Olivier Campardou

Olivier Campardou makes the famous noodles used to garnish Japanese broth. He learned everything he knew in the Land of the Rising Sun. A report from his workshop in Rimont, Ariège.

He wields his meat grinder with the precision of a master chef. Dressed in traditional garb, this farmer is both a peasant and a master of soba, the name given to this Japanese noodle specialty.

Soba is buckwheat spaghetti. " The unique thing about mine is that it's 100% buckwheat. I don't use wheat, whereas the Japanese recipe uses 20%. I left it out to provide a guarantee for people who don't eat gluten ," explains Olivier Campadour.

This buckwheat is produced and processed locally by this farmer. Once hulled, the grain is turned into flour in a mill he built himself, inspired by Japanese models. Before starting, he went to Japan to learn about the tools and know-how. " To see how they did it, how they processed buckwheat, the tools they used, the hullers. Because we don't have the tradition of hulling it in France. The Japanese make very good hulling equipment. I also learned how to make soba from a soba master while immersed in a restaurant ."

Since then, the farmer has expanded his range and now offers a variety of roasted buckwheat infusions. This product has become very popular, particularly among Japanese expats in Paris. " Most of my retailers are in Paris. I have about thirty retailers in Paris who sell my infusion. I sold a ton last year. Locally, a little in Toulouse, in the Basque Country, but also at the Saint-Girons market."

His journey led him to own his own business in Paris, where he trained 2,000 people to make soba noodles. Since then, he has returned full-time to his farm, nestled in a corner of the valley where Ariège heritage and Japanese tradition now coexist.