Yamagata Prefecture is known nationwide for retaining an abundance of heirloom plants. Yet with increasing cross-breeding and less successors to the trade, some native crops are in danger of extinction. At this time, a movement has arisen to support food producers who protect and carry on heritage plants.
REVIVING RECIPES follows three champions of Japanese heirloom crops as they revitalize its popularity within their community. Associate professor Egashira Hiromasa of Yamagata University researches locally native crops while he conducts scientific studies on traditional slash-and-burn agricultural methods and analyzes constituent taste elements of heirloom vegetables. Okuda Masayuki, owner and chef of the local restaurant Al Chécciano, is known as a pioneer in using native Japanese foods in Italian cuisine. Consumers and food producers alike have been inspired by his inventive recipes featuring the unique bitterness or tang of traditional vegetables. Heirloom crops are beginning to be acknowledged as treasures of the community, and production is slowly increasing. With the triad meeting of food producer, academic, and cook, progress is being made into new recipes and research fields.
Synopsis written by: HKIFF