Clareto Monsorate

A delegation of five top chefs from the UAE restaurants like Zuma, Roka and Mimi Kakushi visited Japan for 10 days in March on a tour organized by JETRO to promote Japanese seafood products in the Middle East.

The chefs kicked off their trip in Hokkaido, touring the cutting-edge facilities of major seafood company Marukaichi Suisan in the city of Monbetsu.

“We were impressed by the taste quality of their packed seafood products,” one chef commented after sampling robata-grilled items.

Moving to Iwate Prefecture, the group got an inside look at the advanced abalone farming of Genshouei Kitanihon Suisan. They also visited Sanriku Toretate Ichiba, which utilizes special CAS freezing technology to preserve the authentic flavors of seafood for export. “We saw great potential for these products in the Middle East market,” a chef noted.

A highlight was joining staff from seafood giant Maruha Nichiro at one of their tuna farms to experience the actual fishing process firsthand.

The chefs also witnessed the famous tuna auction at Tokyo’s huge Toyosu Fish Market before dawn. “It was a very unforgettable and enriching experience,” said a member of the delegation.

The UAE chefs also explored Tokyo’s famed Kappabashi kitchen tools district and sampled local cuisine from across Japan during the JETRO-sponsored trip. “We gained valuable knowledge and new ideas to share stories about Japanese seafood with our customers,” another chef added.

With Japanese food rapidly growing in popularity across the Middle East, the hands-on experiences gave the chefs “new insights to promote premium seafood from Japan” into their UAE restaurants.