Two coasts, one way of cooking

I cook on the Côte d'Azur and I use Japanese technique, so olive oil and miso end up on the same plate.

The Mediterranean side

Extra virgin olive oil. Used generously. Often the last thing on the dish.

Oily fish. Sardines, anchovies, mackerel, salmon, more than once in a week when the counter is good.

Legumes. Chickpeas, lentils and white beans, often enough to carry a meal.

Wine. Traditionally a glass with food and company, never on its own. That is the custom, not advice to drink.

The Okinawan side

Purple sweet potato. Historically the main carbohydrate. Deep violet.

Bitter melon (goya). Central to Okinawan cooking. Bitter, yes, and worth learning to like.

Tofu and soy. Traditionally made, not a long packaged ingredient list.

Seaweed. A briny depth in the bowl.

Hara hachi bu. The habit of stopping before the plate is finished, about four-fifths of the way.

How I combine them

Breakfast

Roasted purple sweet potato, soft-boiled eggs with a little miso, greens sautéed with garlic, olive oil to finish.

Lunch

Quinoa and seaweed, wild salmon with white miso glaze, a salad of bitter leaves, tahini and olive oil.

Dinner

• ·To start: sardines with white bean purée
• ·Main: miso-glazed black cod with roasted vegetables
• ·On the side: a ferment somewhere between sauerkraut and kimchi
• ·To finish: dark chocolate with matcha

A weekly rhythm

Mediterranean days: fish, plenty of olive oil, legumes, tomatoes and fresh herbs.

Okinawan days: tofu or tempeh, seaweed and mushrooms, sweet potato, green tea through the day.

In between: borrow from both, and keep each tradition intact.