Additionally, I want to increase the number of tea drinkers.
When it comes to cafes, coffee tends to be the popular choice, right? I want to convey that tea is delicious as well, of course alongside coffee.
To allow customers to enjoy various teas, I have prepared a wide variety of tea options on the menu.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, I haven't been able to hold them recently, but I also conduct tea classes at the cafe and community center.
Aside from meals, I would like the cafe to be used as a gallery.
I have arranged the walls to display works, allowing for exhibitions of paintings and photographs.
Since there are still few users, I would like people to know that it can also be used as a gallery.
It's up to you how to use it! Would you like to visit a cafe that delivers happiness?
From the moment you enter the cafe, spica brightens your mood with its vitamin colors.
The menu is all handmade by the registered dietitian owner, ensuring both heart and body are healthy and happy.
Whether for lunch, a cafe visit, or a gallery, how you use it is up to you.
Would you like to visit spica, a cafe that delivers happiness?
Data on Happy supply cafe spica
| Name | Happy supply cafe spica |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-70 Kojimaekimae, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, 1st floor of Marugen Building |
| Contact | 086-697-5886 |
| Parking | Available 3 cars |
| Business Hours | 10:00 AM - 6:30 PM (Last order at 6:00 PM) |
| Regular Holidays | Thursday Closed on the 3rd Wednesday |
| Payment Methods |
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| Reservation Availability | Yes |
| Seating | 20 seats total ・Counter: 5 seats ・5 tables: 15 seats |
| Smoking | Completely non-smoking |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Childcare | ・Stroller access allowed, but there are steps ・Children's utensils available ・Children's chairs available ・Kids menu available |
| Website | Happy supply cafe spica |
