Japan-Adjacency in Action: Six Smart Ideas from the Chefs of the Kikkoman Kitchen Cabinet<\/h1>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\nEach year, we invite a select group of leading-edge chefs to join The Kikkoman Kitchen Cabinet, our inner circle of advisors who collaborate with us on foodservice recipe development, product ideation, industry outreach and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These brilliant innovators help Kikkoman stay in step with new and emerging foodservice trends. Right now, they’re all excited about Japan-adjacency<\/strong>: incorporating ingredients, flavors, techniques, and ideas from Japanese cuisine into innovative, globally inspired menu items.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAs a company with roots in Japan that go back more than three centuries, we\u2019re excited about Japan-adjacency too. From traditionally brewed Soy Sauce to Teriyaki, Ponzu, Mirin, Rice Vinegar, and more, we\u2019ve got products<\/a> and solutions that make it easy to bring the umami and appeal of Japanese flavors to foodservice kitchens.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s a look at how some of our Kitchen Cabinet chefs are drawing inspiration from those products in recipes that show how tapping into Japan-adjacency can open the door to a world of signature presentations that help differentiate menus, boost sales and build business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n \n 1. Spray It with Soy Sauce <\/h2><\/h4>\n \t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t \t \t\t\t\t\t\t![\"download-1\"](\"https:\/\/kikkomanusa.com\/foodservice\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/download-1.gif\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n\t\t\t\t\tKaya Toast with Coconut Jam and Egg Cloud <\/br>Chef Lon Symensma| Cholon Modern Asian, Denver<\/em>\r\n<\/br><\/br>\r\nChef Lon Symensma elevates his Kaya Toast with a finishing touch of Kikkoman\u00ae Soy Sauce. In this Singaporean specialty, toasted pullman bread is layered with custardy coconut jam and a light, airy egg-cloud foam. Just before serving, a mist of soy sauce and a dusting of pepper awaken the palate with a burst of savory umami. This technique is applicable to a wide range of dishes, particularly those with delicate flavors, to balance.\r\n\r\nVIEW RECIPE<\/h3><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n \n 2. Infusion Is the New Fusion <\/h2><\/h4>\n \t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t \t \t\t\t\t\t\t![\"Angel-Barreto_Japchae\"](\"https:\/\/kikkomanusa.com\/foodservice\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/10\/Angel-Barreto_Japchae.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n\t\t\t\t\tCrab Fat Japchae <\/br>Chef Angel Barreto | Anju, Washington, DC<\/em>\r\n<\/br><\/br>\r\n\r\nChef Angel Barreto layers flavors of Japan and Korea in his cooking\u2014and one technique he\u2019s fond of is infusing soy sauce with flavorful accents. In his Crab Fat Japchae, he infuses Kikkoman\u00ae Gluten-Free Tamari Soy Sauce with tomalley, also known as crab butter, to create a sweet, briny soy sauce for a signature presentation of Korean sweet potato noodles, stir-fried vegetables and crabmeat. Infusing soy sauce and other liquids with flavorful fats is an increasingly popular technique, known as \u201cfat washing.\u201d \r\n\r\nTo learn how it\u2019s done with soy sauce, read this article by Kikkoman Executive Chef Andrew Hunter\r\n\r\nVIEW RECIPE<\/h3><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n \n 3. Unlock the Magic of Mirin <\/h2><\/h4>\n \t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t \t \t\t\t\t\t\t![\"8_HERO_Scallop-Tiradito_KIKKOMAN_ITAMAE_449\"](\"https:\/\/kikkomanusa.com\/foodservice\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/8_HERO_Scallop-Tiradito_KIKKOMAN_ITAMAE_449.jpeg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n\t\t\t\t\tScallop Tiradito<\/br>\r\nChef Nando Chang|Itamae AO, Miami<\/em>\r\n\r\n<\/br><\/br>\r\n\r\nNikkei cuisine combines influences from Peru and Japan, and one of the best places to experience the cutting edge of Nikkei cooking is at Chef Nando Chang\u2019s Itamae AO in Miami. Chef Nando\u2019s menus always feature a tiradito\u2014raw seafood dressed with a spicy citrus sauce. This one showcases freshly shucked scallops, lightly cured with salt and sugar, accompanied by a bright, clean lime-chili-garlic leche di tigre sweetened with Kikkoman\u00ae Kotteri Mirin\u00ae.\r\n<\/br>\r\nMirin, a sweet rice wine, is the essential sweetening ingredient in many Japanese sauces, glazes and marinades. Try it in any savory application that calls for a note of sweetness. Unlike sugar or other sweeteners, it has a complex bouquet and rich umami that can perfectly balance savory flavors in all kinds of applications.