Local produce in a cozy atmosphere

April 8, 2015

HARUTOMO HAGI: Fukushima chef boosts local farmers with unique 'one-party-per-day' restaurant

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/globe/people/AJ201504080096

By YURI OIWA/ Staff Writer

IWAKI, Fukushima Prefecture--Three months after the Fukushima nuclear disaster unfurled in March 2011, business came to a standstill at chef Harutomo Hagi’s French restaurant here.

Even the few diners who did drop by expressed fear over radiation-tainted food products from Fukushima, saying it was like a "litmus test” on their allegiance to the region.

Facing trying times and having to make a difficult decision, the 39-year-old Iwaki native decided to not only open a new restaurant, but this new establishment would serve meals prepared exclusively with regional food products.

“I became convinced that gourmets would come all the way to Iwaki to enjoy the taste of local food products, which is a strong point of Iwaki,” Hagi said. “I decided to run my restaurant in a way that I really wanted to, even if I risked having no customers.”

To allow customers to enjoy local produce in a cozy atmosphere, Hagi opened the new “Hagi” restaurant in a residential area in central Iwaki, with a policy of accepting just one party a day.

Each morning, Hagi visits local farms and markets to pick up the freshest produce of the day and then decides on the menu for the day’s dinner. He cooks and prepares it all himself, from appetizers to desserts, and even bakes his own bread.

Hagi and his wife are the only people working at the restaurant. Dinner is priced at 10,000 yen ($83) or more per person, which is enough to keep the restaurant in business.

“Vegetables, fish and meat all come from living things, so their condition differs each day,” Hagi said. “As a chef, you must pick produce in its best condition each day to serve truly ingredient-oriented cuisine.”

After opening his new restaurant, Hagi visited a number of local farmers to learn about their expertise in farm products.

“Hagi is the only chef I've seen who will sample all vegetables by eating them raw to test their quality--except garlic and varieties of potatoes," said Ryoji Sato, the 67-year-old operator of Namakiba Farm in Iwaki, which produces fertilizer-free organic vegetables.

The publicity generated by the restaurant's policy has drawn broad attention from gourmets throughout Japan, and Hagi is now determined to help promote "eat locally" around the world.

In fall 2013, Hagi was invited to cook in the kitchens of the Elysee Palace in Paris, the French presidential residence, and at the royal residence of Prince Albert II of Monaco.

It was the first time he returned to France, where he had learned his cooking skills while working as an intern at French restaurants.

His courses at the Elysee Palace, using ingredients from Fukushima, from smoked “shamo” chicken from Kawamata to desserts using local peaches and sake, were lauded by President Francois Hollande.

“I was impressed by the collection of wine glasses at the Elysee Palace and the wines in the cellars at the royal residence in Monaco," Hagi said. "It made me realize that European countries are truly committed to protecting their food culture.”

After returning to Japan, Hagi stepped up his efforts to promote local foods, especially locally grown vegetable varieties, by developing new products such as jelly and dressings in cooperation with local farmers.

Although all agricultural products from Fukushima are required to pass stringent safety checks before entering markets, many restaurant owners and chefs are still hesitant to use the products for their customers.

Hagi hopes his efforts and the publicity garnered by his restaurant will help eradicate the public’s fear of food products from Fukushima.

He is currently working with local food producers to introduce “Vegetable Labo,” an experimental kitchen in Iwaki where chefs, food producers and customers work together to create new recipes.

“I owe much to my friends who make me try new things all the time,” Hagi said.