–JETRO Business Matching of Japanese Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food in Singapore 2017–
The immense popularity of Japanese food sees a surge in countries all over the world every year and it is no exception here in Singapore. To address this ever expanding need, the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), will be holding another exclusive one-day F&B industry showcase titled IN:FUSE as part of their continued efforts to promote safe and healthy Japanese food for export. This second edition will be held at Tampopo Loft Culinary Studio on Thursday 14 September 2017.
Highlights:
- Meet and network with 29 participating suppliers of seafood, fresh, frozen produce as well as ready to eat Japanese packaged food.
- Learn and sample six fusion dishes created by renowned master chefs of Italian and local cuisine in cooking demonstrations
IN:FUSE sets the stage for business and networking opportunities between the 29 Japanese suppliers and interested buyers. With meeting and discussion breaks catered during the course of the event, it is the perfect opportunity for anyone interested, to interact directly with the suppliers and representatives from JETRO. “As Japanese cuisine is quite popular in Singapore, we believe that more Japanese ingredients can be applied in international cuisines. Besides, we wanted to organise a smaller scale, more intimate event so that visitors and buyers are able to closely interact with the master chefs during the demo sessions; and to understand how versatile Japanese ingredients are – that they can be incorporated into different cuisines for new tastes. They will also be able to hear first-hand, from suppliers, about their meticulous production processes to attain the highest quality of ingredients for domestic and international consumption.” says JETRO Singapore Managing Director, Junko Ishii.
Aptly named IN:FUSE, the event is an ideal platform for buyers and visitors to explore and learn about the versatility of classic Japanese ingredients and unique prefecture specialties and how these can be incorporated into different cuisines to produce creative and delicious fusion recipes. To demonstrate this, two renowned chefs; Basilico Chef de Cuisine Luca Beccalli and Sous Chef Chong Miou Seng of Regent Singapore, A Four Seasons Hotel will be whipping up delectable creations fusing the featured Japanese ingredients into their traditional cuisines for guests to sample.
Both Chef Luca and Chef Chong has thoughtfully crafted menus with ingredients that pay homage to harvests from the Japanese land and sea – crab, fish, Mekabu seaweed, pork and Wagyu and more. These are given an innovative spin when it is combined with traditional Italian and Chinese recipes.
Chef Luca’s Aglio Olio featuring juicy Seafood Leg Stick[1] from Saga Prefecture in Bergamot broth aims to whet the appetites of many with its tangy brilliance brought out by Salmon Dashi Soy Sauce[2]; while the juicy pan seared Alfonsino fish with Japanese Pork Belly pairing, is a delicate concoction enhanced with Mekabu Seaweed[3] that brings out the fresh sweetness of the alfonsino fish. Last but not least the succulent Hida Wagyu beef[4] from Gifu Prefecture, cooked to one’s desired doneness sits on a bed of mushroom ragù while a pinch of plum salt brings out all their hidden juices and flavours.
On working with Japanese ingredients, Chef Luca says, “Japan, like Italy, is blessed with an abundance of fresh produce and seafood thanks to their favourable and differentiated climate and remarkable geographical contours. I feel that Japanese ingredients have a huge potential beyond their cuisine of origin as superior quality has no boundaries. I truly enjoy putting together this fusion menu of Japanese-Italian ingredients and would like to incorporate into my dishes whenever possible.”
Chef Chong’s menu features carefully selected ingredients and condiments that enhances the flavours of traditional Chinese dishes. His first dish, featuring melt-in-your-mouth Alfonsino fish roll with carrot amazake[5] is a concoction of the East and West adding a rich colour and natural sweetness to the dish.
For his second dish, Chef Chong has chosen to present Japanese pork belly with rice noodles enhanced with honey soy sauce that is sure to stimulate one’s appetite. And his last dish, the Egg Yolk Fried Rice with Wagyu Beef creatively combines the full-bodied flavour of Hida Wagyu Beef, one of the highest grades of Japanese Beef, resulting in an umami harmony that explodes in your mouth.
When asked how he felt about the process of utilising Japanese ingredients in Cantonese cuisine, Chef Chong says, “I enjoyed working on the recipes with these Japanese ingredients as I think that they very complementary and their natural flavours are brought out quite nicely. As much as possible, I try to rely on the freshness of the ingredients to bring out the natural flavor of my dishes and keep it healthy without too much seasoning. This is how we create our dishes in Regent Hotel Singapore, and this is something that I believe is quite similar to the cooking style of Japanese cuisine as well.”
By opening up more opportunities for importing safe and premium Japanese products. IN:FUSE delivers the connection to allow for more experimentation with cross-cultural fusion creations in our food using Japanese products, adding vibrancy to local cuisines. This ultimately meets the ever growing strong demand for healthy, fresh and safe Japanese produce that Singaporeans love.
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Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
JETRO SINGAPORE OFFICE
16 Raffles Quay,
#38-04/05, Hong Leong Building,
Singapore 048581
Phone: +65 – 6221-8174
Fax: +65 – 6224-1169
https://www.jetro.go.jp/singapore/
[1]King Crab Stick- Reputed as the number one crab stick. The structure of the King Crab’s leg meat is perfectly replicated, which makes the texture quite unique and unforgettable. Perfect product for Sushi, Tempura, salads and Pasta.
[2] Salmon Dashi Soy Sauce – Made without animal protein, the sauce is a blend of carefully selected kelp and dried shiitake mushrooms broth with 7 kinds of vegetables (Yam, daikon, carrot, burdock root, cabbage, potatoes and pumpkin), USUKUCHI light soy sauce and UMEBOSHI (pickled plum).
[3]Mekabu Seaweed – comes from the stalk of high-quality Wakame leaves caught in Sanriku.
[4] Hida Wagyu Beef – Hida Beef is a brand given only to Kurogyu beef reared in Gifu Prefecture. Hida beef is reared carefully & is well reputed for its fine & soft texture that melts in the mouth.
[5] Amazake – Amazake (Koji Rice Drink) is made by only rice, rice koji and salt. It is naturally sweet and has no preservatives. This product does not contain alcohol and is suitable for elderly people and even babies.