We are announcing the results of the "#MyTopRecipe" submission contest, held in collaboration with the web media "ism"!
For about a month starting March 11, 2022, we held the #MyTopRecipe submission contest, calling for recommended recipes and essays about cooking. During the period (3/11-4/15), we received 1,161 entries! Thank you for submitting such wonderful works (a list of entries is here).
As a result of the selection process, the winners have been decided as follows. We will be reaching out to the winners regarding opportunities such as article publication and serialization on "ism", a media platform where many culinary experts are active.
Winners
Natsumi Kasahara
Work: "Chicken Nanban that the two of us can eat with peace of mind and say 'It's delicious'"
Chicken Nanban is quite a hassle: frying the chicken, coating it in Nanban vinegar, and preparing the tartar sauce... However, this article proposed the joy that lies beyond the effort, finding one's own balance by combining variable elements like choosing the meat and how to fry it. There is no absolute right answer in cooking. Kasahara-san's article conveyed that enjoying it yourself is the most important thing, and it made me want to make my own "top" Chicken Nanban. (note Director, Shimura)
Kitchen no Hanako-san
Work: "Pajama Cake"
The concept of "Pajama Cake" is so cute and exciting. I thought that not only the "how-to-make" and "how-to-eat" parts, but also the proposal of a "scene for making it" was wonderful. It makes you want to make it when you read it. I especially like the photo with the banana cake and coffee lined up. Saturday morning, messy hair, a hangover, "Pajama Cake," yeah, that's nice. (ism Editorial Department, Mushiake)
Hibi Onigiri / Yuko-san
Work: "You'll reach for it instinctively! [Introducing how to make colorful rice balls]"
Yuko-san's rice ball recipes look so "fun." Don't be stingy with the plastic wrap. Layout the ingredients artfully. The triangular shape you're bad at is foolproof with "that" method... The point is that not only the person eating but also the person making it can be excited. These are the many creative rice balls she arrived at after making them for over two years. It's wonderful that she didn't just introduce one of them, but "standardized" the method so that anyone can make original rice balls. "Joy is found in sharing." I could feel that sentiment from Yuko-san's rice balls. (note Director, Araki)
Masumi Watanabe
Work: "Life changes, but spring rolls do not"
I felt the family bond in the "spring rolls" that have remained unchanged even as she has continued to make them for 15 years and her children have grown and life has changed. Why use those ingredients, why that cooking method, why that seasoning? Perhaps it is because of the creator's feelings and the relationship with the person eating it that it has become a "top recipe" that cannot be created anywhere else. It is a wonderful essay that makes me want to cook for my loved ones too. (ism Editorial Department, Nakatsuji)
Please take a look at the other submitted works via the URL below.
Looking back on the contest
These are comments from "ism," which supported the contest, and the person in charge at note.
From the ism Editorial Department
Thank you for all the wonderful submissions.
Although the theme was "My Top Recipe," through your posts, I was able to feel not only how to make the dishes, but also the individual stories behind each one—who is making it for whom, and in what situation. The methods of expression were also varied, and I enjoyed reading every single post.
This time, rather than just the perfection of the recipe, we selected winners primarily based on posts that offer hints for enjoying "food" in everyday life. I am looking forward to having them published on I-SM.
From the note representative
A unique concept. The culmination of something you have been doing for a long time. Or perhaps taking a fresh look at a classic dish... I am very grateful that so many of you submitted such creative works. To recommend something, there must be a "reason" or a "story" behind it... and many works were gathered that were not only great as recipes but also compelling as cooking essays. Although there were four winners this time, we would like to share the "cooking" and "hints for enjoying cooking" of many more of you with the world. Let's meet again for the second and third submission projects!
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A recommended program for creators who want to be active as culinary experts
As part of a project to support the success of cooking creators, a series called "How I Became a Culinary Expert" began in March. We invite culinary experts active in various fields as guests to hear about how they built their careers and how they share their work.
The guest for the second installment is the immensely popular culinary expert Ryuji, who has 2.2 million Twitter followers and 3.01 million YouTube subscribers! What kind of strategy does he use to create buzz? How can one monetize through cooking? We plan to talk about these topics, including the process of building Ryuji's career. Please be sure to watch it.
▼ Click here for the archive of the first session (Guest: Mami Imai)