Masa's Farm to Table Philosophy
 

Ever since Masa Miyake opened his doors in 2007 in an unsuspecting building on Spring Street his top priority has always been providing his customers with both a perpetually changing experience and the freshest local ingredients possible. Masa developed early relationships with many local farmers including GreenSpark Farms (Cape Elizabeth), Farm Fresh Connection (Freeport), and Luce’s Meat (North Anson) in order to utilize fresh local product in a manner that allowed him to present traditional Japanese fare along with a fusion element of his French/ Italian training.  He sources lobster and shellfish locally and is creative about sourcing marine items beyond these: including sazae tsubyaki, or northern New England conch, creating an additional market for local lobstermen and Maine kelp and seaweed from Ocean Approved.

This year, Masa took the next step in fulfilling his goal of a farm to table restaurant by forming Miyake Farm in Freeport.  There, Masa has expanded on his role as a chef and taken on the hat of a farmer to raise guinea hens, quails, chickens, ducks, and pigs and assorted organically grown produce.  From his Freeport farm, Masa will be able to source all of his meat locally for both his restaurants: Miyake and Pai Men Miyake. This allows greater control of many elements of quality that before were out of his hands.  Masa pairs sourcing from Miyake Farm with his pre-existing relationships with other producers, and therefore ensures reliability of supply by diversifying (i.e.; if one farm has a good year for a certain crop and one does not).  Masa is also planning on expanding his operation to 66 acres in Buxton where he will be able to have a year round supply of organically grown produce and also increase his volume to a place where Miyake Farm would be able to supply other Maine restaurants, as well.  Beyond farm-land and sea, Masa relies on nationally renowned forager, Evan Strusinski’s 20 years experience scavenging the woods of Maine to supply pristine mushrooms: a perfect example of yet another locally available product that is also central in Japanese cuisine.  

Maine is a very unique place that offers a bounty of high quality locally grown products that are available to both the general public and restaurants throughout the year. Miyake is firmly committed to supporting local producers throughout the year and expanding its own land to use Maine’s bounty to its fullest as both restaurants and farm grow symbiotically. 

Miyake:
468 Fore Street, Portland, ME
(207) 871-9170
http://www.miyakerestaurants.com/