Welcome to Season 9 of BENTO EXPO.

Today we're joined by chef and culinary consultant,

Takahashi Yoshiro, or Chef Yoshi.

Hello, everyone. I'm glad to be here.

Chef Yoshi is also an athlete who competes in global triathlons.

Today he's going to show us his sweet chili chicken "tatsuta" bento

that'll power you through a workout.

We love bento!

(The Global Lunchbox 9-1)

Let's start with a look at a couple of the wonderful bentos

submitted through our website.

First, from Indonesia, a vibrant bento a mother makes for her daughter.

I will make a bento containing

dragon fruit.

It's a tropical fruit with a vibrant magenta hue,

and Olvi juices it to add natural color to her rice.

Dragon fruit doesn't have much flavors,

so it is perfect to color food.

Great idea.

Olvi shapes the vibrant rice into "onigiri"

and uses nori and cheese to make a pair of ladybugs... in love!

Now I'm going to make a flower garden for the ladybugs.

Next, she folds a thin omelet and cuts slits in it.

She also scores and fries sausage pieces

before rolling them inside her omelet to make...

a sunflower!

She adds the sunflowers to her vibrant garden,

and those ladybugs couldn't look happier.

Let's hear what Senja thinks about her bento.

I love ladybugs.

Enjoy!

Yummy.

We love bento!

We love bento!

Next, an Easter bunny bento for a four-year-old girl from the Netherlands.

Today we are going to make an Easter-themed bento

with bunnies and Easter eggs. So...

- Let's start.
- Okay!

Sarah starts with a pancake batter to which she adds a secret ingredient.

Vanilla yogurt.

This will not only make the pancakes fluffy and moist,

it'll also add a nice fragrance.

We're going to use this cute little mold.

Great. She adds the batter and bakes it in the oven.

And when they're done, Amani gets excited.

Fluffy bunnies. I love it.

Sarah packs the pancakes with berries,

and you can't have a bunny bento without carrots.

She also adds some sweet Easter eggs, and her bento is done.

It makes it fun for her to eat, and in that way,

she eats everything from the lunchbox.

Thank you, mommy.

- And now we're going to eat it.
- Yes.

I bet they're fluffy!

Yes. We love bento!

We love bento!

It's time to get started on our bentos.

Okay!

It's great to have you here.

Thank you, Marc, for having me.

And hello, everyone. I'm Takahashi Yoshiro.

Chef Yoshi is a culinary consultant

who develops delicious, easy recipes for home cooks.

So what got you into cooking?

My father is a chef of Japanese cuisine.

I started cooking as a kid,

and later, I ended up training under him.

That's basically how I became a professional chef.

Oh, okay. But you are a trained athlete, right?

Yes. I compete in triathlons.

I've represented Japan in amateur events three years in a row.

I love running and swimming, and sports in general.

Wow, that must require a lot of training and energy.

Yes, a lot!

So today, Chef Yoshi and I are going to show you a pair of delicious bentos

that'll power you through a workout.

So what are you going to make for us today?

I'm going to make sweet chili chicken tatsuta bento!

I love tatsuta!

Tatsuta is a fried dish that's named after its auburn color,

which is said to look like the autumn foliage over Tatsuta River.

Today, Chef Yoshi is making it with chicken

and glazing it with a sweet and spicy sauce.

He starts by cutting protein-packed chicken breast

into 1-centimeter slices.

It's rich in protein, so it's good for building muscles,

and it's low in fat for those on a diet.

Oh, okay. That makes sense.

But do you ever find that breast meat gets a little dry?

Yeah. That's all right.

I've got a way to make it super moist and tender.

Ah, great. I can't wait to see it.

He adds the chicken to a zipper bag and...

Time for my secret tool.

Here it is!

- A rolling pin.
- Yes.

I use this to lightly pound and tenderize the meat

so that it absorbs the flavors.

That's a great way to mechanically tenderize the chicken

and break up those meat fibers.

So, let's pre-season the chicken.

I add soy sauce,

mirin and some grated ginger.

Ah, okay. That's going to give it a really great sweet and savory flavor.

And the ginger is going to make the chicken even more tender,

thanks to its proteolytic enzymes.

It's even better if you let it rest in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.

Athletes need salt, so we want the chicken to be well-seasoned.

Then, Chef Yoshi coats the marinated chicken with potato starch.

This is going to give a beautifully crisp crust.

Next, he shallow-fries it for a minute and a half on each side.

And that's smelling so good already.

Yes, the chicken is full of the aroma of soy sauce, mirin and ginger.

When they're crisp and golden brown on each side,

he transfers them to a rack to drain.

It's looking good.

Yeah, I'm starving.

I'm going to make them even better.

Now it's time for the sweet and spicy glaze.

I use this sweet chili sauce for the base.

I love Thai sweet chili sauce.

It's made with a combination of chilies and garlic and vinegar and sugar.

I add grain mustard for a nice kick,

which makes the sauce good even at room temperature.

I also add soy sauce and sesame oil.

This sauce is simple but has a sweetness, acidity and depth.

Okay, let's add our chicken.

Great. The chicken smells good, but the sauce also smells amazing.

Mix gently so you don't break the crispy breading.

My sweet chili chicken tatsuta is done!

Fantastic.

