Interview with Nishio Shogo, the owner of Patisserie La Biche
First, I would like to ask about the heavy rain disaster in July 2018.
It rained continuously until July 7, and on the following day, July 8, it was reported on the store's Facebook that you rushed to the evacuation center with 300 pieces of sweets.
How were you able to act so quickly?
Nishio
Once the rain started, the area around my home was flooded, so I was unable to go to the store.
It was only around the evening of the 7th that the water finally receded, so I was concerned about the store and went out, and Tamashima was back to normal, with the usual scenery spread out before me.
On the other hand, Mabi was in a terrible situation.
Watching the news, I was shocked by the stark contrast to the situation around Tamashima.
While Mabi was in such a state, I felt uneasy that I was able to go to the store and live my normal daily life.
At that time, I heard the news that Cent Inn Kurashiki was opening their hotel baths to disaster victims.
Since I was already acquainted with Cent Inn, I was moved by their quick action.
Was it the fact that others were already taking action that prompted you?
Nishio
Yes, I think it was significant that acquaintances were taking action.
Cent Inn was providing baths, so I thought, "What can I do? What can I offer?" and realized that I had sweets at the store.
I wanted to deliver them to the evacuation centers in the Tamashima area, so I immediately took action.
Since just my store alone couldn't provide enough, I reached out to other sweet shops in the Tamashima area, and for the first delivery, we brought 600 pieces, and for subsequent deliveries, we recruited through Facebook and took them to the evacuation centers each time.
According to Facebook, you started with 600 pieces for the first delivery, and in total, you distributed 3,950 pieces of sweets over five deliveries in six months.
It must have been quite a challenge to gather such a large number.
Nishio
I am truly grateful.
In addition to sweet shops in Tamashima, we received cooperation from those in Asakuchi, Ibara, Soja, Mizushima in Kurashiki, Kojima, and even a bakery in Yamagata Prefecture, allowing us to distribute sweets to the evacuation centers.
I had decided to continue until Wall Warren in Mabi reopened, so after that, I thought I would continue to support in another form.
I imagine that the donation of sweets was greatly appreciated by the disaster victims who had gone through such tough times. How was it received?
Nishio
First of all, the evacuation center was a completely new experience for everyone.
We didn't know how far we could intrude, so we just left the sweets at the reception.
A few days later, I heard from an acquaintance who was at the evacuation center that "everyone was really happy."
Living in an evacuation center is much tougher than one might imagine, and people are concerned about how others perceive them.
It's not that they don't have money, but in such a situation, they felt guilty about buying sweets, thinking it might be a luxury.
So, when I heard from the victims, "This is the kind of sweet I wanted to eat," I was truly happy.
While continuing to donate sweets to the evacuation centers, a "Sweets Workshop for Disaster-Affected Children" was also held.
What was the background for this workshop?
Nishio
After the heavy rains in July, adults began to worry that the children's summer vacation would end up being just a memory of the disaster.
We thought, "Is there something fun we can do to care for the children and create lasting memories?" and took immediate action.
Fortunately, when I posted on social media that I was planning a "sweets workshop," people quickly responded with offers to help.
However, since it was my first time doing this, I was feeling my way through everything. I secured a venue and shared information through a LINE group connected to the children, and it spread by word of mouth in the evacuation centers, resulting in over 30 parent-child participants on the day.
From Facebook, it seems that the children who participated had a lot of fun.
Nishio
Yes, I was very nervous (laughs).
I hope that in 10 or 20 years, the children will not only remember the scary and sad experiences but also have fun memories like, "I made a cake back then."
Even in times of disaster and abnormal situations, there are people who seek sweets, and that was part of the reason I held the sweets workshop.
I hope this can lead to a better future.
The pastry chef industry is facing a high turnover rate.
To prevent this industry from declining, I would be very happy if even one child from the sweets workshop decides they want to work in the pastry field.
After the support for the evacuation centers settled down, what activities did you engage in in Mabi?
Nishio
I had decided to continue delivering sweets to the evacuation centers until Wall Warren reopened, so after they rebuilt the store in December, I have been hosting "Sweets Tea Parties" in Mabi.
With the renewal of La Biche, the tea parties have been on hold since July 2019.
I had planned to restart them around spring 2020, but due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have not been able to hold the tea parties yet.
After experiencing the flooding, it seems that shortly after, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, leading to a series of challenges.
There must have been a significant impact on your store and the community.
Nishio
Fortunately, the store's sales were hardly affected.
However, I feel the seriousness of the situation through the connections with local restaurants. Many of the people who were always lively are now saying,
"I can't do anything, it's over, I'm done."
I felt a sense of guilt about my store being busy while most restaurants were struggling.
Even so, the people from the restaurants in Tamashima came to buy cakes, and despite their own difficulties, they said,
"It's good that this place seems unaffected, I'm relieved."
At first, I was unsure how to respond, but those words were comforting, and I thought, I want to support and contribute in some way.
What specific forms of support and contribution have you provided to local restaurants?
Nishio
There were people who quickly moved to takeout, so I bought takeout containers and left them at each restaurant, not in a pushy way, but saying, "You’re doing takeout, right?"
If you switch to takeout, customers will definitely come, so you’ll get business! I intended to encourage them and have been actively moving forward.
After the heavy rain disaster in July 2018 and the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to face challenges, but I see it as a chance to be tested on what I can do, and I’m just moving forward with whatever comes to mind.
I am where I am now, and La Biche exists because I am blessed with the people around me.
I want to continue to give back in any way I can.
Conclusion
When feeling irritated, tired, or unmotivated, how many times have sweet treats helped me?
Eating sweet treats filled with butter aroma can bring a sense of relief and comfort.
That’s why I felt a lump in my throat when hearing the words of the disaster victims, "I wanted to eat sweets like this."
Nishio said, "I want to live each day earnestly and be a craftsman for life."
In these uncertain times, I felt inspired to earnestly do what I can.
Please do visit Patisserie La Biche, located right in front of Shin-Kurashiki Station.
Data on Patisserie La Biche
| Name | Patisserie La Biche |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-23-111 Shin-Kurashiki Station, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-526-8801 |
| Parking | Available Shared parking for 8 cars in the Shin-Kurashiki Station redevelopment building |
| Business Hours | 10:00 AM - 7:30 PM |
| Regular Holiday | Wednesday |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted |
| Seating | 10 seats, Tables: 4×1, 2×3 |
| Smoking | Completely non-smoking |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Website | La Biche: Facebook |
