Asahi-Shuzo

Sake Pairings With French, Latin-American, and Bar Cuisines

 
Sake might be the national drink of Japan, but we at Asahi-Shuzo firmly believe in its limitless potential to elevate all kinds of cuisine. In celebration of its versatility, Kubota organized a special tasting experience this past November, selecting three of our world-class Kubota sake for pairing with international cuisine for international guests.

We worked with chefs Takashi Igarashi, Hideo Ogawa, and Akira Hanamoto to create dishes that would pair with Kubota’s Senjyu Junmai Ginjo, Junmai Daiginjo, and Hekijyu Junmai Daiginjo. Each chef took a creative approach to the challenge.
 
Chef Igarashi has spent more than 35 years working in the restaurant industry and cooking all kinds of cuisines, including French, Spanish and Japanese. In 2015, he trained in France under a nationally recognized foie gras artisan and subsequently opened Ginza Foie Gras, a foie gras specialty restaurant. “I’ve taken a mathematical approach to this pairing,” Chef Igarashi reveals. “Sake is made from water which has a pH of 7 – it’s neutral. But sake is fermented and so it's acidic, with a pH of around 4.8. So I've designed the whole menu using alkaline ingredients.”
 
Representing Latin America is Chef Ogawa, who fell in love with Mexican cuisine after a visit to the country and subsequently became a pioneer of Latin American food in Japan. His impressive record includes working as a cooking instructor for NHK. Currently, he is the general manager of the modern Mexican restaurant Cielito Lindo Bar and Grill. “I selected ingredients with a punch and that provided a contrast, while still matching the sweetness of the Junmai and Ginjo in a way that highlighted their best qualities and the flavors weren't lost,” Chef Ogawa explains. “It’s about finding that harmony.”
 
Chef Hanamoto is the head chef at Vivo Daily Stand. His work mainly focuses on European cuisine, having studied French cuisine in France. Chef Hanamoto is also a certified wine sommelier and oversees 34 wine bars across the country, with skills that range from menu design to cooking. “My approach to this pairing menu was to first try all the sake to truly understand the characteristics of each one,” he says.

The tasting experience took place at Kitchen Aoyama in Tokyo. Over 20 guests attended and got to try the specially created dishes paired with Kubota sake.

Kicking off the evening were dishes that paired harmoniously with Kubota’s Senjyu Junmai Ginjo, which has an elegant and refreshing taste and gentle aroma.

Chef Igarashi’s salmon dish

Chef Igarashi paired it with a balanced salmon dish. “While Europeans tend to like smoked salmon, this time I didn’t smoke it but rather marinated it with salt,” said Chef Igarashi. “The cream cheese and beetroots match really well with white wine –  Kubota Senjyu Junmai Ginjo is also fruity, so it’s a great pairing.” He followed with pillow-soft scallops served with cream cheese mousse, creating a luxurious mouthfeel, the dish’s light sweetness accentuated by Kubota sake.
 
Chef Ogawa paired Kubota’s Senjyu Junmai Ginjo with a crispy cheese and shrimp quesadilla with jalapeño. “The herby fragrance of the jalapeño and oregano really elevated the flavors and the smoky chili sauce paired well with the Senjyu.”

The second round of pairings featured dishes designed to be enjoyed alongside Kubota’s Junmai Daiginjo, characterized by its gentle fruitiness.

Chef Hamamoto’s mussel and celery étuver

Chef Hanamoto introduced an elegant mussels and celery étuver. “The Junmai Daiginjo reminded [me] of the sea or herbs, so I matched it with similar ingredients and added celery to give the overall dish a refreshing feeling,” he explained.
 
Chef Ogawa followed with a spicy beef steak grilled with black pepper, served pink, alongside okra and lime, and topped with lime juice. “This Junmai Daiginjo is easy to drink, characterized by its balance of sweetness and acidity, and so this dish added some punch,” he said. “The black pepper and refreshing juiciness of the lime added depth to the flavors with each mouthful.”
 
Chef Igarashi offered a sweet pairing option: a peach dessert served with vanilla ice cream and topped with Tajin seasoning. “Tajin has such an unusual taste, unlike anything found in Japanese cuisine,” he said. Combined with the sweetness of the peach and ice cream, the treat enhanced the fruitiness of the Junmai Daiginjo.

Finally, the chefs introduced dishes paired with Kubota’s Hekijyu Junmai Daiginjo, brewed using the traditional yamahai method to produce a well-rounded acidity and depth.
 
Chef Hanamoto presented a sautéd chicken with brown butter sauce. “Hekijyu has a strong taste – it’s got buttery or lactic notes – and the flavor makes me think of something that has been well-grilled or fried,” he explained. “So I decided to sauté chicken with brown butter to give it a beautiful nutty fragrance.”

Guests came from all walks of life. Throughout the tasting experience, we checked in with each participant to gather their thoughts, opinions and reactions. Each dish and pairing received an overwhelmingly positive response.
 
Phoebe Amoroso commented on Chef Hanamoto’s mussel and celery étuver. “The seafood taste of the mussels was enhanced by the sake while the celery added an extra layer of complexity.”
 
“The quesadilla caught me so by surprise,” said Kieran Hallahan. “I was thinking there's no way this is gonna work, even after the first bite, but then I realized it really comes together.”
 
Meanwhile, Aaron Tseng enjoyed some new discoveries. “The salmon trout cream beets with the Senjyu Junmai Ginjo was probably my favorite pairing, but the sautéed chicken with the Hekijyu was the most interesting. The more robust flavor of the Hekijyu really nicely harmonized with the charred butter.”
 
One guest commented on Chef Igarashi’s scallops served with cream cheese mousse. ”Exquisite! So soft, melting in your mouth and the pairing sake was very sweet yet clean. Very refreshing and wanted more of it!”
 
Another guest favored Chef Ogawa’s steak dish: “I know a lot more about sake than just two hours ago. I did not expect sake would match with red meat, I only drink red wine with meat, but now I know better!”

 
Many were surprised to find Kubota sake pairs well with dessert, too. “I loved the ice cream pairing,” said Elvira Yunitan. “I’m adventurous with my ice cream, I add salt and olive oil, but I never tried it with alcohol before.”
 
This versatility underscores one of the key characteristics of the Kubota brand — the flavor is well-balanced and subtle, and it has an affinity with a wide range of cuisine. We are proud to have created a range of sake that not only pairs well with many dishes but enhances the overall dining experience.One guest found it helpful to share their experience with other sake fans: “It was nice to be seated with people from different backgrounds as we could have interesting conversations.”
 
We will continue to strive to make sake a truly global drink.