Tonight on Taste of Paradise is the culmination of Chef Seeto’s 13-week epic journey of Fiji. In this final episode, he reveals his two new signature restaurants and stops in at Cloud Nine to share a green pizza recipe; inspired by the secrets of the outer islands.
FOOD TOURISM
Understanding and redefining Pacific Island cuisine is important for tourism to Fiji because food has become an integral part of the cultural experience. From the earthy flavours of the lovo and its use of leaves to wrap and impart flavour, to the primordial use of fire, smoke, seawater and hot stone to cook. Every one of these elements can be translated and reinterpreted into modern resort cuisine. This is why it’s exciting to be a chef in Fiji.
We are creating a new regional cuisine based on the traditional ways and using the same medicinal foods that have sustained Pacific Islanders for thousands of years. Brain foods that come from the sea; energy foods that come from the root crop vegetables; anti-ageing and antioxidant foods that come from the plants; and of course, coconut — the elixir of long life, from the Tree of Life. The possibilities are endless for food tourism in Fiji; limited only by the imagination and creativeness of the chefs.
MENUS WITH STORY
Some of the most exciting restaurants in the world not only have great food made with fresh produce, but they have an enchanting cultural story to tell. In tonight’s season finale, some of the ideas and inspiration of my travels have been transformed onto the plate in my two new restaurant menus on Mana Island; WAR and Kura. Both menus are very distinct but what they have in common are elements from traditional Fijian cuisine. WAR was inspired by Fiji’s 18th and 19th century internecine tribal wars when the high chiefs lived by cannibalism, war and pillage, and the diet was wild, raw and medicinal. It is a period before European influence on food, when Fijians ate only from the land and sea. It was also long before chemical fertilisers were introduced into farming; and when villagers turned to their herbal remedies. Everything they ate provided sustenance, nutrition and medicine for their bodies.
The WAR degustation menu features the kokoda-turned-panna cotta featured in the Yaqeta episode, but with the added twist of being set in a beautiful aquarium glass with a sandy beach setting underneath, that is designed to take the diner to the beach. The WAR menu is also distinctive in that everything is cooked over a wood fire; no electric or gas stoves. This means that dishes can be created around the techniques of tavu (roasting over hot charcoal) and the lovo earth oven; making it an indigenous tribal experience of foods prepared and cooked how the ancient Pacific Islanders intended.
NCD-FIGHTING MENU
Throughout my travels this season, one thing was abundantly clear; the further removed from the urban centres, the healthier Fijians seemed to be. On Totoya Island, far away from Suva, Nadi and Lautoka, the villagers are forced to grow their own fruits and vegetables, eat as much brain-healthy fish as they can catch, and rely on the medicinal benefits of plants to keep them healthy. One of my newest eateries on Mana Island is called Kura; an Asian-inspired, restorative health cafe that is named after the Polynesian miracle fruit and is designed to repair and rejuvenate the inside, after a sensual massage in the adjoining Spa.
Kura or noni (Morinda citrifolia) is a “miracle fruit” that Polynesians have been using for centuries as preventative medicine and is still used in Fijian villages today as we saw at Kia Island, Vanua Levu. It was so highly prised by the seafaring civilisation, that it was one of 24 “canoe plants” taken from ancient Polynesia and spread across the Pacific Ocean islands. The pungent, fermented kura is believed to have numerous health benefits including a hypotensive effect that lowers blood pressure; is beneficial to diabetics because it lowers cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar; reduces oxidative stress in diabetes; contains anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-fungal activities; is 75 percent as strong as morphine; has anti-depressive and anti-anxiety properties and promotes a sense of wellbeing.
Tonight, we create a Japanese-inspired bento box using kura as a salad, stir fry and even a delicious health drink we call the kura shake; an ice blend of fresh pineapple, coconut and semi-ripe kura. I also included a quick recipe for the Kura restaurant’s ota kim chee, a fermented cabbage recipe that visiting Korean tourists say tastes like a famous kim chee in Korea called got-kimchi, or God of Kim Chee, from the famous culinary town of Jeollanam-do. This fermented chilli recipe is normally with cabbage but can be used to preserve and ferment any green vegetable. Spicy and great for digestion, this famous Korean vegetable is perfect for the health café!
JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME
It has been a journey of a lifetime this season. I can honestly say that I’ve seen more of Fiji than most Fijians, thanks to the team at Captain Cook Cruises. We spent 11 nights discovering Lau and the story of the Tongan influence; four nights in the Yasawas to learn ancient myths and a week circumnavigating Vanua Levu to understand how climate change and the events of a past generation have threatened the survival of remote communities.
It’s something that I consistently saw up during our travels here and in the South Pacific; unpredictable weather is having a devastating effect on crops due to lack of rain and intense temperatures. The needs and living standards of the industrialised nations has taken precedent over the survival and existence of smaller Pacific island nations affected by their pollution. It’s not right. And its inspired me to return to the region next year to highlight the effects that climate change is having across the South Pacific in season five. If you’re a big fan of the show; vinaka vakalevu for making it the top lifestyle show on local television.
Happy cooking and don’t forget, if you want to know the best diet for you and the family; go ask your grandmother.
* Lance Seeto is the award winning chef based on Mana Island, and is Fiji Airway’s Culinary Ambassador and host of Fiji TV’s Taste of Paradise. Sunday 7.30pm only on Fiji One and online at tasteofparadise.tv
