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The Chef & the Daruma film image; chefs working and laughing

The Chef & the Daruma

Insights

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World Premiere

For 36 years, Tojo’s has been a mainstay in the Vancouver food scene, beloved by critics, foodies, and a plethora of celebrities. A pioneer of Japanese cuisine in the West, chef Hidekazu Tojo helped bring sushi to the mainstream and is known as the inventor of the California Roll. Still working in his seventies, chef Tojo is inspired to look back on his life and ponder the legacy he will leave behind. He recalls his early years as a Japanese immigrant, coming to Canada at the age of 21, and his ambition to create a singular culinary path. We also accompany the chef on a return trip to Japan, where he connects with locals and explores new food trends.

Shot in Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and Japan, The Chef & the Daruma is a mouth-watering film tracing a journey of immigration, identity, and reinvention. Mads K. Baekkevold, in his first feature documentary, creates a loving tribute to a man who has devoted his life to sharing food.

The October 3 screening of The Chef & the Daruma is a Relaxed Screening. Relaxed Screenings are open to ANYONE who would benefit from a less restrictive and sensory-friendly experience. Learn more about Relaxed Screenings here.

 

Sept 30: Q&A with director Mads K. Baekkevold; editor Anna Chiyeko Shannon; executive producer Matt Lawrence Dix; writer/producer Natalie Murao; producer Luis Guerra; and Hidekazu Tojo & Momoko Tojo

Oct 5: Q&A with director Mads K. Baekkevold; executive producer Matt Lawrence Dix; producers Natalie Murao & Luis Guerra; and Hidekazu Tojo & Momoko Tojo

 

Supported by

Media Partner

               

Director
Featuring

Hidekazu Tojo

Credits
Country of Origin

Canada

Year

2024

Language

In English and Japanese with English subtitles

Film Contact
Content Warning

Coarse language

PG

Open to youth at SFU Woodwards & Lochmaddy Studio Theatre

19+

At Fifth Avenue

90 min
BC Spotlight Documentary U18 May Attend
Wallop Film

Book Tickets

This event has passed.

Credits & Director

Executive Producer

Matt Lawrence Dix

Producer

Luis Guerra

Screenwriter

Natalie Murao

Cinematography

Kaayla Whachell

Editor

Anna Chiyeko Shannon

Production Design

Megan MacAulay

Original Music

Masahiro Takahashi

Mads K. Baekkevold headshot; The Chef & the Daruma director

Mads K. Baekkevold

Mads K. Baekkevold, born in Norway and earning a BA in film directing at Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore, has built his career while constantly on the move.

From working as a senior creative at Media.Monks in Amsterdam to working through Asia and being part of a Cannes Lions-awarded creative team, Mads has a curiosity for people, their stories, their customs—and, of course, food.

Now based in the Pacific Northwest, he has completed his latest film, The Chef & the Daruma (2024), alongside writer and creative producer Natalie Murao.

 

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