Cooking with Love at 90: Grandma’s Hamburg Steak and Cabbage Rolls

Cooking with Love at 90: Grandma’s Hamburg Steak and Cabbage Rolls

“You’re 90 years old?!” “Yes.” “I’m in my prime, you know.” “It’s all about kindness and love.” “Whether it’s cooking or anything else.” This is a long-established restaurant in Ginza. Dishes cooked with love in sizzling skillets. Served with a heart full of happiness. “I’ve met so many people…” “And I’ve learned so much from them.” “All of that has truly nourished my soul.” “It’s pure happiness.” “This is the happiest time of my life.” Ginza 1-chome, Chuo Ward, Tokyo. Here stands the beloved restaurant “Nitto Corner.” The owner is Mr. Takeda. His mother, Mrs. Miyo, the previous owner,
still works with him. Morning preparations are underway. The vegetables are being prepped. Miyo is 90 years old this year. She helps at the restaurant about three times a week. JKT: “Born in 1935!” JKT: “You’re 90 years old?!” “Yes.” “Still in my prime.” They’re simmering stuffed cabbage rolls. “This is the third simmering stage.” “This is after simmering for about eight hours.” “Such a beautiful color—it looks delicious.” “From here, we simmer it one last time in the skillet…” “And that’s the final step.” “It takes a total of eight hours.” “This is after the third simmer.” “And this one is after the first simmer.” “First, we simmer it just in water.” “Then once again, simmer it in tomato sauce.” “And now, we’re simmering it for the third time.” JKT: “That’s a lot of steps!” “It really is.” “We’re even making the hamburger part from scratch, right?” “The minced meat for the cabbage rolls is
the same mix we use for hamburg steaks.” “When you think about that…” “Yeah, it’s quite a bit of work.” “But in the end, cooking is all about love.” “That’s really what it comes down to.” “No matter what you cook,
you put your whole heart and soul into it.” “It’s love.” “We cook so our guests will say,
‘That was delicious.’” “It’s not about making money.” “When our customers are happy,
that’s our happiness too.” “It’s love. It’s compassion.” “When we simmer it like this…” “The cabbage rolls start to get nice and tender, right?” “Together with the tomato sauce.” “That’s what makes it so good.” “At this point, we pierce each one with a skewer like this.” “The texture of the cabbage
still has just a little bit of fiber left.” “We aim for that perfect balance—
not too soft, not too firm.” Takeda is the fifth-generation owner,
and Miyo is the fourth. Miyo handles prep work, customer service,
and more during opening hours. She also washes dishes, cleans,
and handles countless other tasks. At 90, she’s still going strong. “When I was two years old, my father collapsed.” “From then on,
my mother had to suddenly take over the business.” “She ran it for about thirty years.” “Then, about twelve years ago, I took over.” “Of course, given her age…” “She’s doing a little less of the physical work now.” “But I’m still learning a lot from her.” At 11:30 a.m., the restaurant opens for the day. As soon as the doors open,
the first reserved guests arrive. Miyo warmly welcomes them in. Orders begin to pour in right away. Takeda handles each one swiftly and precisely. Chilled corn soup. Homemade canapés. The atmosphere is calm—
time seems to flow gently here. Guests from overseas have arrived. She discovered the restaurant through a YouTube video. She’s chatting happily with Miyo. Miyo’s secret weapon is her translation app. Using technology,
she enjoys cheerful conversations with everyone. Meanwhile, Takeda works solo in the kitchen. The freshly cooked rice, perfectly timed for opening,
looks absolutely delicious. The kitchen is filled with skillets sizzling over the heat. These skillet dishes are what Nitto Corner is famous for. The first order of the day is the
“Black Hamburg Steak Lunch.” Hand-shaped with love by Takeda and Miyo. The air fills with the savory aroma of freshly grilled meat. A 200-gram hamburg steak rich with smoky flavor. Finished with a touch of black pepper. A moment of happiness arrives. “Irresistible, isn’t it?” What a luxurious lunch. “We use the same Binchotan charcoal
that high-end yakitori restaurants use.” “It gives off such an amazing aroma.” “You can really taste the pure flavor of the meat.” More and more customers begin to fill the restaurant. Miyo greets each guest with calm, gentle hospitality. “I get to meet so many people.” “It’s so much fun.” “I meet all kinds of people.” “And they all teach me something new.” “That’s what truly enriches my life.” Here is the “Red Meatball” lunch. The creamy sweetness carries
