Overview

Melbourne has always been regarded as one of the food capitals of the world. It’s a melting pot for different cultures and cuisines, with access to some of the highest quality products. In today’s world, it’s not uncommon to be eating gourmet ingredients that are sourced globally, from Wagyu and truffles to caviar and seafood; not to mention the high quality alcohol and wines we have to pair them with. These amazing ingredients have been making their way to Australia, where chefs have been spoilt for choice with their menus and manufacturers have been able to enhance and showcase their products. As a population we have been spoilt. With the world as our oyster, we often wonder, what is next? What will the new exciting ingredients be? What have we not discovered yet?

The answer is Japanese. Although Australia has many top Japanese restaurants and products, we have only been exposed to the larger factories that are allowed to export, as opposed to some of the more artisanal producers.

Japan and Australia have always shared a strong bond and we love Japanese products, from sushi, sashimi and sake to Wagyu and Japanese BBQ. For those who have travelled to Japan and come back seeking that authentic Japanese experience, but realising something is missing, it is the products that haven’t made their way here yet. These are the ingredients that enhance the food, bringing the flavours to life and leaving that Umami taste in your mouth. Just as salt and olive oils have improved over time as we’re exposed to higher quality products, there is a growing demand for high quality Japanese ingredients, which are now on their way. Up until this point in Australia we have only been familiar with the more famous Japanese cities, such as Tokyo and Osaka; but now we are discovering smaller treasures hidden throughout Japan, which include different producers that are famous for producing their signature products for the royal family.

Over the last month Tryber and RW Marketing have showcased four different Japanese Prefectures, with guests including government officials and ambassadors such as Kazuyoshi Matsunaga, Consul-General of Japan in Melbourne. We are proud to announce the hot items from Japan that will be coming to Australia in 2020 will include Iyokan, Mugimiso (Ehime Prefecture), Sake and Ureshino Teas (Wakayama Prefecture), Wagyu (Gifu Prefecture), and Soy Sauces & Drinking Vinegars (Saga Prefecture).

The feature event was the Ehime Prefecture launch at RW  Marketing, where renowned chefs Christopher Thé (Black Star Pastry founder and creator of the Strawberry Watermelon Cake) and Ikuei Arakane (Kinsan, iconic Japanese chef) came together for an unforgettable culinary experience, with beverages created by Drew Nicol (Monin). Ehime is a small island famous for its Miso, Onsen (Dogo-onsen which appeared in the film Spirited Away), castles and citrus, with over 100 different types of citrus including Yuzu, Sudachi and Iyokan.

With twelve new canapés and a range of cocktails inspired by Ehime’s famous Iyokan and Miso products, guests were delighted with these fresh and exciting flavours. Christopher created new signature products: an Iyokan Cheesecake, Caramel & Miso Tart, Iyokan Pyramids, Eggplant & Miso bites and a Miso Chiffon Cake. Kinsan created beautiful Iyokan Sashimi Scallops, Sashimi with Iyokan and citrus jus, Duck L’orange plus different pies and bakes. These paired with the sake and Monin Signature Iyokan & Cherry Blossom cocktail.

At all of the events, not just Ehime, we saw many high quality sakes on display that had never before been exported to Australia. At the Wakayama showcase ten different breweries showcase 30 different sakes and umeshu. Sake is a wine made from rice, which many people have not yet tried or understand. Despite the misconception that it’s high in alcohol ‒ as it’s drunk from a smaller glass that resembles a shot glass ‒ it is actually similar in alcohol content to traditional red and white wines, at about 12-16%. Where people often get confused is when they see a high percentage, often in the 40-60% range; this actually refers to the polishing rate. In sake grading the rice is polished to give a more pure product, so the greater the polishing, the higher quality and purer the sake is, leaving a great aromatic wine. Sake can be enjoyed hot or cold; often the lower quality sakes are served warm whilst the higher quality ones are best enjoyed chilled. Sake, just like wine, can have many different flavours and profiles depending on the ingredients, polishing rate, water and the process to age it, which gives an amazing range of flavours.

This event was organised by Tryber and RW Marketing