This Japanese chef knows more about biryani than most of us
As more Indians fall in love with Japan's food, culture and travel experiences, one Japanese chef has spent years chasing the perfect biryani.
There are two kinds of people. Those who love savouring a good biryani. And those who love cooking one. Biryani and foodies share a long-standing relationship. Despite all the debates over whether Hyderabad does it best, or Kolkata's potato deserves the spotlight, or a biryani should be fiery, fragrant or somewhere in between, the love for the dish remains mutual. Several reports claim that biryani is often the most-ordered dish in India, we aren't second guessing that.
But the passion for this dish is not exclusively Indian. Thousands of kilometres away from India, a Japanese chef is trying to perfect it. In fact, Takamasa Osawa, better known as "Biriyani Osawa", has been at it for the past 15 years! There's something about the India-Japanese connection.
India's fascination with Japan has never been stronger. More Indians are travelling to Japan than ever before, social media is flooded with reels about Tokyo cafes and Kyoto streets, anime has moved from niche fandom to mainstream culture, and Japanese food has become a regular part of dining. But while Indians are looking out for sushi, ramen and matcha, one Japanese chef has spent the better part of his life looking towards India for biryani.
Earlier this year, the biryani chef also visited actor Ram Charan's home and cooked for him and his family. Videos from the visit quickly went viral among food lovers and fans alike. The actor reportedly praised the biryani for getting the balance just right - flavourful, fragrant and not overloaded with gravy.
And there's more to his story.
The Japanese chef who cooks biryani to perfection
The Tokyo-based chef has become something of a legend among biryani lovers.
Today, Osawa runs a tiny 10-seater restaurant in Tokyo that serves only one type of biryani each day of the week. No side menu designed to please everyone. Just biryani. And perhaps, sometimes, with a side of soy sauce or wasabi. The restaurant, aptly named Biriyani Osawa, has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition - Michelin Guide's award presented to restaurants that serve quality food at reasonable prices - and built a reputation among food enthusiasts for its laser-sharp focus on perfecting a single dish.
Osawa approaches biryani almost like a scientist, analysing ingredients, temperatures and techniques with obsessive precision. Japanese are known for their attention to detail and perfection and that might be a reason why this chef knows Indian biryani better than most Indians! No offence, please.
What makes his story remarkable is that he didn't simply learn how to cook biryani, he made it his life's work.
It all started with a curiosity about a signboard that simply read "Biryani", and he decided to order a plate. A rice lover since childhood, one trip to Tamil Nadu is part of the reason why he has Michelin recognition today. Over the next 15 years, he travelled across India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, studying regional styles, cooking methods and the philosophy behind the dish.
His culinary schools were not five-star kitchens, but cooks working in local restaurants and canteens. These are places where meals are economically priced and recipes carry the warmth of tips and tricks passed down through generations.
In an interview with Gulf News, he shared, "I would smile and ask politely if I could see the process, see inside the kitchens, and maybe because I was a foreigner and young, they would let me in. It didn't matter that I didn't know the language. I learned by smell, taste, touch, and sight."
Osawa's story arrives at a moment when Indian food is enjoying unprecedented global attention. Biryani itself has become one of the world's most talked-about dishes. From Hyderabad and Kolkata to Lucknow, every version tells a different story, and Osawa wishes to understand and perfect each one of them.
Perhaps that's why Osawa's pursuit resonates so deeply. Because biryani has never been a recipe that can be mastered in a weekend. It is a dish of patience, and endless regional nuance.
And if a Japanese chef can spend 15 years chasing the perfect biryani, perhaps the rest of us can finally stop arguing about which version is the best.
Or perhaps not.
There are two kinds of people. Those who love savouring a good biryani. And those who love cooking one. Biryani and foodies share a long-standing relationship. Despite all the debates over whether Hyderabad does it best, or Kolkata's potato deserves the spotlight, or a biryani should be fiery, fragrant or somewhere in between, the love for the dish remains mutual. Several reports claim that biryani is often the most-ordered dish in India, we aren't second guessing that.
But the passion for this dish is not exclusively Indian. Thousands of kilometres away from India, a Japanese chef is trying to perfect it. In fact, Takamasa Osawa, better known as "Biriyani Osawa", has been at it for the past 15 years! There's something about the India-Japanese connection.
India's fascination with Japan has never been stronger. More Indians are travelling to Japan than ever before, social media is flooded with reels about Tokyo cafes and Kyoto streets, anime has moved from niche fandom to mainstream culture, and Japanese food has become a regular part of dining. But while Indians are looking out for sushi, ramen and matcha, one Japanese chef has spent the better part of his life looking towards India for biryani.
Earlier this year, the biryani chef also visited actor Ram Charan's home and cooked for him and his family. Videos from the visit quickly went viral among food lovers and fans alike. The actor reportedly praised the biryani for getting the balance just right - flavourful, fragrant and not overloaded with gravy.
And there's more to his story.
The Japanese chef who cooks biryani to perfection
The Tokyo-based chef has become something of a legend among biryani lovers.
Today, Osawa runs a tiny 10-seater restaurant in Tokyo that serves only one type of biryani each day of the week. No side menu designed to please everyone. Just biryani. And perhaps, sometimes, with a side of soy sauce or wasabi. The restaurant, aptly named Biriyani Osawa, has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition - Michelin Guide's award presented to restaurants that serve quality food at reasonable prices - and built a reputation among food enthusiasts for its laser-sharp focus on perfecting a single dish.
Osawa approaches biryani almost like a scientist, analysing ingredients, temperatures and techniques with obsessive precision. Japanese are known for their attention to detail and perfection and that might be a reason why this chef knows Indian biryani better than most Indians! No offence, please.
What makes his story remarkable is that he didn't simply learn how to cook biryani, he made it his life's work.
It all started with a curiosity about a signboard that simply read "Biryani", and he decided to order a plate. A rice lover since childhood, one trip to Tamil Nadu is part of the reason why he has Michelin recognition today. Over the next 15 years, he travelled across India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, studying regional styles, cooking methods and the philosophy behind the dish.
His culinary schools were not five-star kitchens, but cooks working in local restaurants and canteens. These are places where meals are economically priced and recipes carry the warmth of tips and tricks passed down through generations.
In an interview with Gulf News, he shared, "I would smile and ask politely if I could see the process, see inside the kitchens, and maybe because I was a foreigner and young, they would let me in. It didn't matter that I didn't know the language. I learned by smell, taste, touch, and sight."
Osawa's story arrives at a moment when Indian food is enjoying unprecedented global attention. Biryani itself has become one of the world's most talked-about dishes. From Hyderabad and Kolkata to Lucknow, every version tells a different story, and Osawa wishes to understand and perfect each one of them.
Perhaps that's why Osawa's pursuit resonates so deeply. Because biryani has never been a recipe that can be mastered in a weekend. It is a dish of patience, and endless regional nuance.
And if a Japanese chef can spend 15 years chasing the perfect biryani, perhaps the rest of us can finally stop arguing about which version is the best.
Or perhaps not.
