The Culinary Institute of America Announces Program for 2010 Worlds of Flavor® ConferenceJAPAN: FLAVORS OF CULTURE Brings in Over 50 of Japan's Most Accomplished Chefs and Food Professionals
St. Helena, CA, July 21, 2010 – The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) has announced the list of presenters for JAPAN: FLAVORS OF CULTURE, the largest and most significant professional conference ever held in the United States dedicated to the flavors, culinary techniques, and food cultures of Japan. Held at the college's historic Napa Valley campus, in St. Helena, CA, the conference is scheduled for November 4–6, 2010 as part of its celebrated annual Worlds of Flavor® International Conference & Festival series.
JAPAN: FLAVORS OF CULTURE—From Sushi and Soba to Kaiseki, A Global Celebration of Tradition, Art & Exchange will shine a national spotlight on the accelerating interest in Japanese flavors among American chefs, food critics, and other foodservice professionals as well as provide "once-in-a-lifetime" access to an unprecedented gathering of distinguished culinary talent from Japan.
More than 50 of Japan's most accomplished chefs and food professionals, from legendary three-Michelin-star kaiseki restaurants of Kyoto to the bustling noodle bars and yakitori places of Tokyo, will gather at the conference. They'll lead sessions devoted to mastering Japanese food ingredients, beverages, techniques for flavor development, aesthetics of presentation, and more, with a balance struck between traditional and modern Japanese culinary styles. Participating top American chefs and operators—including celebrated Japanese-American chefs—will discuss how they are translating Japanese flavors for a new generation of U.S. foodservice concepts and menus.
Among the many Japanese chefs and experts confirmed are Chef Kihachi Kumagaya of Kihachi Restaurants (Japan), Chef Kiyomi Mikuni of the Hôtel de Mikuni (Tokyo), Chef Yoshihiro Murata of Kikunoi Restaurant (Kyoto), Yoshihiro Takahashi of Hyotei (Kyoto), Chef Kunio Tokuoka of Kitcho Arashiyama Restaurant (Kyoto), Mr. Yukio Hattori of Ecole de Cuisine et Nutrition Hattori (Tokyo), and Mr. Yoshiki Tsuji of Tsuji Cooking Academy (Osaka). Renowned chefs working in the U.S. include Chef Masaharu Morimoto of Morimoto Restaurant (New York City), Chef Thomas Keller of The French Laundry (Yountville, CA), Chef David Chang of Momofuko (New York City), Chef José Andrés of Café Atlantico and host of the PBS series Made in Spain (Washington, DC), and Chef Nori Kusakabe of Sushi Ran (Sausalito, CA).
"Interest in Japanese food and culinary traditions has seen phenomenal growth among American consumers in recent years," says CIA Executive Director for Strategic Initiatives Greg Drescher. "Sushi has moved from the exotic to the mainstream, Japanese noodle soups are regularly included in volume foodservice operations, Japanese fine dining restaurants claim top-tier ratings, and Japanese flavors and culinary aesthetics influence the menus and ambience of even non-Japanese restaurants. At the same time, Japan is often less familiar to Americans than Italy, France, or other European countries. American food professionals sense that we are only at the beginning of our discovery and understanding of the 'gold standards' of Japan and Japanese food culture."
The conference will feature a dizzying array of seminars and workshops, exploring dashi and umami, the art of Japanese knife techniques, Japanese regional flavors, street food and Japanese "grab and go" foods, modern takes on sushi and sashimi, and much more. A few seminar and workshop titles include Soba: Mastering the Techniques of One of Asia's Great Noodle Traditions; Building Umami with the Japanese Market Basket; Bincho-tan: Japanese Grilling and the Artisinal Craft of Specialty Charcoal; Mastering Japanese Rice Cooking—and Exploring Innovative Whole Grain Blends; and Of Greens, Ginger, Shiso, and More: The Irresistible Worlds of Japanese Pickles. A full schedule of sessions, workshops, and seminars is posted at
www.worldsofflavor.com.
The CIA's Worlds of Flavor® International Conference & Festival is widely acknowledged as the United States's most influential professional forum on world cuisines and flavor trends. Now in its 13th year, this consistently sold-out annual event is open to more than 700 leading chefs, corporate menu decision-makers, foodservice management executives, suppliers, food critics and other journalists, and other food and beverage professionals as well as media. The conference regularly brings in dozens of top chefs and food experts from Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean, Latin America, and across the United States. The 2010 JAPAN: FLAVORS OF CULTURE marks only the second time in 13 years that the CIA's mega-event has focused on a single country.
At
www.worldsofflavor.com, you can also view a list of presenters and their biographies, check out an ever-expanding glossary of Japanese foods and cooking techniques, read "Presenter Spotlights," and sign up to receive e-mail bulletins about the conference. To become a fan of the conference's Facebook page—which posts interesting articles about Japanese food and culture, biographic sketches of presenting chefs, and more—please visit CIA Worlds of Flavor® on Facebook.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About The Culinary Institute of America
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not-for-profit college offering bachelor's and associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts as well as certificate programs in culinary arts and professional wine studies. As the world's premier culinary college, the CIA has a network of more than 40,000 alumni that includes industry leaders such as Grant Achatz, Anthony Bourdain, Michael Chiarello, Cat Cora, Steve Ells, Todd English, Duff Goldman, Sara Moulton, Charlie Palmer, and Roy Yamaguchi. The college has campuses in New York (Hyde Park), California (The CIA at Greystone, St. Helena), and Texas (San Antonio). In addition to its degree and certificate programs, the CIA offers courses for professionals and food enthusiasts.
For more information, and a complete listing of program offerings at each site, visit the CIA online at
www.ciachef.edu.
# # #
