Listen to this episode
I have been looking forward to this episode for a long time.
Hosting a woman of letters here, devouring stories and scents together, wondering if it’s crime or pig, navigating between pollen and poems, stories and recipes, fermentations and fomentations, allegories and allergies, chia and chiasms, bowl and hyperbole.
And perhaps getting lost thus in traditions and translations.
The Guest: Ryoko Sekiguchi
Author and translator, she embodies a subtle union between literature, art, gastronomy, and the five senses. She stands out for her ability to translate in both French and Japanese, thus creating bridges between cultures and languages.
Among her works are Nagori (P.O.L. 2018), Sentir (JBE Books 2021), L’Appel des odeurs (P.O.L. 2024). Her unique artistic imprint continues to weave connections between the various facets of contemporary creation.
My Questions
- What is the link, in your history, between cooking and poetry?
- To talk about your book that has just been released by POL editions, what roles do – or do not – scents play in your life and books?
- Let’s play with the titles of your books: what is ghost eating? What is cloud cuisine? What is reading wine?
- I find there are many bridges between Japanese literature and French literature; is it the same for gastronomy?
- What are the Japanese flavors that are untranslatable into French?
- Can you remind us of the importance of seasons in Japan, how they are structured, spoken about, and expressed?
- There are seasonal products; are there seasonal novels?
- You translated one of my favorite books, In Praise of Shadows; how can we incorporate shadow into our texts and cooking?
- You direct the collection “Le Banquet” at Piquier editions; what is the ideal banquet for you?
- I am going to ask you a question I asked Lauren Malka: is it the same language to create that will serve us women to write better and eat better?
- Would you like to share a recipe with us? A favorite ingredient? A restaurant? An essential book?
Resources to Explore Further
- The Astringent
- Ghost Eating
- Fade
- Nagori, the nostalgia of the season that goes away
- Japanese Curry: Ten Ways to Prepare It
- The Cloud: Ten Ways to Prepare It
- The Call of Scents
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A podcast presented by Louise Browaeys with technical support from Matthieu Brillard
