HYPER JAPAN 2012 Spring

Sushi always tastes better with a drop of KIKKOMAN Soy Sauce, but while the naturally brewed goodness of KIKKOMAN might be available in the home, it’s still pretty hard to make sushi like the experts in your own kitchen. Still, the KIKKOMAN Sushi Challenge at HYPER JAPAN London 2010 was a great way to learn the basics, then watch our Sushi Challengers battle it out on the HYPER JAPAN stage on Friday 1st October and Saturday 2nd October.

Sushi Challengers were invited to learn some essential sushi techniques from our resident sushi expert, Tomokazu Matsuya from SO Restaurant. After Chef Matsuya’s instruction, the Sushi Challengers had a chance to practice before the competition began! The Sushi Challengers were asked to make nigirizushi (that’s the kind where the sushi neta, or topping, is placed on top of a bed of sushi rice), under the watchful eye of Chef Matsuya. The best sushi was judged to be the piece on which the salmon topping stayed stuck onto the rice for the longest when the sushi was held upside-down. The winners on both days received an exclusive Jumbo Inflatable KIKKOMAN Soy Sauce Dispenser – not available anywhere in the shops!

On Friday 1st October it was Kristina Poslusna who won, and on Saturday 2nd October the prize went to Alex Cambell.

KIKKOMAN Soy Sauce is the most distinctive variety of all soy sauces currently available. It is naturally brewed, using just four ingredients and no artificial additives. The careful fermentation process is what makes it so rich in umami, and its smooth mellow flavour distinguishes it from alternative products. Learn more about KIKKOMAN Soy Sauce here and try out a delicious Eat-Japan recipe using this umami-rich, naturally brewed, essential Japanese ingredients.

Tomokazu Matsuya is head sushi chef at SO Restaurant, voted the UK’s Favourite Japanese in the Eat-Japan Dining Awards 2009 by the most discerning customers of all – Japanese residents in London. Chef Matsuya started out as a professional chef in 1987, aged 17, then joined the Self-Defense Forces and worked as a chef in the maritime forces for 15 years, cooking for VIPs onboard. After leaving, he opened his own restaurant, then in 2006 he moved to the UK for a new challenge, using his years of experience as a sushi chef to bring the authentic taste of Japan to British diners. He became SO Restaurant’s Head Sushi Chef in 2007. He is also a skilled instructor who has taught many a sushi enthusiast up until now through his regular sushi making classes at SO Restaurant.

Owned by a pioneering Japanese restaurateur, SO Restaurant now offers a beautifully prepared and varied menu combining classic Japanese cuisine unmistakable European twist. Heading up the classic sushi bar is Tomokazu Matsuya, whilst Kaoru Yamamoto, who has a background in French cuisine, creates fusion dishes in the kitchen. SO Restaurant is an exciting and innovative Japanese dining experience that has won multiple awards – don’t forget to try out their dishes at the Eat-Japan Food Court.