ITAMAE: Poporoya, the history of sushi in Italy

Inside this small, cozy spot – its walls covered with prints, newspaper clippings, and photographs – you immediately feel the warmth and familiarity for which it’s become so beloved. There’s a clear sense that this is a place where personal stories, history with a capital “H,” culture and anecdotes all come together.

That feeling becomes even stronger when you meet Hirazawa Minoru, known to all as “Shiro”, the charismatic owner and chef of Poporoya. Listening to him tell the story of how he arrived in Rome in the early 1970s – after attending culinary school in Japan -and how he later moved to Milan to open his own restaurant, working to source ingredients as close as possible to those from his homeland while overcoming the initial skepticism of some Italians, is both fascinating and inspiring.

Even more delightful is discovering what his kitchen has to offer – so closely aligned with the flavors of traditional Japan. With ITAMAE, you’ll get to follow the making of Five-Color Futomaki, large sushi rolls filled with a colorful variety of ingredients wrapped in seaweed and rice – like shrimp, Japanese pumpkin, oboro, omelet, and cucumber. You’ll also learn two different ways to prepare Inarizushi, the famous “fox sushi” made of fried tofu pouches filled with sushi rice and special ingredients like shiitake mushrooms or Japanese omelet.

All dishes are made using 100% Italian-grown New Kenji Sushi Premium rice, produced by Mundi Riso and prized for its versatility, consistent cooking and ability to hold its fragrance, stickiness and flavor in all sushi applications.

Enjoy the interview with Poporoya’s Itamae and check out the video recipes on the New Kenji YouTube channel by clicking this link.