In November 2020, with Japan and the world enduring quarantine restrictions and an uncertain future, chef Kiyoki Umeda went ahead and opened a coffee and doughnut shop.
“It was a soft open,” he says.
Prior to the pandemic, Umeda was the head chef of a successful catering company. Fulfilling hundreds of orders a month was at times overwhelming, but he enjoyed the challenge. After a few years, he became adept at preparing a wide variety of dishes and baked goods, pushing himself to create new recipes.