A food coordinator who made a name for herself in Tokyo has returned to her hometown of Muroran, Hokkaido, to open a new diner. We went to find out more about the signature dishes that have customers coming back for more and the community-focused initiatives packed with local love.

A U-Turn from Tokyo to Muroran! The Owner's Unique Career Path

Marie Tamura, the owner and plating specialist at "Tamura Shokudo," grew up in the Hakuchodai area of Muroran. After graduating high school, she enrolled in a fashion school with dreams of becoming a stylist, but a turning point came during her studies in the UK.

It was at a cafe she frequented that she discovered "finger food," which can be easily picked up and eaten with one hand. While now widely known by names like "pinchos," at the time, these bite-sized appetizers were still a novelty in Japan.

Captivated by their charm and the profound art of their presentation, Ms. Tamura returned to Japan. While working a regular office job, she expanded her knowledge as a food coordinator and eventually started her own catering business.

She provided finger food for events and parties without a physical storefront. Her work caught the eye of a company, which offered her the chance to open her own restaurant. From this point, her career as a food coordinator took off, and she has since been involved in launching four different establishments.

In 2020, she opened "Uzura Cafe" in her hometown, Muroran, themed around quail eggs, a local specialty. Despite opening right as the COVID-19 pandemic was dominating the news, the cafe drew long lines, and popular items like the quail egg pudding frequently sold out.

"With Uzura Cafe, I hoped to indirectly build a bridge between Tokyo and Muroran. But gradually, I started to wonder if there was something more direct I could do for Muroran," she recalls.

What could she do for Muroran? Ms. Tamura's thoughts turned to her home neighborhood, Hakuchodai. "There are extremely few diners or restaurants in Hakuchodai... So I thought if I used my experience to create a 'dining spot for everyone,' it would make the town more enjoyable. That's when I decided to make the U-turn and move back."