Kaiseki is a traditional Japanese meal that originated from Zen monks who stowed heated stones in their robes to ignore hunger during prayers. Today, it consists of at least five courses of gourmet quality food, often served in Japanese guesthouses and high-end restaurants, with a focus on visual aesthetics as well as taste.
Kaiseki is a traditional Japanese meal developed from the traditions of 16th century Zen monks. Historians believe these monks stowed heated stones in their robes during prayers to help them ignore their hunger, hence the meaning of kaiseki, or stone in the stomach. Over time, this action evolved into a light, mostly vegetarian meal served during Japanese tea ceremonies. Today, these meals usually consist of many plates of food, served in a particular order. The food is usually of the highest gourmet quality.
Zen monks lived a very simple and uncomplicated life. Their attention was focused on thought, inner balance and peace rather than the worries of the world. They slept to rejuvenate their bodies and ate to nourish themselves, never indulging in any pleasure. Every action contained a lesson, a principle that generally pervaded the everyday life of native Japanese.
The original kaiseki consisted only of light soups and several small vegetarian dishes meant to complement traditional Japanese teas. The focus of these ceremonies was not the meal itself. The food was meant only to complement the flavors of the tea and to assuage hunger so that the tea could be enjoyed to its fullest. These humble kaiseki were very simple and inexpensive to prepare.
As the tea ceremony became more popular with Japanese royalty, so did kaiseki. Monarchs couldn’t dine on the same simple food as lower castes, so royal chefs started adding expensive and exotic ingredients to these simple meals. Focus slowly leaned towards the tea and began to concentrate on the food. To please their monarchs, chefs added more courses to the meal, some of which included meat and fish.
Modern kaiseki practices call for at least five courses of food, specially prepared with rare, gourmet ingredients. Often served in Japanese guesthouses and high-end restaurants, meals are meant to be communal, honoring guests, and showcasing the host’s wealth. In other words, the reasoning is the more elaborate the food, the richer the person sponsoring it.
More modern kaiseki include raw, pickled, steamed, and fried dishes. Some also feature a soup course, sashimi-style sushi, and something slow-cooked. Depending on the number of courses in a given meal, it may also include some type of fruit dessert.
The ingredients are almost always seasonal, with the restaurant menus changing every few months. Visual aesthetics are as important as taste, and Japanese chefs often arrange edible flowers, leaves, and whole small animals on plates to create a pleasing scene. Today’s kaiseki are as much works of art as they are delights for the palate.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
