The organization is working with world renowned restaurants across major U.S. markets to foster a deeper appreciation for Japanese sake with non-traditional pairings
NEW YORK, Oct. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center ("JFOODO") is thrilled to announce the official launch of its new campaign: Discover New Harmonies with Japanese Sake. With the goal of encouraging epicureans to look beyond traditional Japanese sake and food pairings, JFOODO is partnering with some of the city's most beloved restaurants –– l'abeille, Sereneco and Kru –– to host a dinner series that artfully spotlights sake's versatility.
Sake is made with simple ingredients: rice, koji, and water. The production of sake is more akin to beer-brewing than winemaking, but the result is an equally complex drink. With five times more amino acids than white wine, sake enhances the umami character of dishes that it is paired with –– making it an ideal companion for other umami-rich foods like seafood, cheese, aged meats, mushrooms, and more.
The Discover New Harmonies with Japanese Sake campaign began with a private gathering for media, content creators and industry leaders on October 10th at l'abeille.
The public-facing aspects of the campaign will commence on the week of October 21st, featuring two key elements:
Japanese Sake Pairing Nights
- JFOODO is partnering with Michelin-starred restaurant l'abeille on a two-night pop-up dinner series on Thursday, October 24th and Friday, October 25th.
- On each evening, sake expert and certified sake sommelier Chris Johnson (The Sake Ninja) will provide a thoughtful primer on sake brewing and pairing for each guest, serving as an expert guide as they enjoy a multi-course pairing menu created by l'abeille chef Mitsunobu Nagae and beverage director David Bérubé.
- Pairings include Marinated Horse Mackerel & Sesame paired with Masumi, Junmai Ginjo "Shiro", Nagano; Crab Croquette, Kimchi Sauce Vierge & Herb Salad paired with Kokuryu, Junmai "Nine Headed Dragon", Fukui; Black Cod, Saikyo-Miso & Daikon Radish paired with Tedorigawa, Junmai "Silver Mountain" Yamahai, Ishikawa; and Basque Cheesecake, Lemon Purée & Cognac Chantilly paired with Heavensake, Junmai Daiginjo "Tatenokawa", Yamagata.
Japanese Sake Pairing Weeks
- During the weeks of October 21st and October 28th, exclusive pairings will be available on the regular menus at Kru, Sereneco, and l'abeille.
- Each restaurant will offer an inventive Japanese sake and food pairing special like a Seafood Platter paired with Fukucho, Seaside, Sparkling Junmai, Hiroshima (Kru); Somen Noodles with Southern Thai Style Crab Curry paired with Kawatsuru "Olive" Junmai Ginjo (Kru); and Seared Cod (braised fennel, brown butter parsnip purée, yuzu, shiso) paired with Masumi Shiro by Miyasaka Brewing (Sereneco).
Interest in sake in the United States has reached an all time high –– the volume of sake exported from Japan more than doubled between 2014 and 2022 and in 2023, the sake category in the U.S. reached a market value of $550 million.
"As Americans gain a greater interest in sake, our goal is to deepen and expand the public perception of how Japanese sake pairs with food, particularly among adventurous diners and epicureans. By collaborating closely with world-class chefs and sommeliers, we look forward to converting many new Japanese sake fans," says Keiko Fujita, Category Manager of JFOODO.
In addition to New York City, JFOODO will be activating this campaign in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Locals can enjoy Japanese sake and creative food pairings at their favorite restaurants like Wife and the Somm, Agnes and Kali in Los Angeles and Birdsong, Waterbar and The Morris in San Francisco.
More information about the campaign and sake-related events can be found here and on social media @pairwithsake.
For media and influencer inquiries, please contact Band of Insiders: [email protected].
ABOUT JFOODO
JFOODO (The Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center) was established by the Japanese government in 2017 with the aim of boosting the export of Japanese agricultural, forestry, fishery and food products by branding them and promoting them widely around the world.
JFOODO was named with the hope and vision of increasing awareness of Japanese Food and winning fans for it all over the world, in the same way that other Japanese cultures do.
In Japanese, the kanji character「道」(read as "dō") literally means "the way" or "the code." In addition to world-renowned Japanese arts such as bushido (武士道, or "the way of the warrior"), kendo (剣道, or "the way of the sword"), and sado (茶道, or "The way of tea"), JFOODO aims to promote "the way of food" together with Japanese culture.
Media Contact
Band of Insiders, Band of Insiders US, 1 9043476586, [email protected]
SOURCE JFOODO
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