Japan Hosts G7 Summit, Hiroshima Culinary Academy Presents International Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Zhao)

JAKARTA - A culinary academy plans to make the "okonomiyaki" pancake famous abroad with a new touch of respect, when Hiroshima, Japan will host a meeting of developed countries (G7) in May.

US-style Okonomiyaki Burgers and those featuring German sausage and sauerkraut choices are one of the variations that organizers hope will prove quite attractive to convince flooding, as reported by Kyodo News March 5.

Hiroshima's Okonomiyaki is made from coatings of wheat flour, cabbage, yagoba noodles, pork and other ingredients cooked on an iron plate. The finished product is then doused with other sauces and toppings according to the visitor's choice.

One of the world's leaders is already known as a Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki fan, the chairman of this year's summit, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. With his constituency in prefecture, PM Kishida's favorite food is said to be his wife Yuko's staple food.

At an event held at the end of February, the Oconomiyaki Academy in Hiroshima made its debut with seven variations for seven developed countries, designed based on questionnaires filled with respondents including foreign residents and international students in the regions.

The Academy said it hoped the recipe, which has been distributed to about 250 of its member restaurants, would leave such an impression on participants from participating countries, so they would consider making it back home.

For the United States, the academy has chosen to put the oconomiyaki in a burger bread and water it with cheese. While the British version is doped with the help of fish and its immortal culinary symbol chips. While the touch of fruit on the German version offers many sausages and sauerkraut.

As for Italy, it is doused with a special carbonara sauce, with noodles that are duplicated as spagety. Closures have also been made, with Canadian okonomiyaki made using apples andferoques. While the French edition was inspired by a flat cake outlet decorated with fried eggs.

Not to forget is a Japanese version of the dish, which is served in the basic variant of "Hiroshima soul food" from nikudama Sekaha, which includes meat, eggs, and noodles.

Shigeki Sasaki, director of the academy, said the G-7 summit was a "big opportunity" for Hiroshima to bring his culinary culture to the world.

"We have managed to collect a set of dishes that can be remade by everyone from the participating countries at home," he said proudly.