Manga art is not a new thing in Japan as many consider the great Hokusai, famous for his Kanagawa wave, to be the first master of the somewhat grotesque depiction of Manga characters. Today a new wave of contemporary artists has embraced this culture and has over-exaggerated its form. One…

Japanese art like food is rather unique as it blends two fundamental elements of Japanese culture: philosophy and craftsmanship. On a level probably no other country had ever reached. In the past 30 years we have seen the emergence of a new generation of painters, sculptors, designers, architects, photographers etc…

There is something beautiful and irresistible when Salt meets Fat. A perfect pairing to stimulate the deep appetite. When done well, there is a warmth, a total engagement of the palate, a consensus between texture and taste. Think of the Anchovy. Best consumed most simply, on rustic bread, a slash…

In an unassuming part of an unremarkable French town, gastronomic history was made by two brothers and a simple dish of salmon With one notable exception, Roanne train station is exactly as I remember it from my first visit 17 years ago. It’s still eerily quiet, save for the odd…

Learning the joys of living local during the lockdown. The first days of lockdown in London already feel like another age. Maybe it’s because they were marked by never-ending queuing for food. For someone born in Lithuania duringthe last years of the Soviet Union, long queues for grocery shopping felt…

There is an irony about Japanese cuisine: it is ubiquitous but at the same it’s one of the least-understood of the world’s great gastronomic cultures. Sushi is easily available from Norwich to Novosibirsk, but finding real Japanese cuisine is very difficult. Culinary Journeys events in collaboration with All Nippon Airways…

I asked some of the world’s most influential food critics and writers to share their ten favourite restaurants. Thank you Vedat Milor, Richard Vines, Maria Canabal, Andy Hayler and Robbie Swinnerton for your kind contribution. Please see below and enjoy! Vedat Milor, Food&Wine critic. Author of Gastromondiale Asador Etxebarri, Axpe,…

Imagine a simple technique, all in the twist of a wire. A technique with the potential to revolutionise fishing in the Western world. Dubbed Ikejime in Japanese, this method for slaughtering fish more ethically could also lead to a change in expectations of how fish meat should taste and age.…

Brilliant article on Almadraba and tuna sustainability by Fernando Huidobro, the president of Andalucia gastronomy and tourism academy, who has kindly permitted me to translate it from Spanish and repost it. Some food for thought for all of us. By Fernando HuidobroNo matter how many meanings the word “sustainable” may…

If you have ever witnessed a Japanese tea ceremony, then you know that it is a very special event. Unfortunately, many Westerners think the ceremony is just a fancy way to drink tea. As Fuyuko Kobori, a 17th-generation tea master and one of the rare women to attain this position…