Japan Loves Maple Syrup

Written by Rosemary Mantini | 21 October 2010

Last April, Tidings ran a Maple Syrup contest encouraging our readers to send in their creations. The response was fantastic. Well, this past spring, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (FPAQ) organized the first-ever recipe contest in Japan where the star ingredient was maple. Aimed at professional chefs, the contest was dubbed "Maple Discovery - The First New Recipe Contest Using Maple Products" and was divided into three categories: Western Cuisine, Chinese Cuisine and Japanese Cuisine. The six winners (three Grand Prizes and three Second Prizes) have been announced.

Mr. Naoki Kiguchi wowed the judges, in Western Cuisine, with his "Canadian Lobster with Citrus Jelly, Maple Composition." Mr. Kazumasa Sotome won the Chinese Cuisine category with a "Duo of Lacquered Duck and Foie Gras with Maple Extract, Fried Taro and Two Kinds of Soy" and Mr. Toru Tayasu's winning dish was his "Study of Fine Canadian Maple" in the Japanese Cuisine category.

Under Honorary President Jacques Borie, a culinary consultant and the first chef to be awarded three Michelin stars in Japan, the panel included Mr. Hiroshi Yamaguchi, chef-owner of numerous restaurants in Japan and Ambassador of Canadian Maple; Mr. Takashi Tanaka, executive chef of Shinkyo-tei restaurant; Mr. Kazuo Yamanaka, executive chef of Kogetu restaurant; Mr. Mastaka Kamiya, chef-owner of Kamiya restaurant; and Mr. Sadaharu Nakajima, chef-owner of Nakajima restaurant. Ms. Yoko Arimoto, the spokesperson for Canadian maple in Japan, also served as a guest judge.

Serge Beaulieu, president of the FPAQ and member of the Canadian maple industry advisory committee, suggests that "it's important to introduce Canadian maple products and to encourage their adoption in a country as influential on the food scene as Japan is. The greatest chefs in the world all have their eye on Tokyo, the gastronomic capital with the most Michelin Guide stars in 2009, and we are delighted that these chefs are interested in maple."

Think you can do it too? The criteria used to judge the contest were as follows. Chefs had to demonstrate their use of Canadian maple products, mastery of culinary techniques, originality in developing a recipe and presenting the food, the taste of the dish and the chef's overall presentation.

If you find yourself travelling to Japan, visit some of the restaurants at which these sixteen finalists (out of 210!) work their magic every day. You might be surprised to our own maple syrup featured on the menu.

award | chefs | competition | japan | maple syrup