Special Feature - Le Petit Tonneau and Golfjin member Philippe Batton

In the first in a new series of special features, I caught up with award-winning chef and keen golfer, Philippe Batton to ask him about his take on golf in Japan.

If you’ve attended one of Golfjin’s bigger events in the year such as the Golfjin World Cup, the chances are you’ve seen some Le Petit Tonneau prizes being awarded to winners. In the last couple of years, quite a few lucky players have gone home with dinner-for-two gift vouchers or bottles of fine French wine and it’s all thanks to Le Petit Tonneau owner and Golfjin member, Philippe Batton.

Philippe’s a keen golfer and when he’s not busy creating some culinary masterpieces in one of his 3 Tokyo restaurants, there’s a pretty good chance he’s sneaking a round in at Wakasu Golf Links in Shin Kiba or another of the courses nearby Tokyo.

Twice a year, Phillipe hosts Le Petit Tonneau Golf Challenge and is a co-host of the B&G Cup held every autumn. 40 players attended last year's event at Moonlake GC in Chiba and we had a superb party at his Toranomon restaurant afterwards.

Philippe was kind enough to answer a few questions I put to him:

What do you enjoy most about golf in Japan?
The quality of the maintenance on the golf course and the service you get as soon as you arrive at the course is fantastic. The staff take care of the golf bags, get everything ready on the cart, and when we finish they clean the clubs. And of course the OFURO in each clubhouse is one of the best things about golf in Japan!

What's your pet hate?
Carts which don't go fast enough sometimes and the impossibility to play through at so many courses. The boring and annoying music in clubhouses.

What's your favourite course?
At the moment, my favourite course is the KANOZAN C.C. which is located through the Aqualine in Chiba Prefecture. I like it because it's close to Tokyo (less than one hour) and the course itself is interesting enough to play there many times. The staff are very helpful and friendly with customers which is also important to me.

What do you think of the quality of food at Japanese courses?
I wouldn't say it's bad but it could be better. Some easy food like I serve for lunch in my own restaurants would be more appreciated for foreigner customers and Japanese as well.

Do you have a message for Golfjin members?
I just want to tell them to enjoy golf here in Japan and try as many courses as they can. And they should write some course reports on the Golfjin website which will help newcomers to Japan to find good courses. And as well, I’d like to invite all the Golfjin members to come and participate in my bi-yearly golf competition the Petit Tonneau Golf Challenge!

The next Le Petit Tonneau Competition will be held in May and details of it will be posted on Golfjin once the date is confirmed.

Le Petit Tonneau

Excellent food - An extensive wine list - Great atmosphere 


The food is excellent and you'll enjoy the unpretentious bistro-style atmosphere. They have some fantastic live music events every weekend at their Toranomon branch and if you’re a Golfjin Pro Member, you can enjoy 10% discounts on your bill every time you visit.

From their website:
“Our teams at Kudanshita, Toranomon and Azabujuban, will be thrilled to serve you in one of our locations all specifically designed to duplicate an authentic Parisian Bistro. Your friends at Le Petit Tonneau will advise you on selections from our menus, will be happy to have you discover the cuisine of our cherished, award-winning Chef, Philippe Batton, and will gladly share their knowledge regarding any questions you may have about our extensive wine list.”

Locations:
Kudanshita: Link
Toranomon: Link
Azabu Juban: Link