Short and easy watch with delicious food scenes
“Nagatanto to Aoto: Ichika no Ryourijou” also known as “Kitchen Knife and Green Chili Pepper” is a sweet, slice of life drama about a female chef’s fight to keep her family restaurant open due to financial difficulties. In order to save the restaurant, she has to marry a 19-year-old student, 15 years her junior. This sounds like a HUGE age gap, and it is. However, the drama does not give me an icky feeling due to this age difference.Amane (ML) is way mature for his age and luckily, Ichika (FL) is not written as an innocent and irritating older woman. You really only feel the support Amane has for Ichika. He is there to push her to challenge her limits and to believe in her talents. He supports her by managing the business side of things, so that she can focus on her creativity in cooking. The duo complements each other. In the backdrop is 1951 Japan after the war. Ichika challenges the tradition of only male chefs in the kitchen and fights the prejudice against women. the drama shows us a glimpse of the struggles of Japanese women after the war.
The romance develops naturally and sweetly. It’s not the focus of the drama, but it’s enough for me to satisfy my romance cravings. I enjoy all the cooking scenes and the explanation on how each dish is prepared. I don’t care much about the brother/sister-in-law relationship, but I understand we needed that for the main romance storyline and to showcase the beginning of a new era for women.
I recommend this if you are looking for a short and easy to watch drama with delicious cooking and food scenes.
Completed: 6/13/2023 - Review #318
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A Sweet Series that Highlighted Women's Stories in Old Time
Focusing on women's position in old-time Japan, where they consider a person who stays on the back and is not able to become a leader. Ichika, who was a widow, doesn't have a choice but to marry someone who is 15 years younger to save her family's restaurant. Not only that, she also faced a crisis about the fact that she needed to take over the business by becoming the head chef, although so many people doubted her just because she is a woman. Through this series, we could see how women had so many disadvantages in Japan at that time. How they look down on women. How women didn't get their proper place in society. The romance part is quite sweet. Just typical that Josei manga's story where the heroine find her true love and get loved by the male lead. Since it's all about cullinary, I love how they show us Japanese fussion cullinary, which perfectly describes the female lead character. For those who love food theme drama and sweet romance, this is truly recommended!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Watch this for my 2024 Alphabet Challenge. Quite surprised how much I liked this in the end…Story happened in 1952 in Kyoto revolving around Kuwanoki Ichika & her family Ryoten restaurant. After World War II, Kuwanoki restaurant was on the brink of bankruptcy. Not wanting to lose the family’s restaurant, Ichika’s aunt (Marukawa Machiko) has a plan to arrange marriage for Kuwanoki and Yamaguchi family to get help from Yamaguchi family.
At first, the candidate was Ichika's younger sister, Futaba with the 2nd son of the Yamaguchi family. But it turns out the second son is already married, so the choice falls to the 3rd son, Yamaguchi Amane. Futaba is already hesitant to marry the 2nd son, cause he is younger than her, but once Futaba heard the groom will be Amane (which is even more younger than her), she decided not go through with the wedding & elope with her crush. So, the burden fell on Ichika. Although hesitant at first, after talking to Amane, they decided to go through with the wedding.
With no feeling for each other, at first this all only a marriage of convenience. But over time, they learn more about each other, and their feelings grow. So, how in the end, Ichika & Amane help to raise the Ryoten restaurant from the brink of bankruptcy…?
That's pretty much the story without giving any more spoilers.
What I like:
+ The funny feeling of humans. Actually until the end they don’t explicitly show that Ichika & Amane falling in love with each other, implicitly sure, but never out in the open. But their feelings of ownership of each other exist. Like how Ichika likes to tease Amane for being young, she still doesn't like when others insult him for the same reason.
+ How supportive Amane is to Ichika. I like how Amane defends Ichika and the restaurant from his family plan.
+ How all the platonic relationships do not bloom into something else. Like Amane & Suzune, or Ichika & her former boss.
+ All the yummy recipes… Haha….
Overall for me this is quite one perfect peaceful drama to watch in your everyday life…
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This review may contain spoilers
Tasty food is the path to love
Being a woman in a male dominated society has never been easy moreover in rigid rules' dominated Japan in the 50s. Unfortunately, the war had left ryoten without a male head so the young woman needs to get a husband in order to make the business operational. Her younger unmarried sister having eloped, Ichika, a widow, is forced to marry young Amane whose family promised to help them save the restaurant. Ichika is an exceptional cook working in a western hotel (Japan is still under US rule) and manages to blend western and japanese cuisines and make delicious food. Amane, realizing his wife's talent, pushes her to become restaurants chef in spite of customs formally forbidding women to be in the restaurant's kitchen.Knife and Green Pepper: Ichika's Cookbook is a heartwarming tale about a 34 yr old widowed woman realizing her own worth with the help of a 19 yr old husband.It depicts the society still set in its old ways but shaken gently by the american presence and their customs.
