Profile of Masaharu Takimura, Researcher of Cooking By Fathers and President, Bistro Papa Co., Ltd.
Born in 1970 in Kyoto. After he worked for a public relations company, he began work as the first employee of Digital Hollywood Co., Ltd., where his work centered on advertising, marketing, public relations, and branding. He began cooking as a father in 2003 and started his blog, “Bistro Papa: Recommended Recipes for Fathers” in 2005. In April of 2009 he established Bistro Papa Co., Ltd., becoming president of the new venture.
His activities help to spread and illuminate cooking by fathers, including hosting cooking classes and seminars, serial appearances in various media, talks on radio programs, book publishing, sales of original aprons, and operating the Bistro Papa Online Shop.
• Blog: “Bistro Papa: Recommended Recipes for Fathers”
-- Please tell us how you started cooking as a father.

Both my wife and I love eating, and even after we got married we both continued to work so we ended up eating out a lot. After my wife got pregnant she suffered pretty bad morning sickness so we felt we needed to start eating at home. It was hard to want to eat good food but be unable so I began to make food in my own style. At that time, a friend introduced me to the recipes of Rika Yukimasa (Food Researcher). I followed the recipe and I was surprised at how good it turned out.

Even if the mother takes care of the kitchen before and after a child is born, there are circumstances where she must hand over that responsibility. I think that it is a great opportunity for fathers to start cooking at that time.

Another instigating factor was that I started to consider my work and home life balance. Working had been so fun that I continued to work on weekends as well; but after 10 years of that pattern, when my children were born, I had the chance to rethink many things. I realized the importance of family.
-- How did Bistro Papa begin?

My cooking is cooking for fathers. I think most cooking that men do is as a hobby. That’s how I got hooked. Making the thing I wanted to eat, at my own pace, when I felt like it. Cooking for fathers, on the other hand, is cooking for the family.

I started my blog in 2005. I had been planning an event related to blogging and thought about what kind of blog I could begin myself. I thought that through my blog I could broaden the idea that it is fun for fathers to cook and chose the title, “Bistro Papa.” My gut feeling became my concept and is the name of my company today.
-- Teach us your theme as a researcher of cooking by fathers.
Some people talk about a work life balance, but I like to talk about a work life and social balance. I think first we have work, and then family, and then society.

I read an article in the newspaper entitled, “Enjoy Fathering through Supporting Child Development” by Tetsuya Ando of Fathering Japan, NPO and discovered that someone else was doing something similar to myself. As luck would have it, Mr. Ando had been an employee in my previous company so I called him up to let him know that I wanted to participate.

In Fathering Japan there were many fathers who were involved in this social activity while working hard at their jobs and making their family and childrearing important parts of their lives. Not one of them was stepping away from working and could keep up this balance. I think if fathers became serious we would see great instant positive change in the world.
-- What do you children think of you?

My children recently became aware that their father is a researcher of cooking by fathers.

-- Do you cook together with your children?

Cooking by fathers promotes cooking together with children. In our house the children help with washing dishes, peeling vegetables, mixing things like ground meat, and so on. This allows parent-child communication.

-- Using the tote bag as a canvas, there is an event for parents and children to work together on one design in an event called, “Tote as Canvas Design Workshop.” Wouldn’t you agree this is similar to communication through cooking?

Yeah. I hope that fathers participate in this kind of event.

* Takimura’s eldest daughter, Yurika, enjoys drawing almost as much as her father’s cooking. Following Mr. Takimura’s advice, Yurika skillfully drew a picture for me using the plain tote bag as a canvas. Both parent and child had a good time designing the ROOTOTE.
DADDY:
YURIKA:
DADDY:

YURIKA:
DADDY:

YURIKA:
DADDY:

YURIKA:
DADDY:
YURIKA:
DADDY:
MOMMY:
YURIKA:		 Yurika. Today you can draw on this big bag!
Yeah!
What do you want to draw? You can take this bag with you all kinds of places so draw something you like.
I want to draw a face!
That sounds great! Make sure to draw it big. Go for it!

This is a melon. This one’s a watermelon. Here’s some ice cream.
Oh! That’s why you used white. It looks delicious.

I’m finished! Daddy, you can write Bistro Papa here.
You drew this. Why don’t you sign it?
Okay.
Wow! Great job!
You’re such a little artist.
That was really fun!
-- What will you use the bag for?
YURIKA:
MOMMY:		 The library. I’ll put picture books in here.
We always get so many.
-- What will you put in the side pocket (Roo Pocket)?
DADDY:
YURIKA:
DADDY:		 Wow! A secret pocket! What do you think?
Lots of cards and stuff.
It’ll be a hit at the kindergarten.
Enter by Monday, August 31. Click here to enter.
Workshop also held Sunday, August 2, in Setagaya, Tokyo.
There are many kinds of ROOTOTE. The Mammy ROO is designed for mothers. Listening to the advice of mothers, various innovations took shape in this bag designed by a mother for mothers. Two examples include a handle long enough to be easy to sling onto your back while holding a baby, and a special ROO pocket with anti-odor/anti-bacterial treatment for used diapers. The bag is large enough to hold everything both baby and mommy needs, and more. As baby grows and the amount of things a mother needs to carry reduces there are internal hooks to adjust the size as well. This bag truly is a mother’s best friend.