\r\n\r\nVIEW RECIPE<\/h3><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n \n 4. Turn Up the Heat <\/h2><\/h4>\n \t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t \t \t\t\t\t\t\t![\"Roberto-Perez_Tamarindo-Habanero-Aguachile_FINAL-scaled\"](\"https:\/\/kikkomanusa.com\/foodservice\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/Roberto-Perez_Tamarindo-Habanero-Aguachile_FINAL-scaled.jpeg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n\t\t\t\t\tTamarindo Habanero Aguachile<\/br>\r\nChef Roberto Perez | Del Mar Ostoneria, Los Angeles<\/em>\r\n<\/br><\/br>\r\nWhen umami ingredients like traditionally brewed soy sauce meet the spice of chilis, sparks fly. In fact, the savory qualities of umami and the sensation of spicy heat can actually enhance each other. For Chef Roberto Perez, this spicy-umami synergy is a source of endless flavor excitement. At Del Mar Ostoneria, he showcases fresh seafood in preparations that seamlessly fuse Mexican flavors with Asian influences.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
His Tamarindo Habanero Aguachile features fresh, wild-caught shrimp bathed in not one, but two \u201cumami-meets-spicy\u201d sauces: a ponzu made with Kikkoman\u00ae Gluten-Free Tamari Soy Sauce, lime juice, and chiltepin peppers, and a tamarindo habanero sauce that pairs Kikkoman\u00ae Tamari with fiery habaneros.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
VIEW RECIPE<\/h3><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n \n 5. Look Beyond the Label<\/h2><\/h4>\n \t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t \t \t\t\t\t\t\t![\"Screenshot-2023-10-10-at-9\"](\"https:\/\/kikkomanusa.com\/foodservice\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/10\/Screenshot-2023-10-10-at-9.34.56-PM.png\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n\t\t\t\t\tJapanese-Inspired Fajitas<\/br>\r\nChef Christine Ha | The Blind Goat, Houston<\/em>\r\n\r\n<\/br><\/br>\r\nChef Christine Ha loves to find new ways to use familiar ingredients. Here, she turns to two classic Japanese sauces, Kikkoman\u00ae Sushi Sauce (Unagi Tare) and Ponzu Citrus Seasoned Dressing & Sauce, in a totally unexpected application. Sushi sauce is a sweet-savory glaze that\u2019s typically used on grilled eel (unagi) for sushi, and ponzu is a citrus-seasoned soy sauce. But the ingredients in these sauces, which include soy sauce, citrus juice and mirin, are right at home in Latin marinades, sauces and dishes like Chef Christine\u2019s Fajitas. The presentation is straight-ahead Tex-Mex, but the flavor is mysteriously sweet, savory and bursting with umami\u2014and that\u2019s what Japan-adjacency brings to the table. So, when you\u2019re working with Japanese-inspired products, look beyond the label. The bottle may say \u201cSushi Sauce,\u201d but the taste says, \u201cversatile sweet-savory flavor accent.\u201d\r\n\r\nVIEW RECIPE<\/h3><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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Each year, we invite a select group of leading-edge chefs to join The Kikkoman Kitchen Cabinet, our inner circle of advisors who collaborate with us on foodservice recipe development, product ideation, industry outreach and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These brilliant innovators help Kikkoman stay in step with new and emerging foodservice trends. Right now, they’re all excited about Japan-adjacency<\/strong>: incorporating ingredients, flavors, techniques, and ideas from Japanese cuisine into innovative, globally inspired menu items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a company with roots in Japan that go back more than three centuries, we\u2019re excited about Japan-adjacency too. From traditionally brewed Soy Sauce to Teriyaki, Ponzu, Mirin, Rice Vinegar, and more, we\u2019ve got products<\/a> and solutions that make it easy to bring the umami and appeal of Japanese flavors to foodservice kitchens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a look at how some of our Kitchen Cabinet chefs are drawing inspiration from those products in recipes that show how tapping into Japan-adjacency can open the door to a world of signature presentations that help differentiate menus, boost sales and build business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Kaya Toast with Coconut Jam and Egg Cloud <\/br>Chef Lon Symensma| Cholon Modern Asian, Denver<\/em>\r\n<\/br><\/br>\r\nChef Lon Symensma elevates his Kaya Toast with a finishing touch of Kikkoman\u00ae Soy Sauce. In this Singaporean specialty, toasted pullman bread is layered with custardy coconut jam and a light, airy egg-cloud foam. Just before serving, a mist of soy sauce and a dusting of pepper awaken the palate with a burst of savory umami. This technique is applicable to a wide range of dishes, particularly those with delicate flavors, to balance.