One meal at a time can change a person’s life drastically, and for the Japanese chef Takamasa Osawa it was a plate of biryani that changed everything about his life in 2009 when he visited Tamil Nadu for a day and ate it. What started out as a simple lunch for a hungry traveller had turned into a culinary obsession that would lead him to open a Michelin Guide-certified restaurant specializing in biryani in Tokyo.
Osawa did not come to India to eat its famous rice dish. In fact, he admits that he knew very little about biryani before arriving in Tamil Nadu. Looking for something to eat, he ordered what appeared to be some rice-based meal. But the experience was so much more than that.
"The first time I tried it was so delicious that I wanted to try it again. I wanted to try another type. It shocked me." Osawa said during a visit to Indian Accent in Mumbai. That first bite of that delicious bite has stayed with him for almost two decades now.
What interested Osawa most was the diversity of biryani across India. Unlike many dishes that are fairly standard recipes, biryani changes dramatically from one region to another. Each state, city and even single household has its own interpretation and they do so with different spices, cooking techniques, meats, rice and local customs.
Such an endless variety turned Osawa’s affection for them into a lifelong culinary mission. Over the years, he has travelled to many regions in India and has tried a lot of regional versions– from the spicy Hyderabadi biryani and spicy Dindigul biryani to Kolkata’s subtle flavourful preparation and Kerala’s aromatic Malabar style of food. Each version had its own story in local history and culture.
Based on these experiences Osawa decided to serve authentic Indian biryani to Japanese customers. And instead of having a menu of several Indian dishes he focused on biryani— an audacious move given the competitive food market in Tokyo. His dedication to authenticity, his taste for spices, the traditional cooking and quality and attention to detail was appreciated and he has since been recognized in the Michelin Guide.
Osawa says biryani is much more than rice and meat. It is a culinary expression of taste, flavor, texture and emotion to him, he says. It’s a very fine mixture of rice, marinated ingredients, herbs, spices and slow cook that reflects centuries of culinary evolution. All pots represent patience, craftsmanship and regional identity.
Osawa said in Mumbai that despite years of learning and cooking biryani, he is still searching for what he calls the “perfect pot.” Because the food from each region is unique to India, he said that no one version can be considered the best as far as he is concerned.
His admiration extends well beyond the food for the people who cook it. Osawa has learned from local cooks, restaurant chefs and home kitchens across India— from various places in India, and the traditional cooking practices that have been passed down through the generations. He’s realized that biryani is so tied to family, family traditions, celebrations, festivals and regional pride and has helped him to know more.
Curry and naan have become global foods, but Indian food is in fact increasingly celebrated internationally for its rich regional diversity. In particular Biryani is now one of India's most famous culinary ambassadors, winning fans on almost every continent.
Osawa’s success is indicative of the universal appeal of genuine cooking. Instead of making a huge change to recipes to suit the local taste of biryani and therefore not to it in a good way, he’s tried to have the authentic style of biryani and his biryani with great quality ingredients and the highest level of execution. And Japanese diners have taken this very well as they are hungry for authentic Indian cuisine.
His story is also a reminder that food is a bridge between cultures. A chance meal in Tamil Nadu has inspired a Japanese chef to devote the last years of his life to getting to know and celebrating one of India's most iconic dishes. Now Osawa is teaching generations of people in Tokyo with his Michelin-starred institution to try the rich tradition of Indian cuisine.
Takamasa Osawa’s passion is still burning hot after that first taste of biryani more than 20 years after that memorable first bite. His search for India’s finest biryani is not about finding a winner, but about recognizing the infinite diversity and cultural depth of the dish that make it one of the world’s greatest culinary treasures.
