Far from Parisian bistros serving up Burgundy snails, one Japanese man has figured out how to farm the slimy species — a feat that has long eluded the French.
Toshihide Takase, 76, says he is "the only person in the world" breeding this specific delicacy, after four decades of trial and error to find the right conditions.
French embassy and industry insiders also believe that Takase, who has invested a small fortune and taught himself everything about the creature, is a unique case.