Tottori Ingredients: "Buntokuyama's" Valued Partners

Hiromitsu Nozaki, the head chef at Kappo "Buntokuyama" (pronounced wake-toku-yama), is currently focusing on ingredients from Tottori.

"My relationship with Tottori ingredients began when I worked at Happo-en (in the 1970s). The owner was from Tottori and used to source delicious ingredients from there. Recently, I've started using them in my cooking again, and I'm impressed by how Tottori's excellent environment, blessed with sea, mountains, and land, is so clearly reflected in its produce across fishing, agriculture, and livestock."



There's the concept of 'chisan-chisho,' meaning that eating locally produced food within the local area (and its surroundings) is best. Nozaki, as one of the proponents of this concept, explains, "When we eat what we produce, we can better understand what we should protect and nurture." In other words, it's a waste to have excellent products without developing markets for them. Furthermore, if they aren't sold outside the prefecture, we too cannot enjoy their deliciousness. These are somewhat selfish, but important issues for food lovers.

From April through summer, there are vegetables and fruits like shallots, watermelons, grapes, tomatoes, green onions, and pears such as the Twentieth Century pear and new varieties like 'Shinkansen.' For seafood, there's bluefin tuna, rock oysters, and white squid in early summer. From autumn to winter, there are fish like red flounder, flatfish, sandfish, and crustaceans such as snow crab and 'mousha' shrimp. Tottori has many delicious ingredients. While some are known nationwide, many still lack sufficient recognition.



"It's relatively easy to get delicious ingredients locally. I think people in Tottori are fortunate." Nozaki, who has worked with countless ingredients over the years, praises Tottori's produce. While restaurants must consistently serve the same dishes, requiring them to purchase ingredients from wholesalers, it's also important to maintain the spirit of advancing cuisine by keeping an eye on ingredients from all over the country. Nozaki's eyes sparkle with a pioneering spirit as he speaks of Tottori's ingredients.

Two Essential Ingredients for Chef Nozaki's Special Roast Beef

Among Tottori's superior ingredients, two are currently drawing particular attention: "Tottori Wagyu Olein 55" and "Daisen Broccoli Kirakira Midori." The former is beef with an oleic acid content of 55% or more in its fat, achieved through a commitment to the mellow quality of the fat. The latter is a broccoli with a strong sweetness, achieved by suppressing bitterness and astringency. It is cultivated using approximately 70% less chemical fertilizers than usual, primarily with organic fertilizers.

"Tottori Wagyu Olein 55" traces its lineage back to a stud bull named Ketaka from Tottori. According to prefectural officials, the lineage of this bull forms the foundation for many brand wagyu cattle nationwide. Therefore, in the world of wagyu, where bloodline is a testament to quality, it is a pedigree with an impeccable reputation.



However, as mentioned earlier, obtaining certification based on oleic acid content in fat is quite challenging, with only about 300 heads meeting the criteria annually. This is a higher hurdle than achieving A5 grade. Consequently, the tenderness of the meat and its refined aroma are truly remarkable. Hiromitsu Nozaki, head chef at Buntokuyama, prepares roast beef, particularly from the rump cut—which he describes as his "favorite" for its rich red meat flavor—when he can obtain it.

"We are not a steakhouse, so we don't purchase large quantities, but we prioritize quality. Even people who dislike the smell of imported beef are delighted when we serve this. Some say Japanese beef is expensive, but it has a robust traceability system that shows who raised it, where, and how. Considering our own health, I don't think it's expensive at all."

Served alongside the roast beef was another noteworthy ingredient: "Daisen Broccoli Kirakira Midori." Daisen broccoli, as its name suggests, is cultivated in the unique, low-density, highly permeable black soil characteristic of Mount Daisen, the highest peak in the Chugoku region.



"When we encounter such delicious ingredients, what we chefs should do is discard preconceived notions. We brainstorm how to use the stems, the leaves, what about making a paste? The basic principle is to maintain a boiling temperature of 80 degrees Celsius to preserve essential enzymes, but Daisen Broccoli Kirakira Midori inspires us to imagine further possibilities."

Japan has many high-quality ingredients. This story clearly illustrates that. With Hiromitsu Nozaki as an unparalleled evangelist, "Tottori Wagyu Olein 55" and "Daisen Broccoli Kirakira Midori" have a great future ahead of them.



Tottori & Okayama Shinbashi Kan
1-11-7 Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo Shinbashi Center Place 1F & 2F
Tel: 03-3571-0092
http://www.torioka.com

*An antenna shop where you can encounter a variety of Tottori's foods. The second floor also has a dining area.