Savannah morning news

A YEN FOR SOUL FOOD

Cultures Collide

The Deep South Met the Far East when Chef Richard Austin

helped bring is style of cuisine to Japan

Mark Twain once claimed that part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.

But chef Richard Austin wasn't instigating a food fight when he brought a special slice of southern cuisine from the Coastal Empire to osaka, Japan.

But his lip-licking offerings of okra, tomatoes and sausage, collard greens, cornbread and barbecue ribs might do as much to bring differing cultures

together as the United Nations. 

Five weeks ago, the Darien resident returned from a month's stay in Osaka where he was hired to instruct chefs in cooking soul food and Cajun cuisine at an upscale restaurant

called the Savannah Bar and Grill. 

Austin said the rhythm and blues nightclub and eatery is the first sould food restaurant in Osaka, the third largest city in Japan with a population of 2.7

million. 

Darrell Gartrell, the owner of Savannah Bar and Grill, started the restaurant four months ago. His father and grandfather were born in Savannah he still has 

aunts and uncles in the area.  While it may seem strange to start a soul food restaurant in Japan, it follows Gartrell's business philosophy.  He has a chain of 

English schools in Japan designed and patterned on African-American heritage.

 

"As an entrepreneur, it is important to sniff out opportunities...Savannah is merely an extension of that (African-American) concept," Gartrells said.