Cook Around Japan - Tochigi: Cultivating Local Pride

Dining with the Chef!

Hello, I'm Rika Yukimasa.

Today, I'm visiting Utsunomiya in Tochigi Prefecture.

Utsunomiya prospered as a quarrying site for "Oyaishi," a stone formed over millions of years by the coagulation of volcanic ash.

Full scale mining of Oya stone began in the Edo period some 400 years ago.

It is now designated as a "Japan Heritage" cultural property.

The local community is proud of the fact that Oya stone has been used in many famous buildings, supporting the development of Japanese modern architecture.

But Oya stone is not the only thing in Utsunomiya that the people of Tochigi like to boast about.

There's a restaurant in Utsunomiya that I've been longing to visit for some time.

Let's explore Japanese cuisine in greater depth.

Japan is a chain of islands approximately 3,000 km long from North to South.

There is a large variation in climate, and the terrain of each region has given rise to a diverse culture of food.

Today, we head to Tochigi Prefecture, about 100 km north of Tokyo.

It's home to Nikko Toshogu, a World Heritage site where the founder of the Edo Shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu, is enshrined.

The Nasu Highlands are another popular tourist destination, home to the Nasu Imperial Villa, the Emperor's summer retreat.

The abundance of pristine water from the mountains, and the flat, fertile land of the Kanto Plain makes it a major agricultural center.

Utsunomiya, the capital city of Tochigi prefecture, is the gateway to its many tourist attractions.

One of its chefs is attracting attention from all over Japan as a pioneer of dishes focusing on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.

COOK AROUND JAPAN.

Tochigi - Cultivating Local Pride.

His restaurant is about a 10-minute drive from the city center.

This is a beautiful kitchen.

Chef is preparing for lunches and dinners.

Hello. I've been looking forward
to meeting you.

Likewise.

Thank you.

Otowa Kazunori is the owner of the restaurant.

After training in France, he opened his restaurant in his hometown, Utsunomiya, in 1981.

He set out to create dishes using locally sourced ingredients at a time when there was little awareness in Japan of how all aspects of the environment influence the taste and quality of local food and drink.

For over 40 years, his cuisine has received acclaim from inside and outside of Japan.

In 2021, he was recognized as a Master of Cuisine by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, and became the very first chef to be awarded its highest honor.

Local sourcing has become more than a trend.

As a pioneer of such restaurants, he travels all over Japan to give lectures, and teach the next generation of chefs the importance of developing close partnerships with local producers.

His commitment to sourcing seasonal, locally sourced ingredients has earned him respect.

This one is from the Truffle Association.

The medal depicts a pig
searching for truffles.

It was given to me by a truffle producer
in Menerbes, a tiny village in France.

This one isn't from a Grand Vin
or champagne winery.

It's from a small regional winery
in Visan, France.

There are many culinary awards, but
very few are presented by producers.

It only happens if you have developed
a relationship of trust with them.

I'm honored to befriend such producers.
It encourages me to do even better.

Today, Chef Otowa is recognized as a pioneer of local sourcing.

It all started in 1970.

At a time when it was still difficult to go abroad, he set sail for Europe on his own.

He became an apprentice to Alain Chapelle, who at the time was the youngest chef in history to win three Michelin stars.

Otowa was his first Japanese apprentice.

Otowa watched as Chapelle visited producers, every morning, to select the ingredients himself.

It looked like he was chatting with them
about what to procure that day.

A Michelin-star chef talking to
local farmers on an equal basis.

He regarded them as his partners.

I suppose he wanted bring out the best
of local ingredients in his cuisine.

Yes, that was his top priority.

The producers were entrusting him
with their pride and joy.

He wanted to do justice to their efforts.

The French chef's close relationship with local producers left a lasting impression on the young Otowa.

Upon returning to Japan, he decided to open a French restaurant in his hometown, Utsunomiya, where French cuisine was a novelty.

It was bold move to open a restaurant
in Utsunomiya instead of Tokyo.

Economically, Tokyo was booming.
You were going against the tide.

When I left for France, I had no intention
of opening a restaurant in Utsunomiya.

There was little interest
in French cuisine.

And it wasn't a tourist destination.

I wanted to open a restaurant in an area
that would appreciate my cuisine.

So, Tokyo or some place outside Japan.

What changed his mind was the producers he met in France and their pride in their hometown.

The villagers were so proud
of their home.