the deep flavor of their cabbage rolls. This too looks absolutely delicious. Next, it’s finally time for
their signature stuffed cabbage rolls. A generous pour of their “legendary” tomato sauce. Slowly simmered to perfection. The gentle bubbling sound stirs your appetite. The lid goes on, and it continues to simmer. Then, a rich drizzle of fresh cream is added. Finished with black pepper — and it’s ready to serve. The tomato sauce is simmered until onions,
carrots, and celery completely melt into it. The blend of 80% beef
and 20% pork releases rich, savory juices. Tender enough to cut with chopsticks. The moment it touches your tongue,
the aroma blooms across your senses. Over the years,
their cabbage rolls have continued to evolve. The pursuit of flavor never ends. “Yes, I’ve made some adjustments over time.” “But they’re not really my ideas.” “It’s more about the voices of our customers.” “I’ve gradually reflected their feedback.” “That’s how the recipe has taken shape.” “There wasn’t a perfect recipe from the start.” “By making it for ten or fifteen years
using the same recipe…” “…and incorporating customers’ feedback,
it finally became what it is today.” Every dish is made with care. That’s what matters most—time, effort, and sincerity. Cooking with heartfelt devotion— That part hasn’t changed in seventy-seven years. After the cabbage rolls comes their baked risotto. It lets you enjoy the rich tomato flavor all over again. A special dish made using the skillet. These creative touches all began with Takeda. No matter how many times you see it,
it looks delicious every time. “I actually studied abroad in Canada.” “I worked as a lighting technician for films.” “We handled subcontracts for
Hollywood productions in Toronto.” “I was working on film sets.” “Cooking never gets boring for me.” “It makes me happy when customers enjoy it.” It’s past 1 p.m., and the restaurant is still full. Seven new orders come in all at once. The kitchen reaches its peak intensity. Soon, it’s almost last call for orders. Miyo keeps moving without taking a break. These days, she spends her life
surrounded by family and customers— —but until she was ten, she lived through the war. “The air raids would come, you know.” “When the sirens went off…” “My family and I would rush into the air-raid shelter.” “We had nothing to wear, really.” “We barely ever saw a single grain of rice.” “That’s how life was back then—
no food, no clothes, nothing.” “Every day, all we could do was survive.” “Back then…” Days filled with fear of air raids. The only thought was to stay alive. She lived through the postwar years
when Japan had nothing. And later, as a business owner,
she faced many hardships. “But you know, now when I look back,
they’re all happy memories.” “I can turn anything into something joyful.” There was nothing— —and because of that,
she learned to be grateful for what *is*. Something we often forget in our daily lives. The simple fact that we get to live today. Perhaps that’s where her energy truly comes from. “Every day, I just think about the fun things.” “There are so many important things that can’t be seen.” “And there are so many invisible things that bring us joy.” “Now, this restaurant is all we have.” “I’m here, working on the floor every day.” “As long as my mother stays healthy…” “And she keeps saying how happy she is right now…” “That’s the greatest gift of all.” Lunchtime draws to a close. With a warm smile, she says,
“Come again soon.” Many customers come just to see Miyo. Every word exchanged becomes a little treasure. “However the customers take it—” “We just do everything with all our love.” “We cook with our hearts.” “And we serve with kindness.” “It’s all about compassion and love.” “Whether it’s cooking or anything in life.” “It’s wonderful—
meeting people from all over the world.” “And from all around Japan too.” “It’s pure happiness.” “This is the happiest time of my life.”

[Ginza Nitto Corner Official Website]

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[Ginza Nitto Corner Official Instagram]
https://www.instagram.com/nittocorner/

[Ginza Nitto Corner Google Maps]
https://maps.app.goo.gl/o3TcyoHFnh4MeL437

Cooking Is Love.
Even at 90, she still stands in the kitchen every week.
At a long-established restaurant in Tokyo called Nitto Corner,
her legendary cabbage rolls carry 77 years of love and history.

Miyo Takeda, now 90, lived through the war, raised a family,
and still greets every customer with a warm smile.

She says, “Cooking isn’t for money. It’s for love.”
Through her story, we learn what happiness truly means.

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