INFORMATION

When you think of Hiroshima, you think of lemons, oysters, fish, and the Seto Inland Sea.

--Many people may have that image, but in fact the "blessings of the mountains" are no less impressive.
The most popular of these is "Hiba beef."
This is a prestigious Wagyu beef breed that is raised in Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture and has the oldest bloodline in Japan.
They also have a history of being used as working cattle in the town of Tatara ironworks.
The delicious flavor of red meat and fat that melts in your mouth.
I want more people to know about Hiba beef and its unique charm.
--With this in mind, a new project has been launched in which producers from Shobara and chefs from Hiroshima City have teamed up to refine each dish.
The chef in charge of cooking is Ishimoto Tomoki, owner and chef of the Italian restaurant Speranza in Hiroshima city.
After training at a hotel and the famous Hiroshima City restaurant "La Sette," he opened his own restaurant in October 2011.
He is a talented chef with a deep understanding of local Hiroshima ingredients and solid techniques.

This time, Chef Ishimoto takes on the challenge of highlighting the delicious flavor of Hiba beef, its lean meat, through an Italian approach.
"Rather than the richness of the fat, it has the strength and depth of the red meat. Hiba beef has a deliciousness that should be brought out through cooking," he says.
The foundation of this project lies in the skills and passion of the producers.


Participants will be Nozuyama Mikifumi, head of the Livestock Division from JA Hiroshima, and Fujioka Yukihiro from the Saijo Fattening Center.
At the Saijo Fattening Center, they mainly fatten female calves born in Shobara for the Hiba beef breed, and their meat is characterized by finer fibers, softer and more fine-grained than that of bulls (steers).
In order to maintain the quality worthy of the Hiba beef name, thorough attention is paid to the feed, water, and environmental management. This Hiba beef is sold mainly at JA directly managed stores in Shobara City, and is also served at high-end restaurants in Hiroshima City such as "Japanese Cuisine Kitaoka," "Le Triskel," and "L'Univer," earning the trust of food professionals. And now, how will Hiba beef evolve on the Italian stage?
With the combined passion of Chef Ishimoto and the producers, the "blessings of Hiroshima's mountains" are taking a step forward to a new stage.
The first dish that was presented was something unexpected.
This "Hiba beef thigh cutlet" was specially prepared with the thoughtfulness of Chef Ishimoto.
The crispy, fragrant batter is packed with the firm red meat that is unique to Hiba beef.
The balance was perfect, with no oily taste, and instead the natural flavor of the meat stood out. It was a simple dish that really brought out the appeal of the ingredients.

Chef Ishimoto explains:
"We served it as a little appetizer before the main course.
"Although it's a standard Western cutlet, I hope you can enjoy the deliciousness of the lean meat of Hiba beef and the flavor of the fat, which isn't too heavy," commented Fujioka, his eyes widening after taking a bite.
"I was a little wary when I heard it would be Western food, but I was surprised by how the flavor of the ingredients really came to the forefront.
It's very delicious!" And today, the main dish was
"Monte e Mare Hiba Beef".
"Monte e Mare" means "Mountain and Sea" in Italian.
As the name suggests, this is a masterpiece dish made entirely with ingredients from Hiroshima Prefecture, with a focus on mountain delicacies, Hiba beef, and seafood, Setouchi turban shells.

"Ingredients from the mountains and the sea, which grow in the same air, soil, and water, have a natural attraction to each other," says Chef Ishimoto, who has created a dish with a sense of unity, making use of the natural aroma, flavor, and texture of each ingredient.
After tasting the food, Mr. Fujioka had this to say:
"It was a new experience for me because it's not something I usually eat. The natural flavor of Hiba beef really came out.
"It was perfectly harmonized with the other ingredients. It was delicious," Nozuyama said, once again expressing his admiration for Hiroshima's potential.
"Of course there's Hiba beef, but looking around, Hiroshima has a lot of really good ingredients. And there are chefs who can make the most of them.
"That's what makes Hiroshima delicious, I think." After tasting the food, the three people involved in the project spoke about their thoughts on the future from their respective positions. Chef Ishimoto concluded:
"There are still many delicious things in Hiroshima that have yet to be shared.
It was great to be able to hear directly from the producers today.
As a chef, I want to continue to bring out the natural goodness of the ingredients and deliver that to everyone who visits."
Mr. Nozuyama and Mr. Fujioka also touched on the future of Hiba beef.
"Today was a valuable experience. Hiba beef is a rare Wagyu beef with a limited number of cattle produced. We cannot increase the number immediately, but that is why we want to perfect the system to ensure a stable supply to restaurants."
The thoughts of the producer, the skill of the chef, and the individuality of the ingredients - all of these mix and resonate together to create a dish.
The conversations that took place that day, and the food that was tasted, all reflected the essence of Hiroshima.
With Hiba beef, a "gift from the mountains," as its starting point, Hiroshima's rich food culture is moving forward to the next stage.
This project doesn't end here.
Please look forward to the new story of "Hiroshima food" that begins here!