Chef Tsutomu Ochiai's Peperoncino: The Origin of the Word "Emulsification" and a Dish Finished with Ground Sesame

Ryuji introduces Chef Ochiai as the legend who popularized Italian food in Japan and the chef who has supervised the pasta sauces of the "Gyoretsu no Dekiru Mise" (Restaurant with a Line) series. According to Chef Ochiai, he has been supervising them for 25 years. When Ryuji mentions that he turns 40 this year, Chef Ochiai replies, "I was doing it before you were born."

Chef Ochiai started cooking 61 years ago. At the time, Western cooking in Japan had no category called "Italian cuisine." While studying French cuisine, he was surprised to learn that French cooking had its roots in Italy. Until then, the only Italian dishes he knew were things like Napolitan spaghetti and meat sauce. He first went to Italy in 1977. Now, about 49 years later, when he watches Italian YouTube, he sees more and more methods that make him think, "That way is easier and tastes good, doesn't it?" Ryuji responds that he, too, is often surprised when watching videos by Italians: "So that's how they make it?"

Ryuji still treasures the book by Chef Ochiai that he bought as a teenager, and he brought it with him that day. It is a book Chef Ochiai feels strongly attached to, and reportedly his own favorite. He signed it on the spot and handed it back.

According to Chef Ochiai, it was in this first book that he first used the word "emulsification" in connection with cooking. The word gradually spread, and now the same idea is discussed in each country's own language: "émulsion" in France, "mantecare" in Italy. Chef Ochiai reflects that he thinks many people have come to feel that this kind of thing affects how good food tastes, and that times have become good. Ryuji agrees that everyone uses the word now.

Another thing Ryuji brought up was the first pasta he made from Chef Ochiai's recipes. He says it made him realize that pasta had this much range beyond familiar dishes like meat sauce. Since it turned out delicious even when he, who knew nothing, made it, he thought Chef Ochiai was also excellent at teaching others.

Before starting to cook, however, Chef Ochiai offered a caveat: emulsification is not an absolute requirement. It is simply that emulsifying makes it taste better.

The garlic is crushed, then sliced, and the germ in the center is removed. On the question of whether the germ should be removed, Chef Ochiai shared an episode from some 20-odd years ago. When he told a teacher at a culinary school, "Isn't it odd that you haven't removed the germ?", the teacher replied that he had sautéed and eaten 50 germs alone and nothing happened. Ryuji says that he, too, had tried various things and felt it made little difference whether the germ was there or not.

The reason Chef Ochiai gave for removing it anyway is that it burns easily. When sliced garlic goes into the oil, the germ in the middle pops right out. Being small, it burns before the rest. That, he explained, seems to be why some Italians say it is better to remove it.

On the subject of garlic, it also came up that Italians like using garlic in cooking but are not so fond of eating it. They often take it out partway through cooking, and he says he has rarely seen them mince it. That day, saying "It's a waste, so let's eat it," they finished the dish without taking it out.

The seeds are removed from the dried red chilies (taka no tsume). It is fine if they are left in, but if one or two get caught among the pasta it becomes too spicy, so Chef Ochiai always removes them. He said this can be left to preference.

When Ryuji brought out a "pretty good" olive oil, Chef Ochiai said, "It doesn't have to be that good," and had him switch to an everyday oil. His view is that whatever oil you have at home is enough, and he urged, "Let's all use this kind." The amount is about 2 tablespoons.

The garlic goes in before the heat is turned on. Ryuji says that starting from a cold pan is a method he learned from Chef Ochiai long ago. As for browning the garlic, Chef Ochiai explained that even among Italian chefs, opinion is split between those who say "Don't burn it too much" and those who say "It has to be browned."

The pasta was a product from a Japanese company that Chef Ochiai is involved with. Ryuji also has a tie-up with that company. The cooking time was 8 minutes. The salt concentration of the pasta water was set at 1.2%, which Chef Ochiai always recommends.

As the garlic's aroma began to rise, Chef Ochiai said "Aroma is invisible flavor," something he always says. The idea is that without aroma, flavor does not come alive. Ryuji responded, "I think so too."

Next, the chili is added, and the Italian parsley goes in, stems and all. The stems are surprisingly aromatic, so they are coarsely chopped and used. Once it is in, the heat is turned off immediately, because otherwise the leaves will burn. He added that if it looks about to burn, adding some liquid will calm it down. Then 5 to 6 spoonfuls of pasta water and a small amount of water are added to adjust.

