Japanese chef documented the delights he ate for 32 years

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We know that a good meal is unforgettable, and more so for this Japanese chef who kept the memory of every dish he ate

Itsuo Kobayashi is the most creative Japanese chef in his country. Thousands of delicious dishes have passed through his palate. His love for food motivated him to keep a record of everything he ate for 32 years.

Kobayashi started his project years before the digital age began. However, he dodged the use of photography and replaced it with illustration. Thus, all those years he carried a notebook and pencils to illustrate his log.

However, the log includes hundreds of newspaper articles and a lot of time spent on more than a thousand drawings. Thus, the later reveal details of the preparation, the cooking process and even the assembly of the dishes.

Best of all, his work has multiple functions. Therefore, it can serve as a log, as a recipe book and as a visual record of the dishes that make up the Japanese culinary tradition. N. Kushino, the chef’s rep and owner of the Kushino Terrace gallery said the following of Kobayashi.

An aerial perspective on paper

“What stands out is that all these drawings present an aerial perspective so that you can see all the ingredients of the food that Kobayashi represents. In addition, in the white spaces of his compositions, the artist writes the names and prices, and his opinions on the food and ingredients he portrays.”

Since adolescence, the chef has been immersed in the world of gastronomy. “For him, painting and living have the same meaning. The disease he suffers from (alcoholic neuritis) makes it increasingly harder for him to walk, but he keeps painting,” says Kushino.

To this day he continues to illustrate bowls of tempura seafood, lots of noodles accompanied by a variety of vegetables. Lastly, these are just a few of the pieces from his vast collection that looks too delicious.

This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)