
Playing at the VIFF Centre – Lochmaddy Studio Theatre (Vancouver, BC) on November 7, 14, and 15, 2024.
In Mads K. Baekkevold‘s debut work, The Chef and the Daruma travels back in time to look at who Hidekazu Tojo is. He not only helped popularise Japanese dining when he first landed in North America (Vancouver, BC to be exact), but also is credited as the person who invented the California Roll because one person’s wife didn’t like how the authentic stuff tasted.
This documentary vividly tells the story of the boy who lived through a rough life before he found his peace. Although he knew he would be a chef and starting at the bottom would be a challenge, it’s his tenacity that helped him grow. Plus, when he believes that when you paint one eye on the Daruma, a Japanese doll made from paper mache, it will help motivate him to move forward in life. People who find success will burn the doll at the end of the Shinto calender year to send all the gratitude heavenward.
When this individual first arrived in Vancouver, he faced a lot of hurdles. The worst thing was racism. The government mistreated those immigrants much the same way as the local indigenous people. When World War II happened, authorities herded them into camps. Although some Japanese-Canadians fought for “our home and native land,” many people still treated them unfairly.
When this work includes examining the social-political milieu Hikaru faced every day, it’s easy to understand why he found strength in spirituality and diving deep into learning the art of sushi-making. When he knew he had to innovate, that’s when folks started noticing.
Food-wise, he has to savour and identify where the essence comes from. And it took time for him to find where it exists at the farms that surrounded the growing Lower Mainland way back then. These days, everyone knows where to go, but back the 80s and 90s, it was a lot more difficult. And I have known about his contributions to this city scene for a long time. I used to watch CityTV every morning only for those food segments.
Although I’ve been to Vancouver many times, I never have enough time to do everything I want, including going to his establishment to dine. The problem is that his base of operations is located at another corner of the city. It’s not in the downtown inlet. Travelling there by bus is a touch inconvenient.
When I’m there to attend a concert or convention, hopping around the huge Lower Mainland means spending a lot of time in some form of transit to get there (which can take up a third of the day). It’s worth it with the one time I managed to visit, but I must return!
As for whether he’s part of the same movement as ethically harvesting proteins so that the best flavours come from a merry creature, that’s something I have to ask. He knows how to find that at the farm, but there’s more to fine dining than simply gathering the pieces, and having a relationship with those farmers who provide the essentials to his kitchen! This city is home to more than one mover and shaker, and after watching Tanagokoro: A Culinary Portrait (movie review), I’d like to see how much has changed locally.
I appreciate the fact this work is multifaceted. Not only is it a telling biography but also a perfect look at the history of a city that shaped his world views. Whether it’s all good or bad, to see how he’s come up on top says it all.
5 Stars out of 5
The Chef and the Daruma Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5OmqE-Ms9k