'Cake Incident' Japanese Chef Appeals, "It Was Released Under My Name... Please Identify the Cause"

Takashimaya Department Store Strawberry Cake Delivered Damaged
'Renaissance' Owner Chef "If This Continues, We'll Fail... Can't Sleep"

Hundreds of cakes sold at a famous Japanese department store were delivered to customers in a crushed state, and the chef contracted by the department store has demanded an investigation into the cause.

Strawberry cake from Takashimaya Department Store in Japan delivered in a damaged condition.
[Photo by X (formerly Twitter)]

Earlier, Kazuhisa Yokoyama, CEO of the well-known department store Takashimaya (高島屋), stated at a press conference on the 27th, "After investigating the manufacturing and delivery processes, we concluded that it is impossible to identify the cause." According to Takashimaya, 2,879 cakes were sold, and 807 of them were confirmed to be damaged.

The cakes were also manufactured at the same factory last year. Last year, there was a two-week freezing period, but this year, due to a delay in strawberry supply, it was shortened to one day. The temperature at the center of the cake was reportedly fully frozen according to regulations. Takashimaya said, "All responsibility lies with Takashimaya," but also stated, "No further investigation into the cause will be conducted."

In response, Kenben Watanabe, owner chef of 'Renaissance,' who put his brand on the cake and accepted responsibility, expressed opposition to the department store's response in an interview with Japan's Sankei Shimbun on the same day. The cake sold by Takashimaya was the 'Renaissance Strawberry Frill Shortcake' (5,400 yen), bearing the Renaissance name. The chef said, "I am sad and sorry that it turned out to be a form that disappointed customers' expectations," but appealed, "I hope they do not close the case and identify the cause."

Strawberry cake from Takashimaya Department Store in Japan delivered in a damaged condition.
[Photo by X (formerly Twitter)]

According to him, Takashimaya has been outsourcing manufacturing to the confectionery maker 'Winds-Arc' in Saitama Prefecture for about five years and entrusting delivery to Yamato Transport. Although there have been some complaints in the past, this is the first time such a cake collapse incident has occurred. He particularly questioned, "It is strange not to know the cause when 800 cakes were damaged. Will the buyers accept this?"

Some buyers have reportedly made protest calls and posted negative comments to Renaissance and the owner chef. He said, "If this continues, the store will go bankrupt. Some customers want us to continue, but I don't know if we can next year." He added, "We also bear responsibility and are reflecting on this. It is really painful and I can't sleep," but also said, "I hope Takashimaya does not give up on pursuing the cause."

Previously, Christmas cakes sold by Takashimaya Department Store were delivered to customers damaged, sparking controversy on social networking services (SNS). Takashimaya Department Store announced just one day after the accident that "the cause of the damage accident is unknown," which has further fueled criticism of their inadequate response.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.