They were confident that
I would like it, too.

They liked living there and had
established strong roots.

I had family and friends in Utsunomiya,
but I didn't feel that way towards it.

I felt ashamed to see how
proud they were of their hometown.

Training as a French chef meant nothing
if I couldn't be proud of my roots.

So, I decided to go back home.

And so, in 1981, he opened his restaurant in Utsunomiya.

He began offering a unique style of French cuisine, sourcing local ingredients and incorporating Japanese culinary techniques.

Looks great!

They're thriving.

Splendid.

Chef Otowa visits producers on most days, not just in Utsunomiya but throughout Tochigi and its neighboring prefectures.

Today, he's come to a chestnut farm in the suburbs of Utsunomiya with over 300 trees of eight different varieties.

They're about to fall off!

Yes, especially ones near the ground.

Once the spiny burrs crack open,
the nuts ripen and fall off naturally.

Those are the best?

Yes, ripe and tasty.

There's nothing like freshly roasted,
ripe chestnuts.

Chef Otowa has first-hand knowledge of the ingredients he's procuring.

He's been cultivating his relationship with his producers for 40 years.

Upon returning from France, I visited
hundreds of producers in Tochigi.

It's not enough to make delicious food.

It's important to understand
what the producers are doing and why.

It's so exciting!

Thanks!

We are able to communicate and
bounce ideas off each other.

We producers don't have a chance to
meet the people who enjoy our food.

But we get to hear their reaction
from the chef. It's great.

These magnificent chestnuts are
the work of a producer.

It's my job to make them
look and taste even better.

I try to do justice to the producer
in my creations.

I wouldn't be able to do anything
without the producer.

That's how it should be.
A symbiotic relationship.

Try these roasted chestnuts.

Thanks!

Roasted chestnuts are easy to peel
and have a fluffy texture.

Wonderful!

Thanks!

Very sweet.

I'm happy.

Me, too!

Engaging with producers has helped add value to local ingredients.

The virgin forests of northern Tochigi are a source of pristine, mineral-rich waters, providing an ideal environment for the cultivation of rainbow trout which has long been a favorite local fish.

Chef Otowa is involved in a project to enhance the appeal of the fish.

He provides his perspective as a chef in developing new ways to enjoy the fish.

We wanted to know if he felt
it could be used in French cuisine.

River fish is mostly served
grilled with salt.

I was afraid he'd say it couldn't be
served at a high-end French restaurant.

We're working together to add value
through a process of trial and error.

Today, the fish have become one of Tochigi's best known specialties.

And it features in one of Chef Otowa's signature dishes.

His collaboration with producers has had a great impact on other chefs who are starting to adopt a similar approach.

Tokyo's top chefs come here and are
amazed at the quality of the ingredients.

They ask me to introduce them
to the producers.

They recognize the brand value
of the local produce.

Tourists start to come for the food.

And while they're here, they start to
explore what else Tochigi has to offer.

So, it opens up new possibilities
for the entire community.

That's the result of our collaboration Don't you agree?

Chef Otowa has full of appreciation for Tochigi's local food culture.

To help share this appreciation with the local community, he also runs a delicatessen to provide easy access to his cooking.

Over the past 40 years, his food has become the taste of home for the people of Tochigi.

Some of our customers say their kids
will only eat our carrot salad.

Many of our customers have grown up
eating our salads.

The local people are used to my food.
It's become their taste of home.

Chef Otowa believes that local chefs can do a lot for the region.

Since he opened his restaurant, he's been holding outreach programs for children, inviting them to his restaurant to familiarize them with local culinary traditions, local ingredients and seasonal flavors.

Your experiences have heightened
your sense of identity and pride.

And you're now passing on what you've
learned to future generations.

I owe so much to the community.

Food is the basis for
nurturing future generations.

I believe it provides a holistic lesson,
heightening their sensibilities.

They come to appreciate the seasons,
colors, tastes, textures, and aromas.

Chef Otowa has selected some of Tochigi's local specialties to show us a couple of dishes that you can make at home.

Chef Otowa is going to teach me how to cook something.

We're going to use a whole chicken,
starting off with breast meat.

He's using a particular breed of chicken, that he helped develop, together with Japanese poultry farmers.

I trained with Alain Chapel whose
restaurant was near Bresse.

It's a region famous for its chickens.

I studied the Bresse chickens
to develop this breed from scratch.

