Page 16 - seniors today August issue
P. 16
Food
Art On A Plate
Discovering Japan, one bite at a time. By Vandana Kanoria
In her gorgeous essay ‘In Praise of the Cooks’, yielded by temperature and motion; the
Midori Snyder says, “The very best of cooks 12-generation yakitori sage who uses metal
are sorcerers, wizards, shamans and tricksters. skewers like an acupuncturist uses needles; the
They must be, for they are capable of powerful young man who has grown old at his father’s
acts of transformation. All manner of life, side, measuring his age in kitchen lessons, will
mammal, aquatic, vegetable, seeds and nuts know exactly what to do when it is his turn to be
pass through their hands and are transformed the master. This is Shokunin, or specialisation
by spells — some secret, some written in books — artisans deeply dedicated to their craft. It is
annotated with splashes of grease and broth.” at the core of Japanese culture, as are ingredient
Traditional Japanese cuisine, or Washoku, is obsession, technical precision and thousands
one of the only three national food traditions of years of meticulous refinement. The most
recognised by the UN for its cultural famous Shokunin is of course Jiro Ono,
significance. Tokyo was added to the Michelin immortalised in the film Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
Guide in 2007 and has since blazed forth,
becoming the most-starred city in the world Tapas Molecular Bar
with 234 places listed in 2018. Don’t expect a typical night at Tapas
The depth and variety of the deliciousness of Molecular Bar. From the moment you
Tokyo’s culinary world can be summed up in are seated, you enter the creative realm
one word - Shokunin. Fresh and delicate, whilst of highly entertaining food theatre by
there is simplicity about the food, one realises chef Kento Ushikobu, who takes you on a
while eating how much details matter. culinary journey that feels part-science,
An 80-year-old tempura man who has spent part-magic, and is unbelievably delicious.
six decades discovering the subtle differences A mysterious bandanna-wrapped black box
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