Award-Winning Noto Chefs Design JAL In-Flight Meals; Special Dishes Seek to Promote Region, Encourage Quake Recovery

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:10 JST, July 20, 2025

KANAZAWA — Special dishes created by two chefs from the quake-stricken city of Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture, are being served in economy and premium economy classes on Japan Airlines’ international flights until the end of August.

The project aims to promote food from the Noto region and raise awareness of the recovery efforts following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.

The two chefs are Toru Kawashima, 40, of Ipponsugi Kawashima, a Michelin-stared Japanese restaurant on Ipponsugi street, and Kyohei Kurokawa, 37, of Restaurant Blossom, a Western-style eatery in the Wakura Onsen area. Both have achieved outstanding results in RED U-35, one of the largest competitions for young chefs in Japan.

Kawashima’s chicken dish is topped with a white miso sauce and rice steamed in broth mixed with pickled greens, while Kurokawa’s dish consists of a hamburger steak paired with mushroom butter rice.

A total of about 420,000 of the meals are expected to be served, covering 33 daily flights traveling from Japan to North America, Europe, Australia, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

“I hope people enjoy the synergistic umami flavors,” Kawashima said.

Kurokawa said, “I hope the in-flight meals spark interest in Noto.”