Movie & Bites | The Chef of South Polar

The world of Japanese cinema and television is rich with food-related features. Over the years, numerous highly-acclaimed productions have come from Japan featuring succulent dishes that inspire our imaginations and whet our appetites.

In this first installation of the “Movie & Bites” series, JAPAN HOUSE presents a combined screening/tasting event featuring acclaimed food stylist Nami Iijima and 2009 comedy film "The Chef of South Polar (Nankyoku Ryorinin)." Directed by Shuichi Okita and starring Masato Sakai, the film follows the ups and downs of life on the South Pole for an eight-man Japanese research expedition to the Dome Fuji Station in Antarctica. The protagonist of the film is the chef, who struggles to make use of limited ingredients to provide a diverse and appetizing menu to the researchers.

Many of the mouth-watering dishes in the film were prepared by food stylist Nami Iijima, who will also join us for the evening. She will present a behind-the-scenes discussion of the film and food included on-screen. Following the screening, participants will be treated to a tasting of dishes included in the movie and prepared by Iijima, in order to deepen their experience both of the movie and the culinary traditions represented. The event will end with a Q&A session. *Japanese film with English subtitles.

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*This event is not suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Dishes using shellfish may also be served.

Food Stylist Profile

Nami Iijima
Born in Tokyo. Food stylist. Iijima works mainly in television commercials and advertisements, as well as movies.

Among her largest projects are the movies “Kamome Diner,” “Chef of South Polar,” “The Great Passage (Fune wo Amu),” and “Our Little Sister (Umimachi Diary),” and the television series “Gochisousan,” “Midnight Diner,” and “Quartet.” Her published works include “LIFE nandemo nai hi, omedetou! no gohan (‘Meals to Congratulate Yourself for Just Another Normal Day’)” (pub. Itoi Tokyo Office) and “Wine ga oishii French Gohan (‘French Meals That Go Well with Wine’) (pub. Little More).

She has also developed her own plum vinegar product “Kishu no Ume-zu,” and an accompanying collection of recipes “Nan-nogare Recipe” (‘Recipes for overcoming difficulty’), (currently available through Hobonichi).