Japanese excell in these cooking dramas and this one is no different: dishes bring people together be it by making them together(Ichika & Amane) or by serving them to "hostile" customers (americans or old respected men). We are privy to food preparation and can witness the pleasure and joy Ichiko derives from cooking. That joy is reflected in tasty dishes bringing happiness to whoever tastes them.
Everything is soft and muted in this drama: the cinematography, the music, the characters. The final song is really good and it plays over credit scene which is a must watch since it shows a scene already seen in the episode but from another point of view which brings additional depth to the characters.
The only problem I had with this drama is a total lack of chemistry between the main leads: their dynamics is more of a mother/son nature than lovers which they were supposed to have become by the end. I could not feel it. And even though Amane is oftentimes assertive and making decisions, as is expected from a sole male member of the house, and Ichika is demure and submissive as she is supposed to be with her husband, as the drama progresses their roles slowly reverse. Never completely, mind you, but they end up at the same place, looking eye to eye. I was not that much bothered by the age difference but even on the first day of their marriage, Ichika took the initiative to protect Amane from unnecessary intimacy when she realized he was ill at ease. Ichika herself had much more chemistry with the hotel chef and I could very well see them having a thing.
But this story was never going to be a conventional one: if you are going to break customs, do it completely and break every interdiction placed upon the characters. They seem to be doing this. Hopefully we will get another season of this drama and see how the characters evolve. This is based on a manga and apparently the drama covers 4 first books out of 10 published (never translated in english though). So there is more from where this came from!
PS Thanks to fansubbers for translating this drama. Such a nice watch!
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This review may contain spoilers
Heartwarming ride with no angast or draggy plot
So, From the title, it may look like a food blog, but this dorama was much more than that. It was so heartwarming and beautiful, especially the ending. The setting is in the 50s, where Japan is still under US rule and has a male-dominant society. It follows a female protagonist who paves her way through all the odds. The whole plot may seem obvious, but they represent it beautifully. On top of that, both characters were understanding and supportive. The show also features a beautiful aesthetic scenery of 50s Japan. I mean, that's all I needed. The manga is still ongoing, so I really wish we could have more seasons, but I wouldn't mind if it ended like this either. Being short also helped as there wasn't much dragging in the plot, and it got straight to business. This was such a good watch that I highly recommend.Was this review helpful to you?
A Gentle Flavor of Love and Warmth
This was an absolutely adorable, wholesome arranged-marriage drama with a younger man/older woman dynamic, and honestly every moment felt healing. I truly have nothing bad to say about it.The characters are beautifully written. The female lead isn’t just a modern character dropped into a period setting, she feels like a genuine woman of the 1950s: strong and resilient for her time, yet still tender, talented, and utterly adorable. The male lead is also excellent: a refreshing and well-rounded portrayal of a younger man who grows into his role with warmth and sincerity.
Their relationship begins as a marriage of convenience but slowly blossoms into love through a gentle, believable slow burn that makes you root for them every step of the way.
The food scenes are especially delightful, adding coziness and cultural flavor, while the cinematography and visuals give everything a soft, nostalgic charm.
If you’re looking for something comforting, heartwarming, and quietly romantic, I can’t recommend this drama enough. It’s the perfect healing watch. 🌸
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Burgeoning romance
Ichika and Amane show great character development as each has to step out of their comfort zone to make this arranged marriage work.At this time in Japan the role of females was very prescribed and Ichika has to overcome her upbringing, lack of confidence and the constant reminders by her Aunt and others that she is not worthy to be the head chef. Amane, being younger, has more modern thinking and his ideas are the catalyst for the ryoten restaurant and Ichika to solve the dwindling financial situation.
I liked the scenes where the couple work together to solve problems;
the American delegation not wanting Japanese prepared food
the US Japan women's group charmed with the bento boxes and making sushi rolls
the wedding reception on a budget
the competition to save the inn
The couple show a lot of consideration and respect and we can get glimpses of their feelings slowly changing to romance. They do not declare love at the end, however, they step closer and make a pact to continue together.
The manga is ongoing so it would be nice to get another season.
