Roots 2013...Team Donabe Presentation!

Team Donabe!

Monday, September 9

It was Day 2 of Roots conference.


I started a busy morning preparing for the presentation with Chef Kyle Connaughton. We (a.k.a. Team DONABE) were going to give a presentation about donabe cooking! Kyle harvested all the vegetables from The Chef's Garden and prepared for a vegetable hot pot with classic style donabe, "Iga Ame-yu".


Our presentation was the finale of the conference. The theme was "The Present and the Past: How understanding history makes us wiser people and better chefs". To be honest, I was quite nervous before the presentation in front of all the top level of culinary professionals, but once I started speaking, I really enjoyed it! I talked about the history and culture of donabe, and I made rice with double-lid donabe rice cooker, "Kamado-san", to give tasting samples for the audience. It came out to be especially special rice, as I used Koshihikari rice from an organic farm in Uruguay, grown by a Japanese master rice grower, Mr. Ichiro Tamaki. Mr. Tamaki and Mr. Morihiro Onodera (master sushi chef in LA) are the partners of Uruguay rice project and this was their first commercial harvest to be available this fall. The rice is a real premium quality, and it was cooked so beautifully in the donabe. Everybody fell in love with it. With this rice was a little sprinkle of "Moshio" seaweed salt from Hiroshima, Japan! The producer of the "moshio" sea salt kindly sent me a boxful of sample packets, so everybody who were at the presentation got to take home a little gift.

I really had a special time.
Below are some additional photos, taken by The Chef's Garden.


I feel extremely honored to have been able to participate in this special event. And, I am extremely grateful to Farmer Lee Jones and his amazing team.

Roots 2013...Native American Feast By The River

The longest communal table I've seen!

Sunday, September 8

The evening of the first day of Roots conference was something really special.


From The Chef's Garden, we walked through the woods to a wide spread field by Huron River.


There were almost 150 people of us, who gathered for this special evening. We did a group photo...it was taken by a photographer on a crane!

After the already super awesome passed hors d'oeuvres and aperitifs, we sat down at the one stretched table and the feast has began. It was a special Native American Dinner, created by the top chefs of Native American Cuisine. They prepared this meal all day, and even dug a big whole on the ground to make a pit to roast meat, etc.


Course after course, it was as if I was dreaming. Every bite was so magical and really special. I fell in love with all the dishes which really showed the power and meaning of the food. I wish I could take pictures of all the dishes. I was too busy enjoying the food!


After the dinner, we took a tram back to the garden and enjoyed campfire and s'more!


Truly powerful night...I feel so honored.

Roots 2013...Power of food

With legendary Farmer Lee Jones

Sunday, September 8

Roots 2013 first day started!


Here we were at The Vegetable Institute at The Chef's Garden. It's the venue for the 2-day big conference for the chefs, journalists, and people in the food & wine industry. The first impression I had when I entered the Chef's Garden was really all about its beauty. The farm is so big, and so beautiful. I could even feel its spiritual power. We had a very nice breakfast including the smoothie of freshly harvested kale and berries from the farm. It was super.


There were 3 presentations today. Each one was really interesting and I learned so much.


Lunch was New Nordic Cuisine by Chef Claus Henriksen, who flew in just late last night from Denmark! All the dishes made with the freshly-harvested vegetables from the farm were simply gorgeous. I love his carrot cake, too.


Real farm-to-table lunch. Awesome.

Roots 2013...First Night in Ohio

Micro Heirloom Tomatoes from The Chef's Garden

(Saturday, September 7)

My most anticipated trip to Ohio has began.
It's my first time to go to Ohio, and it is to attend Roots 2013 conference, hosted by The Chef's Garden in Huron. I was invited as a speaker to present donabe cooking. I was extremely excited to be part of this special event.


Their shuttle picked me up at Cleveland Airport and took me to Milan, which is about 1 hour from Cleveland. Milan is the birthplace of Thomas Edison. It's a very pretty small town of about 1,200 people in population. It made me feel like I was in a "Back To The Future" movie set! We met The Chef's Garden's crew and other early arrival chefs at a local pizza parlor.


It's super retro American pizza place with all locals. I loved it.


Pizza in Milan! I enjoyed the very old school American pizza and pasta experience. It was great to meet Farmer Lee Jones, the owner of The Chef's Garden, finally for the first time!


After dinner, we checked in at our hotel by the lake. It's a cute country style resort. After having wine with friends, I went to my room to find a gift bag from Farmer Lee Jones with a sweet message card. I was so touched! In a bag, there was a box of beautiful micro heirloom tomatoes from their garden as well as homemade granola bar, etc. So sweet.

I am so looking forward to Roots 2013 tomorrow.