Makiko Itoh, Just Bento !

What is a Bento?

For all those who are not yet aware, there is a growing bento mania in Europe. Bento is a Japanese word that refers to a packed meal placed in a traditional box. A tradition in Japan, bentos can be bought and consumed at lunch time in the stations or some restaurants, but they are even better when prepared at home. We met the bento Japanese specialist, Makiko Itoh, who revealed some tricks to make your own bento. 

Justbento

Cooking has always been part of Makiko Itoh’s life. She remembers a large cook book she used to see in her family kitchen, titled “The Cooking Encyclopedia”, which always fascinated her. Today she hopes that her own book, "Just Bento", which was released in Europe in November 2010, will inspire budding cooks like herself!

Bento, a Universal Trend

Makiko has a degree in web development which consequently pushed her to share all her culinary creations in the “blogosphere world”. She began a personal blog in 1998, then started JustHungry.com in 2003 which focuses on her own obsession, Japanese cuisine! Justbento.com rapidly followed in 2007. This last blog is similar to Justhungry.com, but specializes on bentos. “My blog’s visitors come from all over the world, I realize that bento has became a global trend”. In Japan, however, bento is not simply a trend but a part of their culinary culture. “You find them everywhere, but the ones cooked at home by a person's wife, mother or grandmother, those will always have a special place in Japanese hearts."

Travel Inspiration

Makiko Itoh was born in Japan, but she grew up in England and the United States and now lives between Switzerland and the South of France. Travels are a source of great inspiration for her cuisine, “You could almost say that I travel to a country to get to know it's cuisine. I always spend my time visiting various grocers , supermarkets, and restaurants, and these have become some of my main points of interest in a country.” Makiko is  constantly looking for new flavours, new ways of cooking her bentos, and new ways of sharing her creations with her readers. Right now Makiko is in the process of  moving, and this period of not having a comfortable kitchen for several weeks has forced her to find new ways of preparing her bentos by using only a pressure cooker and a gas stove… New recipes for her fans are on the way!

The Bento’s Benefits

Thanks to the compact size of the box, a bento is a good way to maintain portion control, and an excellent way to learn how to balance a meal in terms of nutritional properties, colours, and taste. To choose to dine on bento means that you eat healthy and simultaneously practice the Japanese cuisine.

Where to Find Bentos

You can find many beautiful bento boxes online. The sites that post in Europe are the following: Bentoandco.com, CasaBento.com, From-Japan-With-Love.com, J-List.com, Japonmania.com
To eat a good bento in Paris, head to Jujiva (十時や）
46 rue Sainte-Anne - 75002 Paris

Makiko likes

• Chef Heston Blumenthal, "because he seems to have fun while cooking".

• A dish made of sushi, sashimi and ravioli gyoza, "it's not at all a traditional mix!"

Makiko does not like

• Food that is too spicy, because she wants "to taste all the flavours"

• Eating boiled chicken feet

Find Makiko Itoh and her Bentos

• JustHungry.com

• JustBento.com

• Twitter : @makiwi

• Just bento, the book

Two Recipes by Makiko Itoh

Check out two Japanese recipes to prepare your own bento

• Mushrooms steamed in sake

• Nibuta Pork