Endless Culinary and Cultural Allure of Hokuriku, 

Central Region of Japan

The event was held at Ripert's Michelin three-starred restaurant Le Bernardin and included a discussion by Ripert and Nathan Thornburgh of Roads & Kingdoms on Japanese culinary art and traditional craftsmanship.

The event highlights included Ripert's stunning culinary creations, as well as the special appetizer, Hamachi-Osetra Caviar Tartare with Sea Lettuce and Smoked Dashi Gelées, served in hand-crafted bowls by Nousaku, a tableware brand from the Hokuriku region where Ripert visited last September.

Ripert talked about a craftsman that he met at Kayoutei workshop which inspired him. 

"A wood turner I met there said 'You look with your soul, not with your eyes.' That was very special to me. I see a parallel in cooking– when you create sauces, there are all these flavors that are not tangible, it is a thing that doesn't exist yet and you have to cook with your heart, not just your hands and your eyes in order to make something special," Ripert said. 

Ripert showed a tiny lacquered box with an intricate design, a souvenir he got for his wife.

Ripert also brought a prestigious Takamura knife, gifted to him by Mr. Takamura, and demonstrated its incomparable sharpness by cutting through a newspaper with ease. 

"Takamura knife is not just a kitchen knife but also an art piece. Its weight is just right and fits perfectly in my hand," Ripert said.

With a new global-scale campaign "Enjoy my Japan," JNTO aims to showcase diverse attractions of Japan and entice travellers to lesser-known areas towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Japan National Tourism Organization:

As the official tourism board of Japan, JNTO is involved in a wide range of promotional activities to encourage international travellers to visit Japan. For more information, visit us on our Website, Facebook, Twitter and Google+.