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
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 17, 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 –– Birdsong, Waterbar and The Morris –– 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 15th at Birdsong.
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 Birdsong (which has two Michelin stars) 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 Eduardo Dingler 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 Chef Christopher Bleidorn and Beverage Director Alex Silverman.
- Pairings include Halibut (salt-cured served with coastal marinated seaweeds) paired with Toko "Divine Droplets" Junmai Daiginjo, Yamagata; Radishes and Butter paired with Masumi Shiro 'Sake Matinee' Junmai Ginjo, Nagano; Abalone (roasted over fire with artichoke and pork fat) paired with Taiheizan 'Tenko 40' Heavenly Grace, Akita; Black Cod (seared over embers with sunflower seed milk and rolls) paired with Kamoizumi "Summer Snow" Nigori Ginjo, Hiroshima; and Mt. Tam Cheese with Honey, Strawberries and Sweet Woodruff paired with Dewazakura 'Mountain Cherry' Daiginjo, Yamagata
Japanese Sake Pairing Weeks
- During the weeks of October 21st and October 28th, exclusive pairings will be available on the regular menus at Birdsong, Waterbar and The Morris.
- Each restaurant will offer an inventive Japanese sake and food pairing special like Mussels (anchovy broth, garleek and grilled bread) paired with Born Nama Genshu Yamanishiki (The Morris); and Sake Braised & Grilled Oyster (merken-spiced abalone mushroom, guanciale gremolata crumb, bottarga) paired with Tanaka 1789 X Chartier Blend 002 (Waterbar).
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 New York and Los Angeles. Locals can enjoy Japanese sake and creative food pairings at their favorite restaurants like l'abeille, Sereneco and Kru in New York and Wife and the Somm, Agnes and Kali in Los Angeles.
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 as part of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) 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 Band of Insiders US
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