We finally succeeded in 1985.

To prep the chicken, season with salt and sear the surface.

When it's evenly browned, roast in the oven for about 40 minutes.

I'm going to use cucumbers to make a
slightly sour sauce for the breast meat.

Chicken with cucumber sauce!
That's quite unusual.

I've never thought of grating a cucumber.

It has a refreshing taste
like a melon gourd.

Yes. Cucumbers are in season now.

Some people prefer to squeeze out
the excess water.

But I feel it's a shame to do so.

You don't want to waste anything.

Exactly.

And now for some wine vinegar
made from Tochigi grapes.

Tochigi is a major producer of wine.

Yes.

He then adds salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Now the sauce is done.

Then he removes the roasted chicken from the oven.

Looks beautiful.

He removes the breast meat, which cooks through easily, and returns the chicken to the oven for roast further.

You can slice it any way you like.

But it's probably easier to eat at home
if sliced into bite-size pieces.

It looks so tender and moist.

Overcooked chicken is dry and tasteless.

Especially breast meat.

Drizzle the sliced chicken breast with cucumber sauce.

It's so simple and pretty.

A perfect appetizer for terrace dining.
It goes well with champagne.

Nice! It's so beautiful.

Now for another dish, using the thigh meat from the chicken that has been roasting for 20 minutes more.

Chef Otowa sautes "shiitake" mushrooms and steamed potatoes to serve as a side dish.

Saute the mushrooms whole.

We usually remove the stems.

Yes, but I use the stems as well.

The stems are full of umami.

Yes, and it's nice to have
different textures.

Next, he adds the chestnuts he obtained from the farm.

I'm using chestnuts to add a touch of
autumn to the roasted chicken thigh.

The chestnuts have been deep-fried
and steamed until tender.

He seasons the side ingredients with butter, salt and pepper.

It feels like autumn.

Yes, it does.

The ingredients can be recognized
right away, which is kind of new.

When cooking for your family, you want
them to know what they're eating.

Yes, it's very important.

He's now going to make another side dish using a Japanese ingredient rarely used in French cuisine.

"Kanpyo," a Tochigi specialty.

"Kanpyo" refers to the dried shavings of calabash, a type of gourd.

"Kanpyo" simmered in a sweet and savory sauce is a popular ingredient in sushi rolls.

Chef Otowa combines the chopped "kanpyo" with "daikon" radish and onion, then caramelizes them with honey.

I grew up eating "kanpyo."
It's a local specialty.

After 10 years of trial and error, I've
managed to make use of it in my cooking.

Chef Otowa seeks to add value to everyday local ingredients by incorporating them into French cuisine.

And it's finished.
There's no need for sauce.

Because the ingredients are so
flavorful. I can't wait to try it.

Thank you.

It's so pretty. I feel guilty eating it.

Perfect for this time of year.

It's delicious. The cucumber enhances
the flavor of the breast meat.

The fat from the skin melts in the mouth,
but the cucumber refreshes the palate.

Thank you.

There's such depth to the flavor.

The ingredients and cooking methods
are both important.

You need consistency in the way
you use them to tell a story.

Tochigi chestnuts adds a touch of autumn to this special dish that is garnished with "kanpyo," another local specialty.

It's incredible.
The aroma has such depth.

Chestnuts are often oversweetened, but
these have just their natural sweetness.

It's the true taste of autumn in Tochigi.

Yes, it's autumn in Tochigi.

The food on these plates communicates
the culture of Japan and Tochigi.

People all over Japan have a lot of
respect for you, and I'm the same.

And why is it that I'm such a fan?

Well, today I feel I've
untangled those many reasons.

As one of the first chefs in Japan to make the most of local ingredients to create authentic cuisine, I could feel his pride in the local food culture.

He is working hand in hand with producers to promote Tochigi's attributes.

The movement he started is spreading all over Japan.

Chef Otowa is handing the day-to-day running of the restaurant to his children.

By passing the baton, he hopes that the younger generation of chefs will continue to apply their culinary skills to foster pride and respect towards the culture and food of their hometown.

I think more and more young people are
interested in regional cuisine.

Of course, cooking is crucial.
But it's not the only important aspect.

I want them to understand that.

Restaurants can be a way of
getting to know the local area.

I want to promote that message.

Even now, I see that as my role.

That's a personal challenge for me.

And it's also a great joy.