Satoyama | Yoshihiro Narisawa and Sergio Coimbra

The true Japanese gastronomy is the theme of the Satoyama exhibit, which shows work conceived at four hands by two important names in the world gastronomic scene: The Brazilian photographer Sergio Coimbra and the Japanese chef Yoshihiro Narisawa. The exhibit also marks the worldwide pre-launch of the book of the same name, which will hit bookstores in 2018.

The exhibition has about 80 photographs on display, in addition to objects and videos with curiosities and testimonials of characters who have been present in the chef’s trajectory and creations made during the three years of the process in which he and photographer Sergio Coimbra toured different locations in Japan to portray the gastronomy defined by Narisawa as the Satoyama Cuisine - ‘food for the body and soul.’ Satoyama is built based on the origin of the culture of the Japanese, who have coexisted with Nature on land, mountains, and seas.

The outcome of these ten trips to explore scenery and nature brings to light secrets of the Japanese cuisine, which even the Japanese do not realize exist, such as broad respect for the food used, its seasonality, and its producer, aspects captured by the lens of the Brazilian photographer who made records of the culture and eating habits presented through the renowned chef’s reinterpretations.

The exhibition provides an overview of the regional diversity and of the stories of Japan's food resources interpreted through the sensitivity of a renowned chef. These stories will be portrayed in the exhibit through photographs, both of the finished dishes and of the regions where they were produced, of the agents involved in the process, of the product, and of ancestral cultures related to food: From the techniques to the meanings.

Narisawa translates to the 21st century traditional gastronomic techniques and the way of thinking about the food of the future and its sustainability. You can note the use of the mysterious Koji - the national fungus; of the Binchotan coal, and the preparation of snakes, among others, all reinforcing the value of regional products with a contemporary and environmentally conscientious perspective. As a result, he created a dish called Soil Soup, which, in his words, “expresses the importance of the environment through what we eat.”

About Yoshihiro Narisawa
Chef and owner of the restaurant that bears his name in Tokyo, Yoshihiro Narisawa adds new techniques, textures, and flavors to the traditional Japanese cuisine. Taking the opposite route to that of many chefs, he takes to Japan modernism and innovation in gastronomy, especially the European one, realizing what he defines as an authentic, natural, and authorial style.

The pioneer of gastronomy connected with environmental preservation, he built a relationship with the natural world, creating dishes such as: Soil Soup, Water Salad, and Essence of the Forest. The chef fights for sustainability and the concept of Beneficial Gastronomy, which pursues healthy, natural, and commercially fair food.

The Narisawa restaurant, downtown Tokyo, ranks number 2 in The Asia 50 Best Restaurants 2017 ranking, the first among the Japanese ones and 18th among the best in the world on that list.

About Sergio Coimbra
One of the leading gastronomy photographers in the world, in 2011 Coimbra won the International Festival de la Photographie Culinaire contest, in Paris, France, and the 17th Gourmand Cookbook Award for photography in 2012. He owns a studio that is dedicated to photographing food, chefs, and kitchen professionals.sssssUm dos principais fotógrafos de cozinha do mundo, Coimbra ganhou em 2011 o concurso do Festival Internacional de la Photographie Culinaire, de Paris, na França, e em 2012 o prêmio de fotografia do 17th Gourmand Cook Book Award. É proprietário de um estúdio que se dedica à fotografia de alimentos, dos chefs e dos profissionais da cozinha.

He published his work in books of big names in gastronomy, such as Chocolat, by Pierre Hermé; Fluidità and 178 hore in Brasile, by the brothers Massimiliano and Raffaele Alajmo; Redescobrindo Ingredientes Brasileiros, by Alex Atala; Cozinha Brasileira de Vanguarda, by Felipe Bronze, and Satoyama, by Yoshihiro Narisawa.

He held exhibitions such as: Alimentário (Food) - Milan - Expo Milano (2015); Alimentário (Food) - São Paulo - MAM (2015) and Rio de Janeiro - MAM (2014); Collections Chefs - Guildhall - London - 50 Best (2014); Fluiditá - Library Bienalle - Venice (2013); Encuentro - Basque Culinary - San Sebastian (2012); Marmitas (Lunch Boxes) - Paris - Galerie DUPON (2011).

SATOYAMA | Yoshihiro Narisawa and Sergio Coimbra
From September 19 to November 12
JAPAN HOUSE São Paulo – Avenida Paulista, 52 – Second floor
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Saturday: from 10 am to 10 pm
Sundays and public holidays: from 10 am to 6 pm
Free admission