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Japan Hour - Gaia Series 89: Upheaval! Eating Out Survival

Japan Hour - Gaia Series 89: Upheaval! Eating Out Survival

CNA2 days ago

42:04 Min
This week's episode sees Kyushu-based Sukesan Udon launch in Tokyo, blending tradition and strategy to shake up the Japanese capital's noodle scene.
About the show:
Spring in Japan (Mar - May)
Spring season in Japan is characterized not just by the cherry blossoms, seasonal food and traditional and modern festivals and events, but also by the exceptional beauty that engulfs the land, during the time.
From flower festivals to fruit picking, lively traditional parades and picnics, there's plenty of seasonal fun, for anyone in Japan, during the spring season!

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How this Japanese man went from pilgrim to sushi chef
How this Japanese man went from pilgrim to sushi chef

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How this Japanese man went from pilgrim to sushi chef

The men lower their net, taut with thrashing fish, into the water. Most of them bolt into the deep, save for a handful of sea bream that nestle contentedly against the nylon threads. 'Why aren't they moving?' a young Taku Ashino asked his older companion. 'Those are fish that escaped from a farm,' came the reply. 'They're used to being carried in and out of the water by nets.' The answer struck Ashino like a lightning bolt. It dawned on him that like the farmed fish, he too had been sheltered and shaped by the safety of routine, reluctant to leave the comforts of home. There was only one thing to do. 'I decided to drop out of university and become a pilgrim to face my true self,' he said as we sat in his restaurant along Club Street. 'I didn't know what I wanted to be, but I knew I could find my way if I was true to myself.' Ashino spent the next two years walking the Shikoku Henro, a 1,207-km pilgrimage that links 88 temples across Shikoku Island's four prefectures. Following in the footsteps of generations of spiritual seekers before him, he roamed the remote trails, discovering not only a different side of his home country but also unknown facets of himself. In solitude, he found clarity. He discovered he could talk to the birds and the butterflies, and as the distinction between self and surroundings dissolved, became attuned to the rhythms of nature and the interconnectedness of all life. When he completed the pilgrimage, he briefly considered becoming a monk. 'But monks are also caught in a net,' he added. 'That net is called Buddhism. So I decided to come back to university and study very hard.' To fund his post-graduate studies in religious philosophy, Ashino took a job at a restaurant where he encountered another figure who would alter the course of his life. 'The chef's name is Sekine. He was the sous chef and a sushi chef at the izakaya where I worked. I immediately knew I wanted to be like him.' SUSHI IS LIFE Two decades on and the tenets of religious philosophy and the belief in nature's divinity remain a core part of Ashino. They guide the way he works and how he deals with the living creatures he uses for his food. In the 10 years since he opened Sushi Ashino in Singapore, he has made aged sashimi or jukusei a hallmark of his offerings. This, he said, is his way of respecting each life he takes in the service of feeding his diners well. 'This is my respect. I am not just cutting fresh fish. I use the best ingredients and enhance each flavour and texture.' Under his charge, silvery-skinned gizzard shad is cured in salt and vinegar, and tusk fish carefully aged between briny sheets of kombu. The longest he's aged a fish is five months. At three months, the flesh of a Spanish mackerel was firm and chewy, with a dryness that intensifies the dab of wasabi which fills my mouth with a persistent warmth. Another aspect of honouring his catches is shinkejime, a method of dispatching fish he picked up from Hiroki Hasegawa, a well-known fish broker in Japan. The technique involves holding the fish in a particular spot to keep it calm and the swift severing of its spinal cord, which purportedly causes the animal little stress and slows the degeneration process. For practice, Ashino fishes in local waters. 'I do many (shinkejime) practice on the Singapore fish. Sometimes, I do shinkejime on one fish and not on another of the same type of fish to compare. And definitely, without shinkejime, there is a smell,' he said. Not everyone is excited about the prospect of dining on sashimi cut from local fish, but it's a prejudice Ashino hopes to debunk over time. 'Singapore fish is just as good as Japan fish,' he explained. 'Of course, the sea temperature is higher than Japan, so the fish is leaner, but I think it's very creamy and even better for freshness,' he said. He offers these local fish — snappers, horse mackerel, trevally and the like — as a complimentary surprise for regulars. He remarked that Japanese diners are more appreciative of this service because of its uniqueness and the effort and skill required. Singaporean diners, on the other hand, need some persuasion. 'So what I want for the coming decade is just continuing to supply the local fish as much as I could. And also, that could be the uniqueness for my restaurant, because nobody serves the Singaporean fish with the shinkejime method,' he explained. Another evolution at Ashino is a structural change to his menu. Inspired by a recent experience at the vaunted Sushi Sho in New York City, Ashino now offers a hybrid experience: A short omakase followed by an okonomi (a la carte) menu. '[Sushi Sho owner] Keiji Nakazawa is the one who created omakase about 40 years ago. But now he feels that younger chefs simply rely on the omakase menu. Omakase, you just serve, that's all. Okonomi menu requires skill.' An okonomi menu, he continued, calls for adaptability. It means cooking dishes or making sushi on the fly, without the predictability of the omakase format. In turn, the experience is more personal for the diner. Today, Ashino continues to draw on the clarity that set him on the Shikoku Henro all those years ago. His deep belief in the interconnectedness of all life isn't something he talks about openly, but is instead channelled to the thoughtful, exacting food he serves.

