TOKYO -- On a cloudy morning in Peru's Sacred Valley, a 40-mile stretch of farmland in the foothills of the Andes, Virgilio Martinez sips coffee inside the dining room of the expansive Explora hotel. Despite the early hour and a slight headache from the elevation -- 2,700 meters above sea level -- the 44-year-old chef has no difficulty weaving philosophical musings into koan-like observations.
"We have this idea of flying seeds," said Martinez, describing the concept behind Maz, his new venture in Tokyo, which opened on July 1. What follows is a reflection on biodiversity and cultural exchange that traces the migration of plant species via seeds that sailed across the ocean atop fallen leaves and smuggled in the pockets of humans.
