EAT | "BENTO": A Microcosm of Japanese Aesthetics
EAT | BENTO: A Microcosm of Japanese Aesthetics
Recipe Competition to Be Held
BENTO is now becoming a common language, not just in Japan but worldwide. The "Semaine du Goût" (Week of Taste) Executive Committee, which focuses on children's taste education, is holding a "BENTO Competition" to rediscover the charm of these lunchboxes. Applications for original recipes will be accepted from the public from Saturday, September 1st to Sunday, September 30th.
Text by YANAKA Tomomi
Winning Recipes to Be Featured on French Website
"Semaine du Goût," which began in France in 1989 to pass on food culture to children, officially launched in Japan last year and will be held again this year from Monday, October 22nd to Sunday, October 28th.
Scenes from the 2011 "Taste Class"
This year's overall theme for "Semaine du Goût," also held in France in October, is none other than "BENTO." The word "BENTO," referring to the Japanese lunchbox, is now understood globally and is so well-known in France, where interest in food is high, that it has been included in dictionaries.
Unlike Japanese bentos, portable meals in other countries are typically very simple. What is referred to as "BENTO" abroad, in distinction to these, is a small box packed with seasonal ingredients from mountains and seas, presented in a balanced and colorful manner. From traditional arrangements to "character bentos," these microcosms, embodying Japanese aesthetics and culture, have captured global attention.
Maki Fujino, a culinary expert and one of the BENTO judges
In conjunction with "Semaine du Goût" adopting "BENTO" as its theme, a competition is being held in Japan. Applications for "BENTO for the family, offering a balanced taste of the five flavors (salty, sour, bitter, sweet, and umami)" were accepted from Saturday, September 1st to Sunday, September 30th. The judging panel includes Seizo Mikuni, chef at "Hôtel de Mikuni," Yukiyoshi Hattori, chairman of Hattori Nutrition College, and culinary expert Maki Fujino. Winning entries will be announced on the website during "Semaine du Goût," held from Monday, October 22nd to Sunday, October 28th.
Furthermore, the winning recipes will be published in French on France's largest recipe-sharing site and on the blog of Anne Lataillade, a popular culinary journalist. This offers a chance to share your own recipes with the world.
Details regarding application methods for the BENTO competition will be announced on the website on Saturday, September 1st. With "BENTO" showing signs of a boom in Japan, why not submit your own proud recipe?
Semaine du Goût Executive Committee, BENTO Competition Desk
Tel.03-3402-5616
www.legout.jp