\r\n\r\nVIEW RECIPE<\/h3><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t Crab Fat Japchae <\/br>Chef Angel Barreto | Anju, Washington, DC<\/em>\r\n<\/br><\/br>\r\n\r\nChef Angel Barreto layers flavors of Japan and Korea in his cooking\u2014and one technique he\u2019s fond of is infusing soy sauce with flavorful accents. In his Crab Fat Japchae, he infuses Kikkoman\u00ae Gluten-Free Tamari Soy Sauce with tomalley, also known as crab butter, to create a sweet, briny soy sauce for a signature presentation of Korean sweet potato noodles, stir-fried vegetables and crabmeat. Infusing soy sauce and other liquids with flavorful fats is an increasingly popular technique, known as \u201cfat washing.\u201d \r\n\r\nTo learn how it\u2019s done with soy sauce, read this article by Kikkoman Executive Chef Andrew Hunter\r\n\r\nVIEW RECIPE<\/h3><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t Scallop Tiradito<\/br>\r\nChef Nando Chang|Itamae AO, Miami<\/em>\r\n\r\n<\/br><\/br>\r\n\r\nNikkei cuisine combines influences from Peru and Japan, and one of the best places to experience the cutting edge of Nikkei cooking is at Chef Nando Chang\u2019s Itamae AO in Miami. Chef Nando\u2019s menus always feature a tiradito\u2014raw seafood dressed with a spicy citrus sauce. This one showcases freshly shucked scallops, lightly cured with salt and sugar, accompanied by a bright, clean lime-chili-garlic leche di tigre sweetened with Kikkoman\u00ae Kotteri Mirin\u00ae.\r\n<\/br>\r\nMirin, a sweet rice wine, is the essential sweetening ingredient in many Japanese sauces, glazes and marinades. Try it in any savory application that calls for a note of sweetness. Unlike sugar or other sweeteners, it has a complex bouquet and rich umami that can perfectly balance savory flavors in all kinds of applications.\r\n\r\nVIEW RECIPE<\/h3><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t Tamarindo Habanero Aguachile<\/br>\r\nChef Roberto Perez | Del Mar Ostoneria, Los Angeles<\/em>\r\n<\/br><\/br>\r\n When umami ingredients like traditionally brewed soy sauce meet the spice of chilis, sparks fly. In fact, the savory qualities of umami and the sensation of spicy heat can actually enhance each other. For Chef Roberto Perez, this spicy-umami synergy is a source of endless flavor excitement. At Del Mar Ostoneria, he showcases fresh seafood in preparations that seamlessly fuse Mexican flavors with Asian influences.<\/p>\r\n\r\n His Tamarindo Habanero Aguachile features fresh, wild-caught shrimp bathed in not one, but two \u201cumami-meets-spicy\u201d sauces: a ponzu made with Kikkoman\u00ae Gluten-Free Tamari Soy Sauce, lime juice, and chiltepin peppers, and a tamarindo habanero sauce that pairs Kikkoman\u00ae Tamari with fiery habaneros.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Japanese-Inspired Fajitas<\/br>\r\nChef Christine Ha | The Blind Goat, Houston<\/em>\r\n\r\n<\/br><\/br>\r\nChef Christine Ha loves to find new ways to use familiar ingredients. Here, she turns to two classic Japanese sauces, Kikkoman\u00ae Sushi Sauce (Unagi Tare) and Ponzu Citrus Seasoned Dressing & Sauce, in a totally unexpected application. Sushi sauce is a sweet-savory glaze that\u2019s typically used on grilled eel (unagi) for sushi, and ponzu is a citrus-seasoned soy sauce. But the ingredients in these sauces, which include soy sauce, citrus juice and mirin, are right at home in Latin marinades, sauces and dishes like Chef Christine\u2019s Fajitas. The presentation is straight-ahead Tex-Mex, but the flavor is mysteriously sweet, savory and bursting with umami\u2014and that\u2019s what Japan-adjacency brings to the table. So, when you\u2019re working with Japanese-inspired products, look beyond the label. The bottle may say \u201cSushi Sauce,\u201d but the taste says, \u201cversatile sweet-savory flavor accent.\u201d\r\n\r\n
<\/div>\n\n\n 1. Spray It with Soy Sauce <\/h2><\/h4>\n \t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n 2. Infusion Is the New Fusion <\/h2><\/h4>\n \t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n 3. Unlock the Magic of Mirin <\/h2><\/h4>\n \t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n 4. Turn Up the Heat <\/h2><\/h4>\n \t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n 5. Look Beyond the Label<\/h2><\/h4>\n \t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n VIEW RECIPE<\/h3><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
![\"Yuu-Shimano_Creme-Brulee_FINAL-scaled\"](\"https:\/\/kikkomanusa.com\/foodservice\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/Yuu-Shimano_Creme-Brulee_FINAL-scaled.jpg\")
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