If you have Netflix and even a slight love of food, you owe it to yourself to check out the Netflix original mini-series Samurai Gourmet. The show follows a newly-retired 60-year-old man as he explores the various bars and restaurants around him with new eyes.
At first blush, the show looks like it’s about food. I mean, it’s called Samurai Gourmet, after all. When you get beneath the surface a bit though, you realize that there’s way more going on here than you first realize. Here are three lessons from the show that go beyond food.
Treats are better when you’ve earned them.
In episode 5, titled Bento Lunch on Set, protagonist Kasumi is acting as an extra in a Japanese film. After the shoot is finished, the extras are served a warm lunch. It’s a simple bento box, but the way Kasumi revels in the food is just captivating. When he brings the leftovers home to his wife, he tells her that the food was fantastic; when she tries it though, she finds it bland.
The lesson here is that food, or any other kind of treat or reward for that matter, is way more satisfying when you’ve earned it. It’s an ice-cold beer after helping your friend move into his new place. It’s a brand new karate gi once you finally get to that next belt level. It’s a steak dinner after you’ve saved money all month.
Whatever the reward, it’s much more satisfying when you’ve earned it.
Sometimes, we make things out to be bigger than they are.
In episode 6, titled Lunch at an Old-Fashioned Café, Kasumi is reading and enjoying a coffee and a meal when two loud patrons walk in and begin disrupting everybody. Kasumi is afraid to say anything to them, and the noise continues for some time. Finally, the unassuming waitress politely but firmly asks the two men to quiet down, saying that they’re disrupting the experience for others. There’s a moment of pause, and then the two men bow their heads and apologize for their actions.
The entire time, Kasumi was worried that saying something to the men would start a fight, or that he would be laughed out of the café.
The lesson in this case is that we often make mountains out of molehills – we build things up to be a much bigger problem in our own mind than they really are. It’s worth taking some time to step outside yourself and try to look at the situation objectively. Often, it’s not nearly as bad as it first seems.
Don’t judge a book by its cover.
In episode 7, titled Umbrellas at the Dinner Counter, Kasumi finds a quaint little bar run by an older lady. At one point, another patron leaves the bar saying that it’s going to rain and he wants to beat the storm; at this, another patron comments that everyone can order “the usual,” which perplexes Kasumi.
While Kasumi is eating and listening to two young businessmen argue about how they’d like to have more responsibility, another man walks in and drunkenly begins berating the young men for being arrogant and naïve. This time though, Kasumi does speak up, asking the man to stop so everyone can enjoy their food and drink. The man apologizes, and shares his story about how he’s just recently retired from business, and how the young men arguing remind him of something he misses.
The moral of this story is not to judge a book by its cover. It would have been easy to dismiss the man as a drunken fool without giving any thought to why the man is behaving that way. We all have bad days, and we all act in ways that we shouldn’t from time-to-time. It’s called being human. But remember that when it comes to other, as well. If someone is acting poorly, give them the benefit of the doubt. Show them compassion instead of anger; sympathy instead of judgment. It’s amazing the impact this can have on someone who’s having a bad day.
Wrapping it Up
Samurai Gourmet quickly became one of my all-time favourite shows on Netflix. Each episode is unique, self-contained and layered in its meaning, and the way the show portrays food will literally bring a tear to your eye. They just respect the hell out of each meal, and you feel that.
If you’re sitting inside on a rainy (or snowy these days) day, do yourself a favour and check out Samurai gourmet – you won’t be disappointed. I’ll post another article with more lessons soon!
