Case 02 : Minami Asano What is beautiful?
PROFILE
She started modeling when she was a student, and her poor physical condition caused by excessive dieting awakened her to health and food. Currently, she runs a catering service and bento box shop, "Bina-ya," and proposes healthy eating habits and beauty. She is also active as a runner and has worked extensively in the media and advertising. She lives in Ehime, where her family lives, and Tokyo.
Instagram:@minami_asano
-Please tell us again how you came to start "Binaya".
Asano: I was originally a model, but when I was in my mid-twenties, I got sick. At that time, I continued to follow fad diets that forced me to lose weight or eat only certain things, and as a result, my body broke down. Then I realized, "Oh, this is not beautiful at all. I thought, "As long as I am doing public appearances, I need to be healthy in order to look beautiful. I wanted to be healthy myself, and I wanted the people watching me to value that as well, which led me to start studying food on my own.
Around the same time, I had the opportunity to run my first full marathon for work. I thought I would never be able to finish the race, but I was able to finish in a surprisingly good time, which gave me a lot of confidence. I felt like I could do anything. When I thought about making a career out of food and health, the first thing that came to mind was catering for film shoots. I had always eaten on set, had a vague idea of what was required, and was familiar with the requests and circumstances of the people placing the orders. I started this catering service because I thought it would be a way to give back to the shoots that had taken care of me when I was a model.
-I see. Did you have any cooking experience before that?
Asano: I have always enjoyed cooking for myself and did it often. However, I had a strong feeling that I needed to lose weight, and even if I went to the trouble of cooking, I always had the feeling that I was restricting myself by not eating too much. I changed my mindset and decided to eat properly so that I could maintain my style and stay healthy. I decided to eat three well-balanced, nutritious meals a day.
In those days, the pressure to have a so-called “model body” was stronger than it is now, wasn't it?
Asano: Yes, it was. We had weekly measurements at the office, which was also very stressful.
-How did you go about your specific studies?
Asano: I worked as an assistant for a chef who catered to customers and took food-related certifications and diet tests. I was attracted to the idea that diet does not mean "to lose weight," but rather "to be healthy and beautiful. I also took a food styling certification to learn how to present myself. I started to enjoy taking the certifications and wondered what I should take next. I was like, "What should I get next?
- "Binaya" is already 7 years old, what is your commitment?
Asano: First of all, it's “colorful.” If it looks gorgeous, it naturally contains a variety of nutrients. Even our most reasonable bento box lunches contain eight different side dishes, so that one meal is enough to satisfy the appetite. And then there is the “seasonal food. Seasonal foods. Seasonal vegetables are the most nutritious, so I try to include them in my bento.
The basic ingredients come from suppliers who are able to provide us with a stable supply, but my husband's family is a farmer in Ehime, so we sometimes use rice and vegetables from there that they send us. Basically, everything is handmade. We try to use as few additives as possible, and we are very careful in our choice of seasonings.
-We had the opportunity to photograph you at work this time. Is this something you do every month, taking pictures of the finished dishes and making notes?
Asano: Yes, we do. Since many of our customers are repeat customers every month, we try to change the main dishes and vegetables from month to month. We have a nutritionist on staff who comes up with the menu and its benefits, and together we decide on the contents, including the look and feel. We photograph it and share it with all the staff. We would like to change the menu at least once a month, as seasonal ingredients change with the season.
