Gohan.london

This is the first major event .eu is organising this year. Fantastic line up with the top chefs .beynon ✨ , the event is sponsored by
If you are chef or working in the restaurant industry, please apply to [email protected] with your name, restaurant’s name, your position and email address. .eu

Nerikiri workshop at an ultra stylish in London ❤️

We created sakura-shaped nerikiri filled with a delicately lemon-flavoured bean paste. Paired with “Oka,” the freshness of the sake beautifully sharpened the sweetness—an exceptional combination.

Guests were invited to make camellia and cherry blossom designs themselves. So pleased to see many male participants in the class!

truly rewarding and memorable event!

Thanks to Sebastian and all his colleagues who made us at ease and assured with your confidence and dedication✨

Sake fabulously pairing by .tasaka

It’s my third time working with Dr Saeko Yazaki from the University of Glasgow, delivering a sushi class for children as part of her food education research programme.

This time, we visited St John’s Primary School and Newark Primary School.

Following Dr Yazaki’s engaging presentation on where food comes from and how our bodies interact with what we eat, I taught the children how to make futomaki rolls.

Although it’s slightly out of season—and we couldn’t use knives—we embraced the fun by eating the rolls in *ehomaki* style: silently, without stopping, and facing south-southeast!

My sincere thanks to Saeko, Hattie, and all the teachers at both schools for giving me this wonderful opportunity. There was so much lauCrabshakk Botanicsughout the sessions.

Afterwards, we enjoyed a slightly delirious late lunch at , an Ethiopian restaurant, followed by my solo light dinner at , my favourite fish restaurant in Glasgow, with margarita🥰

Hand-pulled Inaniwa Udon
A Fermented Food All Along
***************************

For centuries, communities in harsh climates developed fermentation as a vital method of preserving food. Akita is one such region where this culture flourished.

A 1 hour 40 minute ride on the JR Ōu Line from Akita Station brings you to Yuzawa—famous for its pickles, especially iburigakko. What many don’t realise is that Inaniwa, known nationwide for its udon, is also part of Yuzawa.

🟠 Inaniwa Udon Ogawa
🟠 Available here in the UK

And incredibly—every strand of these udon noodles is fully hand-pulled.

Inaniwa udon is characteristically thin yet remarkably firm, with a silky, smooth bouncy texture.

The craft behind it—usually only seen in documentaries—unfolds before your eyes in the workshop: a world of extraordinary skill.
The ingredients are just wheat flour, salt, and water.

Today, more than 70% of Inaniwa udon is machine-made. Yet Mr Ogawa still produces his noodles entirely by hand, over the course of four days.

Look at this craftsmanship!

During those four days, the hand-pulling and resting process allows the brewery’s native yeasts to ferment the dough, forming tiny air bubbles within the noodles.

They say fermentation does not occur without hand-pulling. (With Mr Ogawa’s permission, I’ve included a cross-section image—the little holes are the air bubbles.)

And despite this devotion to traditional methods, Ogawa’s udon is priced more affordably than major brands—simply because he spends nothing on advertising, relying solely on word of mouth and direct sales.

To think that these painstakingly crafted, foot-kneaded and hand-pulled Inaniwa udon can be bought in London for just over five pounds (serving 2) —I’m genuinely moved.

The texture is outstanding!

I’m truly honoured to have been appointed as a new committee member of the Japanese Culinary Academy EU (JCAEU).

The JCAEU is affiliated with the Japanese Culinary Academy in Japan, an organisation that played a pivotal role in the successful recognition of Washoku – traditional Japanese cuisine – as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

I’m deeply inspired by this opportunity to contribute to the preservation and promotion of Japan’s rich culinary traditions here in Europe.

Thank you *take for entrusting me.

Japanese Culinary Academy EU
日本料理アカデミーEU
will conduct series of exciting food demonstrations at the FOOD THEATRE in Drink Japan on 10th and 11th October‼️

Come along and book ‘first come first serve food theatre ticket 🎟️ on site for the industry knowledge, techniques and delicious food tasting!

I’ll be working with Mizkan, pairing Wagyu and fruits vinegar shochu cocktail on the second day, with Shochu kindly sponsored by world sake imports EU

Food theatre
demonstrations and tasting

🟠Wagyu butchering and sake
15:00 Friday 10th October
Chef Saito (Wagyu Tokyo)
Free sample tasting: Wagyu in sake lees
Sponsored by Zennoh

🟠Dry aged tuna cutting and O-toro nigiri by 3 chef
17:45 Friday 10th October
Chef Mika (Dinings), Chef Taiji (MARU) and Chef Ida (Yashin)
Free sample tasting: 8 day aged tuna
Sale: 3 dry aged tuna nigiri by 3 chefs at £10
Sponsored by Trueworld

🟠Dashi and Wagyu
13:00 Saturday 11th October
Saturday – Session 3 (13:00–13:30)
Chef Taiji (MARU)
Free sample tasting: Wagyu shabu shabu in dashi
Sponsored by Kayanoya

🟠Wagyu and Vinegar
17:45 Saturday 11th October
Chef Akemi (Sozai Cooking School)
Free sample tasting: Wagyu in garlic soy sauce paired with fruits vinegar shochu cocktail
Sponsored by Mizkan and World Sake Imports

👉 Tickets & info: https://drinkjapan.uk