Exploring New Horizons of Taste with Food Experts – All Japan Food Association Kyoto Youth Division Study Session

All Japan Food Association

https://aj-fa.com/

An organization that brings together "food professionals" who lead Japan's culinary and food industries to educate and promote Japanese food culture.

This time, they held a study session for members titled "Study Session on Veganism in Food Diversity."

Professor Wada: "Deliciousness cannot be explained by the five tastes alone. "

Professor Yuji Wada, who studies human cognition through phenomena related to food using psychological methodologies, began the session with a lecture on how we perceive "deliciousness."He explained that "deliciousness" is a very complex sensation that cannot be explained solely by the five basic tastes.

 According to Professor Wada, the sense of "satisfaction" imparted by MIRACORE™ might be one of the components contributing to "deliciousness."

This was a valuable opportunity for the MIRACORE™ team to re-evaluate the role of "satisfaction."

Following Professor Wada's talk, Saito, the head of Fuji Oil's Fundamental Seasoning Buisiness Department, introduced MIRACORE™.

Participants experienced firsthand the various "dashi" flavors that can be expressed with MIRACORE™ through tasting sessions.

Plant-Based Ramen Tasting from Ryukishin

President Matsubara from Ryukishin provided two plant-based ramen dishes made with MIRACORE™.

One was "Vegan Shio Ramen," which encapsulates the expertise of a specialty salt ramen shop.

The other was "Vegan & Gluten-Free Cold Shio-ramen," crafted with gluten-free rice noodles.

This same cold shio-ramen dish was also being served at their restaurant in Awaji-shima.

"After a year's validation, we found that even inbound customers are ordering it, confirming the demand for vegan and gluten-free options,"

said President Matsubara.

Both sample dishes retained the essence of ramen, with a perfect salt balance that made them light and easy to eat. These ramen might just be the embodiment of diversity, appealing to ramen lovers of all ages and nationalities.

Chef Maeda Motoi's Four Plant-Based Dishes

Chef Maeda Motoi from Restaurant MOTOI, who hosted this study session, mentioned in his opening remarks, "I wanted to experiment with how MIRACORE™ could be used to address the challenge of creating vegan dishes." He provided four plant-based dishes across different culinary genres.

Pot-au-Feu

A delicate soup with a rich umami base, balancing the unique flavors of MIRACORE™ ingredients with those of vegetables and seasonings.

Paella

Stir-Fried Noodles with Thick Sauce

Mapo-Tofu

Chef Maeda, who spent about ten years as a Chinese cuisine chef in a hotel, has a secret recipe for Sichuan-style mapo tofu.

This time, he recreated it using soy meat and MIRACORE™. It's likely that I wasn't the only one who found it to be the most authentic and delicious mapo tofu I've ever had. The harmony of spiciness, the flavor of Sichuan pepper, umami, and the sensation of fat all came together perfectly, just as Chef Maeda intended.

Beyond Alternative Food

All six dishes intuitively felt "delicious!"

If, as Professor Wada suggested, MIRACORE™ is one component contributing to "deliciousness," then it is the chefs who elevate this ingredient into the value of "delicious food."

To create the "deliciousness" that transcends substitute foods, we will continue to collaborate with food professionals from various fields.

(from right) Chef Maeda, Professor Wada, President Matsubara, Fuji Oil's Director Saito