Cuisine on the counter

The 46-year-old was in the city on Tuesday,as part of an initiative organised by the consulate-general of Japan,Kolkata,to give 100-odd residents a peek into the Kappo cuisine of Japan.

“Among the many types of Japanese cooking style,Kappo is one of the finest as it is served in the kitchen,with the chef and customers facing each other across the counter. Behind the counter,the chef prepares the dishes before the customers’ eyes,slicing sashimi,roasting fish,ladling simmering food from pots to the plates,” Fujita said.

Kappo,which in Japanese means to cut,boil,stew and fry,uses local and seasonal ingredients. A Kappo chef is a master of numerous cooking styles and has to understand the seasonality,quality and presentation. The job entails cooking in an open kitchen and requires more than 10-15 years to master.

“Immediacy and intimacy are two main features of Kappo. Each dish is served directly after it is cooked. Any delay in serving results in loss of flavour and aroma. It also brings in an intimacy between the chef and the patron as conversation is an integral part of the experience. The chef talks about the recipes,the quality of the ingredients and recommends a menu according to the diners’ preference. The patrons,on the other hand,appreciate the cuisine and get tips and insights on the culinary delights,” she said.

According to the chef,the roots of Kappo goes back to the ancient times,when the aristocracy and the medieval samurai class displayed their culinary skills before others.

Fujita,who was being assisted by Yoshie Tukasawa and Toshinori Tanuma in making Kappo dishes like Aemaze (cucumber and shiitake mushrooms with sesame paste dressing) and Kayaku meshi (mixed rice with vegetables) at The Oberoi Grand,felt that Japanese cuisine at present has made a market for itself outside the country. “Japanese food is quite sought after these days as a global cuisine. The primary reason behind it is its very healthy and prepared using very basic ingredients and methods. Most of the dishes are either boiled or steamed with limited use of oil,” the chef said.

The Kolkata visit is Fujita’s first trip to India. “It’s an interesting experience for me. Two things about Kolkata,one of the finest cities of India,caught my eye. Firstly,the roadside meat shops where they cut and slice the meat in front of you. In Japan,we get packaged meat. Secondly,you can see people taking a bath nearly in the middle of the road,” the chef said with a smile.

When asked about Indian cuisine,she said,“I like Indian food,especially dal. I have had dal in an Indian restaurant in Japan but the one I tasted here was so much better. There are so many varieties of dal,which is a staple here. Even in Japan,young people like the cuisine because of its diversity and spicy nature.”