Contributing to the Food Loss Problem
“Pasta That Shouldn’t Exist” is born from the collaboration between Creative Producer Kenichiro Koyama’s Earth Revival Initiative and Okinawa’s premier fish restaurant, Kunigami Port Shokudo. This partnership completely eliminates fish waste through a unique perspective.
Seeing the Essence
Eliminating doesn’t mean disposal—it’s the opposite. Fish inherently have parts unusable in cooking that must be discarded. We utilized every single one of these parts, awakening them as pasta. While the recipe and process remain undisclosed, concerns might arise: Aren’t the bones dangerous? What about the fishy smell? Is it safe for consumption? All such worries have been resolved. The pasta base is a peperoncino. It’s a dish rich in flavor, bursting with the aromatic essence of fish. Our particular focus was on “not masking it with processing.”
Kenichiro Koyama, who started from scratch making the broth himself and perfected it through trial and error, stated, “This was only possible because it was with Minato Shokudo. Kunigami’s fish is delicious. And I wanted to directly convey that even the parts destined for disposal can become this delicious. That’s why I wanted to take on the challenge with a peperoncino.” Though not a professional chef, he transcended culinary genres, identified the essence, pursued it relentlessly, and shaped his vision into reality.
Kenichiro Omine, owner-chef of Kunigami Port Shokudo, reportedly accepted this collaboration without hesitation. “We flexibly incorporate young people’s ideas, and we veterans give them form. We actively want to challenge anything that leads to revitalization,” he said. Behind the collaboration lay a desire for the further development of Kunigami Village and Okinawa Prefecture.
In Kunigami Village, Okinawa’s northernmost point, a man who revived a 45-year-old abandoned hotel and continues to confront global issues head-on—like the massive clothing disposal problem—and Kunigami Port Shokudo, which embraces new winds and never stops challenging itself, have created yet another reason to smile.
The Pasta That Shouldn’t Have Existed.
Price: ¥900 (includes soup)
Sales Period: December 7-28, 2020
Location: Kunigami Port Cafeteria (Closed Mondays)
Hours: 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM / 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
※ Sundays 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Closes when sold out)
※ Due to limited quantities, sales will end once supplies run out.
