EVENT REPORT. Part 2: The James Beard Foundation Masterpiece Dining Umami: A Modern Japanese Dégustation

Transcription

1 EVENT REPORT Part 2: The James Beard Foundation Masterpiece Dining Umami: A Modern Japanese Dégustation Tuesday, July 29, 2008 The James Beard House, New York Chef: Kunio Tokuoka 13

2 Event Overview Event : The James Beard Foundation Masterpiece Dining Umami: A Modern Japanese Dégustation Date : Tuesday, July 29, 2008 (at 7:00 pm) Venue : The James Beard House, 167 West 12th Street, New York, NY Attendees : 53 people Sponsors : The James Beard Foundation and The Umami Information Center Supporters : Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Champagne Paul Goerg, Hanzell Vineyards, House Foods America Corporation, Markham Vineyards, Pahlmeyer Kunio Tokuoka (Executive Chef, Kyoto Kitcho) Chef Kunio Tokuoka is the grandson of Kitcho founder, Teiichi Yuki. At the age of 15, he began his training at the flagship Arashiyama Kyoto Kitcho restaurant a revered purveyor of Kyoto's kaiseki haute cuisine. 20 years later, in 1995, he was named head chef, a position that he still holds today. Based out of Kyoto, Japan, Tokuoka is an eager participant in international culinary events. He was the first representative of Japanese cuisine to be invited to the International Summit of Gastronomy in Madrid in 2005, and has participated in a number of events organized by the Italian Slow Food Association. In the food world, he is currently actively involved in educating, vitalizing, and learning more by way of the natural environment about the true essence of food. The James Beard Foundation was established after the death of James Beard, the Father of American Cuisine, to honor his achievements, promote advancement within the culinary world, and offer scholarships to help educate talented chefs. It is one of the most prestigious organizations in the culinary world, and each year holds the James Beard Awards which are often called the Academy Awards of the culinary world. After James Beard s death in 1985, his townhouse in Greenwich Village became The James Beard House, a culinary center and place for well known chefs from all over the world to showcase their cuisines. The James Beard Foundation and the Umami Information Center sponsored the Masterpiece Dining event Umami: A Modern Japanese Dégustation which was presented by Chef Kunio Tokuoka, the executive chef at Kyoto Kitcho. The Masterpiece Dining series began in Chef Tokuoka s event is the 5 th in the series and he is the first Japanese chef to present. The dinner was held at the James Beard House on July 29, 2008 to commemorate the 100 th year anniversary of the discovery of umami. Guests were introduced to umami through Chef Tokuoka s cuisine. Attendees included famous New York chefs David Bouley, Michael Romano, Tadashi Ono, and well known food editors Florence Fabricant of The New York Times and Josh Ozersky of New York Magazine. Starting with a reception and ending with dessert, the event lasted five hours. Chef Tokuoka spent 3 days preparing for the dinner at the Bouley test kitchen. During this time, he held a press event where he was able to speak with food journalists and editors and let them sample his food. 1

3 The Menu Hors D Oeuvre Seared Toro with Garlic Crisps, Shiso, and Myoga Ginger Garnish Miyazaki Beef with Kombu Broth Simmered Onions, Ginger, and Yuzu Garnish Fried Japanese Yams with Soy Sauce Infused Egg Yolks Champagne Paul Goerg Brut Rose NV (in magnum) Dinner Lobster and Sea Urchin with Tosa Vinegar Gelée and Steamed Vegetables Markham Vineyards Chardonnay 2006 Clam Soup with Poached Egg, Smoked Chicken Mousse, and Shiitakes Hanzell Vineyards Chardonnay 2005 Char Grilled Golden Eyed Snapper with Abalone Sauce and Vegetables Simmered in Kombu Butter Broth Pahlmeyer Napa Valley Chardonnay 2006 Miyazaki Steak with Sukiyaki Sauce, Charbroiled Dry Aged Sirloin Steak, and Miyazaki Beef Shabu Shabu served with Grilled Vegetables Pahlmeyer Merlot 2005 After Dinner Amuse Bouche Kombu Broth Risotto Topped with Soy Sauce Flavored Bonito Flakes Kitcho Teio Proprietary Sake Dessert Green Tea Ice Cream with Soft Adzuki Been Jelly and Sweet Rice Dumplings Fried Mango Peel with Warm Mango Cinnamon Sauce Caramelized Sweet Potato with Cointreau Honey Strings 2

4 Umami: A Modern Japanese Dégustation Before the dinner... James Beard House entrance Chef Tokuoka briefs the servers on his dishes At the reception Guests enjoy champagne and passed hors d oeuvres at the reception Seared Toro with Garlic Crisps, Shiso, and Myoga Ginger Garnish Miyazaki Beef with Kombu Broth Simmered Onions, Ginger, and Yuzu Garnish Fried Japanese Yams with Soy Sauce Infused Egg Yolk 3

5 Umami: A Modern Japanese Dégustation At the table (dinner) Appetizer Japanese daikon radish candle presentation Soup Lobster and Sea Urchin with Tosa Vinegar Gelée and Steamed Vegetables Fish Meat Clam Soup with Poached Egg, Smoked Chicken Mousse, and Shiitakes Risotto Char Grilled Golden Eyed Snapper with Abalone Sauce and Vegetables Simmered in Kombu Butter Broth Miyazaki Steak with Sukiyaki Sauce, Charbroiled Dry Aged Sirloin Steak, and Miyazaki Beef Shabu Shabu Served with Grilled Vegetables Kombu Broth Risotto Topped with Soy Sauce Flavored Bonito Flakes 4

6 Umami: A Modern Japanese Dégustation At the table (dessert)... Green Tea Ice Cream with Soft Adzuki Been Jelly and Sweet Rice Dumplings Fried Mango Peel with Warm Mango Cinnamon Sauce Caramelized Sweet Potato with Cointreau Honey Strings Chef Tokuoka s Closing Words The reason why Japanese cuisine has a reputation for being healthy is because the ingredients and cooking methods used require only small amounts of oil. Also, it is part of our culture to enjoy the natural flavors of ingredients. Combining dashi (soup stock) with other ingredients is important in Japanese cuisine. The flavor you get from dashi is alone satisfying, so by skillfully using dashi and umami, you can feel very satiated without having to use large amounts of oil. It isn t simply the umami, but also what you add it to, and how you eat it that is important. Understanding the importance of knowing which ingredients to use is understanding the food industry. And this applies to both the people who grow the food and those who eat it. I hope that this umami dinner will make you reexamine what deliciousness, food, and the food industry are all about. Chef Tokuoka talks about umami Chef Tokuoka s team of chefs 5

7 About the Umami Information Center Founded in 1982, with the support of the Umami Manufacturers Association of Japan, the Umami Information Center (UIC) was set up to disseminate information about umami to people all over the world. In April 2007, the UIC was awarded non profit status in Japan, allowing it to increase its scope of activities and be a more neutral organization. In an effort to disseminate valuable and accurate information about umami throughout Japan and the world, the UIC maintains a website, publishes literature, and organizes symposia. North American Office c/o Matrix Advertising Associates Inc., 375 West Broadway, 4 th Floor, New York, NY 10012, U.S.A. European Office c/o Cross Media Ltd., 5 7 Folgate Street, 1 st Floor, London E1 6BX, UNITED KINGDOM Headquarters MS Building, 5 th Floor, 17 6 Ichiban cho, Chiyoda ku, Tokyo , JAPAN E mail: info@umamiinfo.com; usinfo@umamiinfo.com (North America) Website: 6