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Simple and Soothing
This is a nice little show for those that want a drama that's low key but still has enough content to sustain interest.Everything about the drama, from the writing to props to filming is basic but it's a very well done basic with overall cohesiveness and a small dash of creativity (much like Ichika's cooking). Like many Japanese dramas, the story is streamlined with little filler. The characters, from the main leads to the side characters, are all very likable with good acting to match. The romance as subtle, but complimented the story well. I appreciated how the female lead's journey meshed well with the timeline of it being an era of change, especially women's role in society. Overall, this is a good drama to recommend as a nice, short palate cleanser between heavy dramas or something relaxing after a long and stressful day. 6/21/24
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Unexpectedly good
A good show, I came across this randomly and it's like finding a hidden gem. I'm sure you read the description by now, It's a nice change of pace from all the other drama in the similar category, perhaps it's due to the fact this is adopted from a manga of same name, but not all adaptations are done this beautifully.Really liked closing sequence and the chosen OST was good for that part.
Anyway, the all the cast members are doing excellent work, it's a nice slice of life drama in historical setting. Would definitely recommend to everyone.
Thanks to the subtitle team.
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The story is set in Kyoto, Japan, during the 1950s. At that time, women were often unable to work in traditional restaurants due to the lack of acceptance from their male coworkers. Additionally, customers harbored biases against female chefs.
Today, many food enthusiasts seek traditional gourmet flavors and ambiance . For instance, the coffee prepared by skilled baristas is significantly more expensive than instant coffee; however, customers are willing to pay a premium for freshly brewed coffee.
If I am not mistaken, our favorite dishes were often home-cooked meals prepared by our parents, as they evoke memories of our childhood.
**Warning: Spoilers ahead!** After her younger sister's arranged marriage interview with a hotel owner's family, FL encountered an unexpected dilemma: her sister had eloped.
To meet the financial support requirements necessary to save her family's traditional restaurant, FL found herself compelled to assume the role of the bride. The groom's family was aware that FL's family lacked male heirs, and they seized this opportunity to gain ownership of the restaurant through familial connections. Unbeknown to FL, ML had been directed to make the restaurant profitable within a year, or it would be demolished and transformed into a new hotel.
When the main couple officially meets and introduces themselves, FL reveals that she is a widow. The age difference between her and ML, who is a college student, is like mother and son. However, ML is unfazed by this, as he is heartbroken over the fact that his sweetheart married his wealthy brother instead.
On their wedding night, she declined to consummate the marriage because they both had someone they like, so he slept in the adjacent room. He assumed she was still emotionally attached to her deceased husband, so he accepted the situation.
However, from her perspective, she wished to set him free, believing he was a young man with a promising future ahead of him. Their union was merely a marriage of convenience.
Even though their marriage lacks strong emotional connections, ML did everything he could to revive the restaurant business, despite knowing that FL harbored a secret infatuation for her former coworker, the head chef at a hotel.
The remaining episodes concentrate on the restaurant's strategy for attracting customers through mouth-watering dishes, ultimately culminating in a contest to determine the top chef in Kyoto.
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This review may contain spoilers
Really good and homey... but might benefit from more episodes
I honestly almost didn't watch it because of the age gap. But after seeing so many good reviews, I caved in and watched it. And honestly? It's such an underrated gem.Personally, I don't think that it's a romance-focused dorama, but shows more the struggles of being a woman in that time period (which is set after WWII in Japan). It shows how a woman, despite her skills, is often doubted and looked down on just because of her gender. Because of this culture being ingrained in the FL (Ichika), even she thought that her dreams must have limits. However, with the encouragement and support (+ a little bit of force) that she got from Amane, she begins to see that she has a place in the culinary world. With this, she begins to inspire other women around her as well.
However, it does have elements of romance. While the age gap did bother me, I can see that both Ichika and Amane went into the marriage fully aware that it is simply out of obligation. Both of them pulled their own weight in the relationship and didn't have power-imbalances that are prominent in age gap relationships. But with time and after seeing each other's strengths and weakness, the romance started to develop. However, I do think that the progression of their relationship wasn't clearly shown well. To an extent I can get how Amane's feelings developed, but with Ichika it was less convincing because she was more dismissive of such feelings (which I get, because she thinks she's hindering Amane from realizing his own future and tries to ignore any developing feelings for Amane's sake). I guess that if it had more eps, they could explore the relationship further.
Production wise, it is SO GOOD.
Would personally recommend!
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Good Enough
Japanese Drama " Nagatan to Aoto no Ryourijou" is a historical drama about food and family.The drama has that slice of life, cozy atmosphere that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. Those endings of the episodes were especially adorable and a nice touch.
The story is also pretty enjoyable, with the main couple's relationship being handled with care and nicely so that it wasn't that much of a deal their age gap. The male lead acting mature and not all cute and like a kid, aided with that a lot. Their relationship, overall, had a nice development and provided the drama with some lovable and sweet moments.
The little family drama that was added towards the ending was okay and didn't overshadow the main point of the story. It was also nice to have the female lead try to become a chef even though she was a woman. Her relationship with food was also interesting to watch.
So, overall, eight and a half out of ten.
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