The "nori bento" (seaweed lunchboxes) are a great way to showcase the appeal of island ingredients!
Executive Chef Fujimi of Uzunooka, a restaurant with a spectacular view, won the 22nd Awaji Creative Cuisine Contest for the second year in a row, and was featured in the Kobe Shimbun newspaper!
Yasuyuki Fujimi, 50, executive chef of Uzu no Oka Onaruto Bridge Memorial Museum and Restaurant Uzu no Oka (Fukura, Minami-Awaji City), won the Grand Prize in the 22nd Awaji Island Original Cooking Contest for the second year in a row. Mr. Fujimi says, "I am always thinking of cooking methods that bring out the best in the ingredients. I want to continue to promote the food traditions that have taken root in Awaji and the attractiveness of its ingredients," he said. He is from the Nada district of Minami-Awaji City. He grew up surrounded by the sea and mountains, and his family made a living from agriculture, including rice and onions, as well as fishing.
After graduating from high school, he joined Uzunokuni Minami-Awaji, which operates the museum and other facilities. He was in charge of sales at the museum and sales to travel agencies. He first worked in the kitchen at the age of 27. I was surprised that travelers enjoyed foods that were commonplace in Awaji. That was strange to me. When he consciously tasted the food, he felt the difference between the local ingredients and those from outside the island. I want to reevaluate local ingredients," he said. He started out as an apprentice, hoping to learn from senior chefs. He honed his skills under the tutelage of senior chefs and became head chef 10 years later. He came up with a series of new ideas, including "World Heritage Site Curry," which uses sliced onions to resemble the whirlpools of Naruto, and "Dotaku (bronze bells) Excavation Curry. He has been actively participating in contests, saying, "It's a place for friendly competition," and in 2018 he won his first grand prize, and last year he reached the pinnacle for the second time. This year's theme is "Island Bento. This year's theme was "Island Bento," inspired by the nori bento, a bento that showcases the local specialty nori seaweed. Nori was spread on rice cooked in a homemade sea urchin broth and topped with a soft-boiled egg that looked like sea urchin. The dish was named "The island's exquisite nori bento - a dish that looks just like sea urchin rice". The restaurant's chef is the third chef to win the title in consecutive years. Fujimi says, "This dish was born from the rich mineral-rich sea. With an eye on next year's Expo and what comes after, we hope that all Awaji chefs will work together to convey the charm of the island," he said. The Awaji Island Hospitality Contest is held annually by the Awaji Island Tourism Association, along with the Awaji Island Spirit of Hospitality Contest. This year, on February 27, tasting tests were held at the Hirota Community Center in Minami-Awaji City for the cooking category, and practical tests for the hospitality category were held at the Hotel New Awaji in Kojidani, Sumoto City, for the five categories.
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