Gaia Series 88: Fight for "the best in the gastronomic world"!
Gaia Series 88: Fight for "the best in the gastronomic world"!

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time2 days ago

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Gaia Series 88: Fight for "the best in the gastronomic world"!

Japan's top young chef leads a determined culinary team to the Bocuse d'Or, facing fierce global rivals and unrelenting pressure. In the heart of Lyon, a city synonymous with haute cuisine, the world's most prestigious culinary tournament, the Bocuse d'Or, ignites fierce competition every two years. Dubbed the World Culinary Cup, it gathers 24 top teams, each having survived gruelling national qualifiers to earn their place in what is often likened to the Olympics of gastronomy. This year, all eyes are on Japan's representative, 31-year-old sous-chef Ryuya Kainuma, as he carries the hopes of a nation that has yet to clinch the coveted crown. Kainuma, originally from Niigata, works at Sens et Saveur, a high-end French restaurant on the 35th floor of the Marunouchi Building in Tokyo. He has spent 10 years honing his culinary skills and emerged as Japan's contender after winning the domestic qualifier in November 2023. 'To me, competing globally through food is so awesome,' he says. 'To have world-famous chefs taste my food is the kind of opportunity this competition offers.' He is joined by 22-year-old commis chef Minami Fujita. 'There's a lot of pressure. I mean, I'm representing Japan,' she says during preparations. 'I'm carrying Japan on my back.' Their pairing has been described as the 'strongest Team JAPAN in history,' a testament to the talent, ambition and depth of support backing their campaign. Despite its longstanding involvement in the contest since 1987, Japan has only made it to the podium once, in 2013, finishing third. The stakes today extend beyond the kitchen, with a potential win likely to bolster Japan's international culinary reputation and drive inbound tourism. 'It's become a competition to attract inbound tourists,' says Hajime Yoneda, who serves as Team JAPAN's head coach and previously judged the competition. 'Winning at a global culinary competition like the Bocuse d'Or could become one of the factors people use to decide where to go.' Under Yoneda's guidance, Kainuma trains rigorously. He travels to Osaka to experience three-star service at Yoneda's own restaurant, HAJIME, which earned its Michelin status in just one year and five months. 'Through my experience at a three-star restaurant, I rediscovered the passion I had in my youth,' says Kainuma. 'Cooking for the customer's delight. That's the heart of my job.' He adds, 'I don't see them as judges anymore. To me, they're guests I'm serving food to.' Assisting the team are prominent chefs such as Noriyuki Hamada, who led Japan's 2013 bronze-winning campaign, and Tetsuya Asano, already named Japan's representative for 2027. They also receive support from Kenichiro Sekiya of Joel Robuchon and Kotaro Hasegawa, who placed sixth in 2007. However, funding remains a concern. 'The members of Team JAPAN are participating without pay,' the programme notes, a contrast to Denmark, where the national team trains with a budget of ¥100 million (S$860,000) and receives salaries and housing. Japan's theme for the large meat platter is 'The Connection of Life,' which incorporates forest elements. The design is led by Yuji Tokuda of Canaria, a multi-award-winning designer. However, the first tasting of the meat dish, which includes venison and foie gras wrapped in pastry, ends poorly. 'Personally, I think it's close to zero,' says Yoneda. 'You really need to work out what refinement means or you won't be able to reach the top ranks.' Kainuma acknowledges the challenge. 'I don't think there's such a thing as 'complete' in this,' he says. 'When cooking, you always think, 'Maybe I could take it further.' Bit by bit, you level up.' As the final competition nears, the team relocates to Vaux-en-Beaujolais, an hour from Lyon, for a two-week training camp. Simulated time trials initially run two hours over the official limit. Romain Barthes, the local restaurant's chef, notes, 'The pie crust is too thick and loses its delicacy.' But adjustments pay off. Fujita uses multiple timers to manage overlapping tasks. Kainuma refines the fish dish, using sesame and other elements to improve both look and flavour. 'We're back on schedule, so no need to rush,' he says. 'We're totally fine.' The final time trial is a success. 'This was the first time it truly looked and tasted like a proper dish,' he says with visible relief. On 25 January, the Bocuse d'Or opens with much fanfare. Japan begins cooking at 8am. Thirty minutes in, their sous vide machine breaks. 'Oh no!' Kainuma exclaims, quickly directing his team to boil water manually. 'You can add the apples now,' he instructs. The delay puts them ten minutes behind schedule, but the fish dish is completed on the dot. Judges praise its taste and presentation. 'Beautiful fluffy lobster sauvignon. Very, very, very tasty.' The meat dish, which evokes a forest scene, is also completed within the limit. When the results are announced, Sweden takes third place and Denmark second. France's Paul Marcon, son of 1995 champion Regis Marcon, claims first, making them the first parent-child pair to win the title. Japan places 11th overall. However, their fish dish ranks fourth, beating Denmark's, with 787 points. The meat dish scores 700 due to issues with temperature control before serving. 'It's frustrating,' Kainuma admits. 'But thanks to the advice I received from so many chefs, I now think about cooking from all kinds of angles.' He adds, 'My goal is still three Michelin stars. So I'll start again from scratch and learn a lot.'

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