Toronto restaurant Chotto Matte is famous for its unique Japanese-Peruvian cuisine ( Nikkei Cuisine ) style. This style of cooking combines strong flavors of sweet, sour, and spicy, and appears in the food in a variety of colors. The architectural space of the restaurant is full of modernity and fashion, and the graffiti walls give it an artistic atmosphere, showing the characteristics of urban style and avant-garde design. Chotto Matte Global Executive Chef Jordan Sclare has extensive culinary experience, having worked at Gordon Ramsay ’s three-star Michelin restaurant of the same name and the prestigious Nobu restaurant. His dishes combine Japanese and Peruvian food cultures, presenting a unique South American and Japanese cuisine.
Peruvian Japanese cuisine originated from the Japanese who immigrated to Peru more than a hundred years ago and can be traced back to the end of the 19th century. At that time, Japan was in the midst of the Great Depression, and the government actively encouraged citizens to immigrate overseas to relieve the pressure of overpopulation. At the same time, Peru was in a period of economic growth, so the two governments reached an agreement, which led to a large influx of Japanese immigrants into Peru. As Japanese immigrants came to Peru, they brought their unique culinary traditions with them, but since some traditional Japanese ingredients were difficult to obtain locally, they had to adapt and adopt local Peruvian ingredients. This process started the exchange and integration between Japanese and Peruvian food cultures, and gradually formed the prototype of Japanese-Peruvian cuisine.
The Japanese-Peruvian cuisine luxury set menu we tasted this time featured seafood, combining the exquisiteness of Japanese cuisine with the rich flavor of Peruvian cuisine. Let's start with two appetizing sashimi courses – amberjack and spicy tuna belly. The amberjack has a thick body and is rich and sweet in the mouth. It is colorful with cherry tomatoes, jalapeños and coriander, and the yuzu truffle soy sauce brings an extra refreshing sweet and sour flavor. The tuna belly is sandwiched with caramelized Nashi pear. The fat is sweet but not greasy, and it is dipped in fish truffle and wasabi soy sauce to add depth. Next up are seared salmon rolls and wagyu dumplings drizzled with teriyaki sauce, filled with Peruvian flair. The octopus tentacles are seasoned with spicy yuzu and have a crunchy and chewy texture. They are also artistically garnished with purple sweet potato puree on the side. The main course of black cod is pre-marinated in chili miso and served with yuzu sauce and chives for a rich flavor and tender texture. Finally, we use Australian grade 8-9 wagyu beef, paired with truffle teriyaki sauce, which has a unique flavor. The whole night is paired with the Tokyo to Lima cocktail series full of South American style. This innovative combination adds a lot of color to the dishes with Japanese characteristics.
Regarding the source of inspiration for creating dishes, head chef Jordan Sclare revealed that their secret lies in frequent travels. He and restaurant founder Kurt Zdesar traveled the world in search of the best flavors and dishes. He shared: "We are well aware of our passion for food and hope to bring delicious food to every customer, rather than chefs pursuing tricky tastes. Compared with most chefs who only study in the kitchen, we have a unique advantage. Because I can fly to all over the world and taste different flavor knowledge first-hand. I firmly believe that the travel experience is better than reading books or collecting information on the Internet, because you can truly taste the food and enjoy the satisfaction of your taste buds." This personal experience allows them to not only recreate it all over the world The flavors you taste can create unique combinations, giving the food more color and aroma, and sublimating the food as a whole.
The food cultures of Peru, Japan and Italy provide them with endless inspiration. Jordan Sclare mentioned that in Peru, which is rich in products, the same ingredient often has many different variations. For example, there are more than 4,000 varieties of potatoes, and the locals are good at using it to color, ferment and process other ingredients. In Japan and Italy, two coastal countries, they pay more attention to the freshness of ingredients and have an in-depth understanding of various cooking techniques and methods. He said: "During our journey, we actively seek opportunities to contact organic suppliers, including attending organic food exhibitions, directly visiting farms to discuss cooperation, etc., aiming to find organic high-quality raw materials. Whether it is seafood, meat or For agricultural products, we are committed to selecting ingredients that meet the requirements of hormone-free, grass-fed, and non-genetic modification to ensure that the food is as close to its natural appearance as possible."
Talking about the creative fusion cuisine ( Fusion Cuisine ) that has been widely loved for many years, Jordan Sclare emphasized that Japanese-Peruvian cuisine is not just a mixture of cooking methods from different regions, but should be more appropriately described as the "Japanese residents of Peru's interpretation of local cuisine." Evolution . However, he believes that fusion cuisine will still provide a valuable opportunity for chefs and general diners to bring together a variety of different ideas and flavors. This trend is expected to continue to boom in the food world in the coming years, especially with how easy it is to travel and live around the world these days. He continued that people from different cultural backgrounds often create surprising dishes by combining their unique cooking skills with diverse local ingredients.
When various cuisines come together, we are able to expand the possibilities of taste, and Japanese-Peruvian cuisine was born from this innovative collision. This cross-cultural innovative cuisine stems from respect and understanding of tradition, while daring to challenge the boundaries of tradition. It makes food no longer restricted by region, but becomes a mobile platform, creating unlimited possibilities.
