Flaking fad? Japan opens Bonito plant in Europe

They came all the way from Japan to France with a crazy idea: establishing a factory for authentic dried bonito flakes, a key ingredient in Japanese cuisine that is very rare in Europe.

Dried bonito fish, also known as katsuobushi, has a distinct flavor and is the main ingredient in dashi, a traditional stock which forms the basis of much of Japanese cuisine.

Considered essential for Japanese cooking, European chefs have been largely unable to find authentic bonito as it cannot be exported from Japan to Europe.