Somebody with ZERO-TEX® #02
"Somebody with ZERO-TEX®" is a series that focuses on the wonderful people, things, and experiences that are forging their own paths across various genres and scenes. For the next several installments, we are focusing on "The Daps Famous Hood Joint (Daps)," a popular Kichijoji shop that attracts fans from both Japan and abroad by serving authentic N.Y.-style sandwiches. We will be sharing the process of creating uniforms with them using ZERO-TEX® material.
People from Japan and around the world come for the authentic N.Y.-style Chopped Cheese!
"Some YouTuber living in Japan came by a while ago. They had 1.5 million followers! Ever since then, customers have been coming from overseas..."
This is what Mr. Miyamoto, one of the owners of the popular Kichijoji sandwich stand Daps, told us about their current popularity. Even on the day of our interview, the shop was quite crowded right after opening, with young couples, pleasant-looking local seniors, and food delivery workers passing through the doors incessantly.
What they are looking for is the chopped cheese sandwich, a dish mastered by the staff after their experience in N.Y., featuring a perfect harmony of juicy ground beef, accents of onion, and melty cheese.
"I trained at a shop called Hajji’s when I was in N.Y., and their signature menu item is the chopped cheese sandwich. It was recently featured in a video by the streetwear brand Supreme, so I think a lot of people have their eyes on it."
Style is important, but... what we prioritized was a "proper" look
We presented several prototypes to Daps to create a uniform that upholds their N.Y. style in Kichijoji. Mr. Miyamoto, who moves constantly within the cramped kitchen, was wearing casual clothes—likely prioritizing ease of movement—and I was worried about how he would feel about a more formal, standardized uniform...
"The finish is incredible. I've actually wanted a more formal style like this for a long time."
That was the unexpected response. Given that it's an "N.Y. style" shop, I assumed they intentionally prioritized a casual look, but upon talking further, it turns out that while America may have a laid-back image, it actually has quite rigorous standards for hygiene.
"In America, there is a hygiene management system called HACCP, and it has become mandatory in Japan in recent years as well. Because of that, I've felt the importance of uniforms. Also, when we are invited to events, wearing something like this makes us look sharp, and I think in general society, people perceive you as being more professional when you wear something like this."
While he requested adjustments to the sizing with work utility in mind, Mr. Miyamoto seemed very satisfied with the design. However, he did seem to have some concerns regarding functionality...
"Traditional chef's coats are a bit too hot for me. Even more so in a kitchen, so I'm curious how it will feel to wear them in practice. Also, we use water and sweat a lot, so opacity is also very important."
Breaking away from his usual smiling demeanor in the kitchen, Mr. Miyamoto engaged in a serious discussion with the ZERO-TEX staff. After discussing the samples for a while longer, the direction for the revisions was successfully solidified.
High expectations for the N.Y.-style uniform expressed through ZERO-TEX!
"Lastly, I asked for a few things, like wanting an open-collar shirt and cargo pants that are convenient for carrying tools! Is that okay?"
Despite saying that, Mr. Miyamoto could not hide his excitement for the Daps uniform, for which his vision had expanded throughout this session. Please look forward to the debut of the ZERO-TEX uniform in our next installment!
