November last year, a preliminary round of a competition for rising young chefs specialising in Japanese cuisine overseas, an event sponsored by the ministry of agriculture, held in London before the final round taking place Japan. I was appointed as a chairman of the occasion as well as a demonstrator.
An
established food writer Mr. Matthew Fort, celebrity chefs, Mr. Brett Graham
from Ledbury and Mr. Yasuhiro Mineno from Yashin Ocean House, had formed a
judging committee.
Daniel from
Yashin Ocean House and Pzemyslaw from our very own Umu team had been selected
to compete after passing the requirements of holding non-Japanese nationality
and working as a resident chef in London-based Japanese restaurant, and both
chefs disputed with Wagyu beef being the theme ingredient. The contestants
handled the unaccustomed ingredient with their utmost effort, creating dishes
with high degree of integrity. After a close race, Daniel won by an extremely
slim margin, and gained a ticket to Japan. 
To keep up
with the topic “Japanese culinary manners to ingredients”, a demonstration
consisted of introduction to Ikejime fish preserving techniques, moreover as an
interpretation of Japanese concept “Mottainai” – a term expressing remorse
towards waste – I performed cooking methods that can consume every part of fish
from its head, bone and even to its guts. 
One of the
merchants in the audience, who deals fish from Portugal, showed great interest
in the Ikejime technique, and subsequently I tried out a range of fish received
from him on several occasions. The surprisingly extremely high quality fish,
which in addition had extraordinary freshness compare to London market, were
unlike those belong to cold-water within the proximity of Britain, but
comprised of fish generally preferring warm water such as bonito, longtooth
grouper and sea bream, and for its rarity, I gradually added to Umu’s menu. 
Having to
see keen curiosity of a group of Portugese fishermen towards Ikejime technique,
and being enchanted with traditional thread fishing contributing to the local
market by sustaining good quality fish, I visited Portugal at the end of the
year. 
After a
short 3-days stay in Lisbon, I headed towards Algarve region in the south to
meet Pedro, a middleman in the distribution line. Courtesy to his guide, I got
to enjoy varieties of fresh natural ingredients such as local seafood,
shellfish, Iberian black pork and an olive oil, some of which are rarely seen
in UK.
Regrettably
due to Christmas and New Year’s holiday season, fishing boats being out on the
shore were almost none, and understandably fish could only be seen sparsely at
the auction too. Nonetheless with
Pedro’s arrangement, we managed to locate a sea bass, on which I demonstrated
ikejime to the fishermen. They watched with eagerness and growing interest in
their eyes, and we part ways with a promise to teach the technique once again
in the future, but next time would be on the boat with the freshest fish. 
11月、農林水産省が主催で海外の日本料理、若手料理人を、発掘、選考して日本でコンペティションをするというイベントの予選会がロンドンでありました。私はそのイベントの委員長と日本料理のデモンストレーションを任されました。
著名なフードライターのMatthew Fort、セレブリティーシェフ、LedburyのBrett Graham, Yashin
ocean houseの峯野シェフが審査委員会として駆けつけてくれました。
コンペティションは和牛をテーマにロンドンの日本料理店で働く日本人国籍を持たない、将来を期待される料理人という条件で選抜され、Yashin ocean houseのDanielと当店UMUのPrzemyslawのあいだで争われました。二人とも使い慣れない和牛を一生懸命使いこなし、完成度の高い料理を作っていました。接戦の末、非常に僅差でDanielが勝ち、日本行の切符を手にしました。
デモンストレーションでは“日本料理の素材の扱い方”というテーマの一環として“活けジメ”を紹介し、また、“もったいない”という言葉の解説のためにその魚を頭、骨から内臓までの調理の仕方を実践しました。
ポルトガルの漁師グループが活けジメに関心を持ってくれていること、そして私自身もクォリティーの高い魚を取引する伝統的な糸釣り漁師に興味を持ち、年末にポルトガルを訪れました。
リスボンに3日間滞在した後、南部のAlgarve地方に車で行き、魚の仲買人のペドロに会いました。彼の案内のおかげで新鮮な、そして英国では見られない魚貝やイベリア半島独特の黒豚、オリーブ、ワインなど、たくさんの自然な食材を楽しむことが出来ました。
残念ながらクリスマスと年末の間ということもあり、私たちが漁港を回った日はほとんど漁に出ている船がなく、またオークションにも魚の姿はまばらでした。それでもペドロの計らいでスズキを探し出してくれ、地元の漁師たちに活けジメを見てもらうことが出来ました。彼らも非常に興味を持ってくれ、次回はボートの上で生きた魚で活けジメを教えること、再開を約束しあいました。
No comments:
Post a Comment