Malcolm Island wasabi, an unusual crop for the Canadian climate
Did you know that the wasabi you eat with your sushi is not the real thing? A Canadian botanist has the secret recipe for growing genuine wasabi in North America.
Local growers are researching a variety of uses for wasabi outside the kitchen.
Canada is making a name for itself in an unexpected agricultural sector.
Ever tried Canadian-grown wasabi?
Brian Oates is the owner of Pacific Coast Wasabi. He spent two decades developing a greenhouse system to grow wasabi on Malcolm Island, B.C.. It's the most northern place where wasabi is grown.
Oates sees a market beyond the kitchen.
"There are biomedical uses that we have started research on, there are cosmetic uses, veterinarian uses and industrial uses."
Oates takes chef Ricardo Larrivée on a tour inside a wasabi greenhouse to give him a firsthand look at how this cruciferous root vegetable is grown and harvested.