Chef Ochiai has long taught that "pasta is an aemono (a dressed dish)." Ryuji says he read that in the books too. Recently, however, more cooks in Japan, especially young ones, have been keeping the sauce on the watery side. In this method, pasta meant to be cooked for 8 minutes is pulled out at about 7 minutes and finished by simmering briefly in the sauce. Chef Ochiai does not reject this. He says he thinks, "That works in its own way," and "Yeah, that's right."

Italy has long had a similar technique too. When Chef Ochiai was in Italy, Sicilian pasta con le sarde was the one dish finished by simmering. That day's sauce, too, had pasta water and water added so that it was on the watery side.

Partway through, he lifted out a single strand to check its firmness. According to Chef Ochiai, as the pasta nears doneness, its curve loosens and it sticks flat against a dish or the like. Seeing that gives you an idea like "30 seconds to go until the firmness I like," so there is no need to time it every time.

The talk of firmness led to stories from the past about al dente. Today, if pasta is not al dente, you get scolded for overcooking it, but around 1982, when Chef Ochiai opened his first restaurant, it was the opposite. Customers told him, "You didn't taste this properly, it's got a hard center," "Do you have no sense of taste?", and "My wife cooks it better than this." When he explained, "In Italy...," he was told, "Are you making excuses for your own mistake?" Ryuji took it as a story from a time when the word al dente had not yet caught on.

That day's pasta was a firm type, and when lifted out it was still a little hard. In Chef Ochiai's estimation, it needed anywhere from 30–40 seconds to nearly a minute more to reach a normal firmness. For people who like it firm, it would be fine. So the pasta went into the watery sauce over medium heat and was cooked through to the finish.

At the finishing stage, Chef Ochiai laid out several options. If it tastes too salty, add water; if it needs more salt, add salt; adjust here. If you take the garlic out once and return it at the end, it keeps a crisp texture. Any of these is up to your preference, and he stressed that "there's no rule that it has to be this way." He also added that tossing the pan to mix is a professional technique because it mixes quickly, and at home ordinary stirring is fine.

After tasting, Ryuji remarked, "It's spot on." At this point, the sauce was nothing but pasta water and olive oil.

This is where the episode reached its climax. With the heat off, more olive oil is added to make it "like a dressing." When Ryuji asked, "So is this emulsification?", Chef Ochiai answered, "It gets close to emulsification."

Then Chef Ochiai asked whether there was any ground sesame. When Ryuji added a little, he instructed, "More, about three times that." With the ground sesame added, the sauce turned cloudy white all at once and clung to everything, and almost no liquid or oil was left on the plate. Chef Ochiai called this "the power of sesame" and explained that it is "like a plant-based grated cheese." Even though all the ingredients are plants, it ends up as if cheese had been added. Ryuji described it as "Japanese cheese" and was surprised, saying it was not an idea he would have come up with.

Chef Ochiai says he often teaches this use in his cooking classes as well. His message is to use the ground sesame left sitting in a corner of the kitchen. He said that adding cabbage, or eggplant or asparagus left over in the fridge, at the end would also make it a leftover-vegetable pasta. He says it can also be used in place of cheese in risotto. He went so far as to urge, "Be sure to use it at home." Finally, Italian parsley was scattered over it and the dish was complete.

Tasting the peperoncino, Ryuji said, "This is way too delicious," and was so moved he almost cried. He said again and again that he had really wanted to meet him.

The only ingredients were garlic, olive oil, chili, parsley, sesame, and salt, and the only salt used was what went into the pasta water. Ryuji was surprised: he had thought adding sesame might make it dry, but it was actually moist. Chef Ochiai replied, "Interesting, isn't it?" Chef Ochiai himself seemed pleased that so much could be done with everyday ingredients.

Chef Ochiai says it was the first time in his life he had cooked while drinking. That day, the two of them cooked while drinking highballs. After the meal, when Ryuji asked, "Please become a regular," Chef Ochiai replied, "It doesn't have to be just pasta, right?" The premise was dishes that can be made with ingredients available at the supermarket and without much effort. They settled on a pace of about one appearance each season—spring, summer, fall, and winter—and Chef Ochiai promised, "Give me a call."

The video ends with the announcement that next time they plan to make Chef Ochiai's style of tomato sauce pasta. At the very end, the footage cuts off just as Chef Ochiai, who has been cooking for so long, begins to say something.