Oishii Japan was held at Suntec Singapore Halls 401 – 402, from 17 – 19 October 2013. The trade show featured more than 200 companies exhibiting Japanese food, beverage and technology products as well as demonstrations by industry experts.
At the MAFF (Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) pavilion, the head chef of Takumi Restaurant, Chef Shigeru Shiraishi demonstrated a traditional Japanese method of scaling a fish to maintain its freshness. Chef Shigeru has more than 20 years of experience under his belt. On the international front, Chef Shigeru had served as Executive Chef at popular sushi restaurant Bamboo located in New York’s East Hampton, a place where celebrities frequent.
The beauty of Japanese cuisine lies in its seasonal produces and the celebration of ‘Shun’. ‘Shun’ describes the precise times when food produces are at its best and freshest. Chefs like Shigeru takes pride on the celebration of ‘Shun’. He said “The beauty of Japanese cuisine lies in the different food and taste that are produced; one can feel the change of seasons by eating Japanese cuisine.”
During the demonstration, he showed the crowd a traditional Japanese method of scaling a fish to preserve its freshness and to prevent contamination. This fish is no ordinary fish. It has been fed with mikan (mandarin oranges) and produces a slight citrus taste. Chef Shigeru worked the knife like a true master and scaled the fish unbelievably thinly-a skill he took 3-4 years to master. Interestingly, the chef lets on that the first time he tried to practice this skill; he took forty minutes instead of the usual 5-6mins! The second edition of Oishii Japan this year catered to the needs of local and regional trade professionals and investors in the food business.
The trade show was also opened to the public on its last day. Do look forward to more information about next year’s Oishii Japan!
