Japanese farmer supplies Barcelona’s top restaurants with unique miniature vegetables and herbs from his three organic farms in Pals.
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Hidenori Futami, originally from Osaka, has become the go-to supplier for Catalonia’s most celebrated chefs after dedicating ten years to perfecting his craft in the Costa Brava region.
Why Japanese Farmer Supplies Barcelona’s Elite Restaurants
Futami’s journey began when he and his wife decided to leave their restaurant jobs in Kobe for a completely different lifestyle. They spent two months searching across Catalonia before settling in Pals, drawn by the land’s potential for growing Japanese vegetable seeds. However, the transition presented significant challenges.
The Catalan soil proved much harder than Japan’s fine earth, requiring Futami to develop unique fertilisation methods. He explains his solution: “I use bivalves, oysters, mussels, green bean leaves, and mix everything together before adding it to the soil.” This organic approach has become fundamental to his farming philosophy.
Furthermore, Barcelona’s culinary landscape continues to evolve with international influences, as demonstrated by the diverse dining options emerging throughout the city. Futami’s produce represents another layer of this global culinary exchange.
Building Relationships With Top Chefs
His client list reads like a who’s who of Catalan gastronomy, including the Roca brothers, Jordi Cruz, Albert Adrià, and Carles Pérez de Rozas. Futami recalls: “My first client in Barcelona was Albert Raurich – we speak Japanese together, especially with his wife Tamae Ichai.”
The initial delivery runs to Barcelona proved challenging, but persistence paid off. Today, he makes regular deliveries to the city on Tuesdays and Thursdays, ensuring chefs receive produce harvested just the day before. This freshness has become his signature quality.
Meanwhile, the local agricultural community has embraced Futami’s methods. He collaborates with Albert Grassot, who grows the famous Pals rice, exchanging rice husks that Futami uses as natural fertiliser. This partnership demonstrates how international techniques can complement traditional Catalan farming.
The Unique Produce Selection
Futami specialises in miniature vegetables that pack intense flavours, including tiny tomatoes and cucumbers smaller than a little finger. He also cultivates dozens of aromatic herbs and Japanese varieties like purple daikon radish and yuzu citrus.
Some experiments, like Japanese sweet potato, remain in testing phases. “I won’t sell it yet because I’m still testing,” he explains, showing his meticulous approach. All cultivation remains completely chemical-free, adhering to strict ecological principles.
This dedication to quality reflects broader trends in Barcelona’s food scene, where innovative approaches to traditional ingredients continue to gain popularity among both chefs and consumers.
Future Plans And Philosophy
Despite their restaurant background, Futami and his wife have no plans to return to that world. “In Catalonia we only want to be farmers,” he states emphatically. Their two children, aged 10 and 15, now speak Catalan fluently, though the parents find the language more challenging.
The Japanese farmer supplies Barcelona’s culinary elite while maintaining strong connections to local producers. He even buys tomatoes and courgettes from Catalan farmers for his own family meals, noting: “I’ve noticed they have good hearts, hardworking, like the Japanese.”
This cross-cultural exchange exemplifies how global influences continue to enrich Catalonia’s food landscape while respecting local traditions and building genuine community connections.
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