This audio is generated by AI, so pronunciation and expressions may not be fully accurate. The narration is only in English.
Located in the multicultural district of Roppongi, AL AIN is run by chef Ziad Karam. Having trained at the National Hotel Institute in Lebanon, Karam was hired by the Embassy of the State of Kuwait to work as a chef in their embassy in Japan. "I arrived in 1991 as a chef for the ambassador, but within three months, I felt I was struggling," Karam says.
Back in the early 90s, Karam found it difficult to source the ingredients required to make authentic Arabic cuisine. "Initially, it was so difficult to cook, I could not find certain meats like lamb, herbs, or basmati rice, but eventually, by walking the streets, heading into smaller shops, and just asking people, I started to understand where I needed to go."
This is now a problem of the past, with Karam noting that one of the biggest shifts in his field is access to global ingredients. "Now, it's more open, much easier to buy the ingredients I use for my dishes. At times, it's still challenging, but it's becoming much easier." The city is far more diverse than it was 30 years ago, and import stores selling ingredients from outside of Japan are much easier to find. Having worked in the industry for as long as he has, Karam has built a list of reputable suppliers in Japan.
Thanks to these supply chains and by using traditional cooking techniques, AL AIN can serve up delicious, fresh Arabic cuisine, predominantly Lebanese cuisine, as well as a small selection of iconic dishes from the Gulf and other Arab countries. "I only offer two courses so that I can focus on cooking high-quality meals. For the course, I serve cold and hot mezze (starter), mainly centered around popular and traditional Lebanese cuisine. For the main dish, I serve shish kebab, kabsa mixed rice, and a daily special," Karam explains. "During my time at the Kuwait Embassy, I served not only guests from the Gulf but also Arab-based guests from other areas, so I added these countries' cuisine, such as couscous, as well as some Mediterranean cuisine due to Lebanon's geographical location."
Sometimes people confuse Arabic and Indian food. Arabic food uses lots of herbs rather than spices. "Lebanese cuisine is famous in Western countries for its health benefits and also for its magnificent mezze, which consist of up to 60% veggies and grains. I like to cook healthy food, so I do not use MSGs (monosodium glutamate) or food additives," Karam explains.
During his work at the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Tokyo, he began contemplating the idea of opening his own restaurant to serve real Arabic food after finding out that there were no authentic Arabic restaurants. "In the summer of 1995, I opened an Arabic restaurant in Yokohama," Karam says. "At that time, it was not as easy as it is today. Now, we have the internet and social media, but back then, we had to place advertisements in papers. When we started, there were no true Lebanese Arabic restaurants in Japan, so we had to get the word out any way we could."
Appealing to a Japanese audience was initially difficult, especially since many had not previously encountered Arabic food. "For our Japanese customers, many of them know and understand Italian or Thai cuisine, but Arabic food is a different world. But once they try it, they will keep coming back again and again."
After relocating from his original restaurant in Yokohama, Karam is now focusing his efforts on his restaurant in Roppongi. "We moved here because the majority of customers who came to my restaurant were from Tokyo and had many requests to relocate. After moving here, I found that our customers became more diverse." Karam explains. Their Roppongi location sees more international residents and tourists thanks to Tokyo's higher rate of diversity.
"When we started in Yokohama in 1995, we would often have to explain the food, teach our customers about the ingredients we were using and how to eat," Karam says, "but here, we can simply serve. Our customers know the food; they know what ingredients are used, so they can sit down and enjoy. Arabic food is still not very well-known in Japan, but due to an increase in inbound tourists and residents, many Westerners who know the cuisine come, making it easier. Moving here made me realize that Tokyo is much more diverse."
Being able to serve authentic Arabic cuisine to Arabic individuals residing in or visiting Tokyo is also a point of pride for Karam. "Many Arabic nationals come to us because they want to enjoy the traditional cuisine of their country. For many, they cannot simply visit home all the time, so they come to enjoy authentic Arabic food." For these people, AL AIN is a true taste of home, nestled right in the bustling heart of Japan's capital city.
Having worked at the Embassy of the State of Kuwait, Karam's cooking skills are highly regarded, and he continues to cater for VIP clients and events. At one such event, which took place after the 2011 Great Earthquake, when the State of Kuwait donated 5 million barrels of oil to aid in Japan's recovery, Karam was appointed to serve authentic Arabic cuisine to the dignitaries visiting Tokyo who stayed at Akasaka Palace.
Food is a way to celebrate culture and heritage, creating bridges between different cultures. In a city such as Tokyo, with a growing international population, coming together and understanding one another has never been more important. For Karam, preparing and serving the very best of what his country has to offer is a form of cultural exchange. "To know another culture, you should experience what the people of that country eat."
Beyond his work, Karam has spent a large portion of his life as a resident in Japan, living and raising a family here. Having lived here for over 30 years, Karam has witnessed the city evolve over that time. "Many areas have changed since I arrived. Akihabara and Shibuya are a lot busier now than when I first visited them."
In his downtime, the chef enjoys exploring the quieter areas of Tokyo. "I like Hiroo, they have a nice park there, I also used to live in Takanawa for a few years, near the Embassy of the State of Kuwait is based, it's a peaceful area." Karam values a certain level of peace, which even in a city as dense as Tokyo, is not that difficult to find.
"Tokyo can be like that; one area can be so busy, and then just around the corner, it's so quiet. Like my daughter's former university in Fuchu, where there is lots of greenery and fewer people, so I enjoy walking there. I also like Musashi-no-mori Park and the American school and planetarium area."
On what he values most about Tokyo, he says, "It's a convenient city. Even at night, there are plenty of accessible public transport and 24-hour convenience stores. In other countries, you might struggle to find an ice-cream in the middle of the night, but not here," he adds, laughing.
