Nikkei cuisine
Posted on June 6, 2017 by jason toner No comments
Lured by the prospect of financial riches in a then very poor Japan at the end of the 1800`s, the first wave of Japanese nationals travelled by boat to their new home of Peru. Although its almost laughable to think about it these days with just how far Japan has come in a hundred years, back then the Japanese were an inexpensive and highly motivated workforce in abundance due to war and economic strife so Peruvians gained a workforce and the world gained a cross cultural cuisine known as Nikkei.
Nikkei was born out of nostalgia and a solid desire to taste home with a new set of ingredients and thus a focused motivation peppered with pioneer pride.
I believe the same thing is happening in the reverse here in Japan with foreigners like myself creating not just a taste of home with new ingredients, techniques and the fresh limitless possibilities that come with it, but also creating something outside of our inner circle that resonates with the locals.
The creative transformation of a cuisine, in at least a fringe capacity on the periphery of the culinary fabric, is more exciting now than we have ever seen.
Critics may scoff and complain of the possibility of losing cultural heritage but although the Japanese embrace all that is foreign and new and hip and”in” there are very few cultures who hold the past so dear as do the Japanese and I believe there is plenty of room to embrace an exciting new culinary movement and on the same watch respecting, enjoying and downright reveling in the past. They can and must co-exist.
This philosophy is front and center of my desire to start this humble flawed place on the net that ideas can be shared. I will try to make a balance of tradition and modernity with the blessings of my Japanese friends in the agricultural, restaurant industries who are passionately old school and also everyone from here and far with a good story, recipe or energy to share. The future is bright my friends with food culture more sophisticated yet health focused than it has ever been before. Let us celebrate the fine art of delicious!