Chef Yoshi packs his chicken tatsuta over a bed of rice

along with colorful side dishes, veggies and fruit.

Marc, here is my bento!

Wow, it's so colorful.

I love all the vegetables and fruit.

And you've got a ton of protein in there.

So I'm going to try a bite here with a big piece of rice.

It's so good. You've got that crispy potato starch coating

that's soaked up that sauce.

And the sauce is so good.

It's spicy, garlicky, sweet, savory.

The chicken is tender on the inside thanks to the beating.

Bentos are great for athletes.

That's because you can pack just the right amount of food and nutrients

required to make a totally customized meal.

That's why they're great.

Chef Yoshi's sweet chili chicken tatsuta bento is the perfect way

to power up before a workout.

So Marc, what do you plan to make?

Well, I'm going to be using some cooked chicken breast

to make a curry chicken salad sandwich.

Wow, sounds delicious!

Chicken salad is an American classic.

But today I'm going to combine it with

the flavor of Japanese curry powder along with fruits and nuts

to make some mouthwatering sandwiches.

I start by dicing steamed chicken,

but it can be poached, grilled or roasted.

And leftover chicken works great.

Next, I'm going to dice up some apples.

Apples are loaded with water and simple sugars,

which are going to keep you hydrated through your workout.

The refreshing smell boosts your appetite.

Exactly.

Next, I minced up some celery, and chopped up some walnuts.

So let's move on to make our creamy curry dressing.

Yeah, let's do it!

Add some mayonnaise, curry powder and black pepper

to a bowl, and mix it up.

It's so fragrant. I just want to eat the sauce.

Once it's evenly mixed, add all of the ingredients and stir them together.

And this dressing is going to help season our chicken,

but it's also going to help keep it nice and moist.

Looks so good!

I'm stuffing this into some walnut buns today,

but sandwich bread works as well.

Okay. And our curry chicken salad sandwiches are done!

Wonderful!

I packed my sandwiches with apples, snap peas and cherry tomatoes

for a balance of colors, textures and nutrients.

Let's see what Chef Yoshi thinks of my sandwich.

It's so good!

The chicken breast and curry mayo go well together.

You have the texture of apple and celery,

and the fragrance bursts in the mouth.

I like eating carbs before a workout to give me energy.

I do it all the time.

So you're ready for your workout now?

No, no. I need more.

Please. It's all yours.

This easy sandwich is packed with protein and flavor

to fuel up both your body and mind.

Today Chef Yoshi and I made easy and delicious bentos

using chicken breast meat that'll power you through your workouts.

- So we hope you'll give them a try!
- Give them a try!

Bento Topics.

Today, from Tajima, in northern Hyogo Prefecture.

The ruins of Takeda Castle appear to be floating on a sea of clouds,

which is why it's nicknamed "The Castle in the Sky."

It's a major tourist attraction.

Tajima cattle flourish in this rich natural environment.

Its excellent pedigree has been preserved

for over a century through exclusive breeding.

The biggest appeal of Tajima beef is its exceptional marbling and flavor.

The fat is sweet and tender, so the flavor bursts in your mouth.

Our forefathers worked hard to create this heritage beef.

Near Wadayama Station is a family-run "ekiben" shop

that's been in business for nearly 120 years.

It's now in the hands of the fourth generation, two brothers.

Welcome!

Try our delicious Tajima beef bento.

The shop specializes in bentos featuring Tajima beef.

Over the years, it's come up with over 10 original bentos.

One of them has achieved legendary fame.

A Tajima beef bento packed in a cow-shaped box.

It was the idea of the elder brother and owner, Koji.

Open the bento and it moos.

(The sound is triggered by a sensor)

Inside, Tajima beef and saffron rice.

Younger brother Tomoyuki is in charge of the contents.

He's full of ideas, so I have a hard time keeping up!

The latest idea from his brother is a beef "kamameshi" bento

cooked in a traditional ceramic pot.

I asked my brother to make a bento that showcased Tajima.

Let's see how the chef realizes his brother's idea.

He fills the pot with locally grown rice

and covers it with "abura-age" and a special local dashi.

We used a mild dashi to bring out the flavor of the beef.

The rice is cooked in individual pots over direct heat.

Cooking over high heat achieves the best results.

The bottom is charred and fragrant, while the top part is fluffy and sweet.

The Tajima beef is cooked in a sweet and savory dashi

with local soy sauce, and then placed on top of the rice.

It's so good, you won't be able to stop eating.

Add some Hyogo specialty black soybeans and seafood,

and the bento is done.

I think it showcases the best of Tajima.

Our signature bento.

The orders keep coming in.

(This bento is reservation-only)

- Wow!
- It looks delicious.

How is it?

The combination of rice and the sweet fat of Tajima beef is perfect.

The charred bottom adds a depth of flavor.

They can't get enough of this Tajima specialty.

We love bento!

Chef Yoshi, thank you so much

for sharing your pre-workout bento with us today.

Yes, for me, bento making is part of the whole training.

Yeah, and they're fun to eat as well.

Exactly!

We're looking forward to seeing your bento submissions

on BENTO EXPO's website,

or come check out some of the great bento ideas.

Well, that's all the time we have for today,

but we hope to see you again here soon on BENTO EXPO.

See you again.

Bye!