It's A Go For A Taste of Japan with GO! Japanese Seafood! by JETRO

An authentic taste of Japan can only be experienced with the finest and freshest catch and nothing less. It's a go with Go! Japanese Seafood! by JETRO...

The Japan External Trade Organization or simply JETRO recently launched an exciting new campaign dubbed "Bringing You A Taste of Japan: GO! Japanese Seafood! to promote premium Japanese seafood and ingredients aimed at local chefs, restaurants and food businesses last week at Discovery Primea. In a series of focused B2B (business-to-business) events showcasing the versatility and excellence of premium Japanese seafood, JETRO is all set to inspire restaurant owners and chefs to incorporate Japanese ingredients including some of the world's finest seafood into their menus. Read on for the freshest catch of Japan's finest ocean harvest...

The catchy campaign title creatively weaves an attention grabbing call to action encouraging local food businesses to embrace high-quality Japanese seafood with their regular offerings. The name of JETRO's current campaign also reflects a much deeper and dual meaning of "GO" anchored on the foundational principles of Japanese cuisine namely Goho or five cooking methods, Gomi or five tastes, Goshiki or five colors and Gokan or five senses. These principles have long defined traditional Japanese cuisine aligning perfectly with the current goals set by JETRO with its latest campaign. 

The GO! Japanese Seafood! campaign by JETRO is a multi-pronged program blending tradition with innovation by promoting the diverse richness of seafood products through B2B networking opportunities along with hands-on culinary education. The end goal is to widen the market for Japanese seafood through the dissemination of correct knowledge and techniques for handling and preparing Japanese products specifically seafood among culinary professionals. 

The campaign launch was held at the Cervantes & Shakespeare Rooms of Discovery Primea with a relaxed and casual set-up. The promise of fresh and succulent Japanese seafood attracted the metro's top chefs and restaurant owners and I have to admit, just how can you say no to GO! Japanese Seafood! right? 

"JETRO has been hosting a series of events since 2022, partnering with different stakeholders to introduce premium Japanese food products to Filipinos," shared Ms. Akiko Sukegawa, Deputy Director of JETRO Philippines. "This year, we are doing a B2B project with the theme 'GO! Japanese Seafood!' where we aim to connect local importer-distributors to representatives of the Philippine culinary and food service industry to encourage the use of Japanese seafood and ultimately expand its market in the country." 

The continuing popularity of Japanese cuisine and Japanese seafood in particular among local diners is a sure sign of a well-developed and established market. And this is where JETRO steps in providing key linkages between importers and restaurateurs. Hosted by Stephanie Zubiri, the GO! Japanese Seafood! campaign launch by JETRO also featured some of the country's top seafood importers long known in the local F&B industry...

...led by (L-R) Marco Qua of Sikat Araw Trading Corporation and Cold Storage Seafood, Alyanna Uy of Dough & Grocer and Prologue and Rey Co of Hightower Incorporated with their fresh catch of Japanese seafood offerings. The collaborative nature of the JETRO program is based on its "matching" component where the country's leading seafood distributors connect with chefs and restaurateurs to explore the wide range of Japanese seafood options in the market. The initiative aims to inspire local food businesses to innovate and create new menu offerings with premium Japanese seafood. Tradition and creativity come together through these linkages set up by JETRO showcasing the infinite possibilities with Japanese seafood. And it works both ways too, providing suppliers a key platform to expand their reach as well as grow their network. 

The disciplined zen-like simplicity of Japanese cuisine requires only the freshest ingredients for the cleanest unrestrained flavors. And this is where the quality and freshness of premium Japanese seafood truly shines...

That afternoon, Hightower Incorporated featured their prized sweet single seed Sanriku Oysters topped with a variety of caviar and fish roe including fresh Salted Ikura, Wasabi Tobiko, Yuzu Tobiko and Black Tobiko. Plump, succulent and noticeably larger and heavier than the local warm water variety, the silky smooth Sanriku Oysters drapes the palate with an indulgently rich and lingering briny sweetness of fresh and clean flavors. The assortment of caviar toppings completes the decadent play of fresh flavors and textures. These oysters are definitely in a class all its own. 

The Baked Hokkaido Scallops on a half shell with Miso Butter offers yet another taste of Japan with its fresh and flavorful richness. The succulent scallops are soft yet firm with a snap after each bite, a sure sign of freshness. And the flavors are pure, rich and clean made more intense by the Miso Butter. Freshness is flavor, and one more bite just proves it. 

The deshelled Grilled Deep Sea Snow Crab Legs with its gentle sweet notes with just a whisper of smoky hints is another lavish taste of Japan at the GO! Japanese Seafood! campaign launch. The delicate texture from each bite releases a briny burst of fresh succulent sweetness.  

More crab, you ask? The deep-fried Crab Claws also hits the spot with its delectable play on contrasting textures with sweet succulent crab meat beneath the crisp outer layer of breading. 

And the fresh catch from Japan just keeps coming. Dough & Grocer presented its exquisite Seafood Sampling Plate... 

...with Maguro or bluefin tuna, Hamachi or Japanese amberjack with Sesame Ponzu Sauce, Seared Sous-Vide Shima-Aji  or white trevally with Yuzu Ponzu Sauce and Shima-Aji Carpaccio with Fruit Sauce. 

The flavors are as delicate as it is intricately plated, feeding first the eyes before the palate in true Japanese style. The fresh flavors of the various seafood remain the focus of the plate, coming through to tease the palate followed by the unique notes of the different sauces and ingredients. 

Each type of sashimi brings a distinct flavor to the palate from the deep rounded briny sweetness of the Maguro tuna, the subtle sharpness of the Hamachi and the delicate notes of the Shima-Aji. Dough & Grocer takes these unique notes as the flavorful base for their plated creations opening up creative possibilities for other chefs and restaurateurs with the finest Japanese seafood. 

Paired with pickled onions, the Maguro's vibrant depth of flavors are highlighted in its purest form for an excellent rendition of clean yet bold notes Japanese seafood is known for with each tasty bite. 

Sikat Araw Trading Corporation and Cold Storage Seafood's offerings are anchored on their popular and best selling Unagi with the hearty Unagi Don...

The Japanese freshwater eel is rich and fatty delivering full-on flavors with that near melt-in-your-mouth feel making it a prized and popular traditional delicacy in Japan. Grilled over charcoal and slathered with a sweet tare glaze, it's easy to see why the Unagi Don is a popular meal even among Filipinos. Sikat Araw Trading Corporation and Cold Storage Seafood offers some of the best unagi from Japan in retail outlets as well as for institutional accounts. 

Enjoy your unagi in another creative rendition with the Unagi Sushi along with the Saba Sushi or mackerel for even more tasty and authentic bites of Japan. 

The wide variety of fresh and premium Japanese seafood available for local restaurants and institutional requirements are extensive, and you'll find exactly what you need to set your restaurant apart with these premium products through the innovative programs of JETRO.  

And the GO! Japanese Seafood! campaign by JETRO continues with the scheduled roll-out to Cebu and Boracay early next year to extend the opportunity for more regions to experience and savor the exquisite flavors of premium Japanese seafood that will hopefully translate to elevated local menus and offerings. The program will also include a much anticipated Sushi Seminar for February 2025 led by Chef Hirotoshi Ogawa, the acclaimed Director of World Sushi Skills Institute to aid Filipino chefs with the proper knowledge and techniques using Japanese seafood products. 

Where to find the very best Japanese seafood? Look no further and let JETRO show you the way. It's definitely a go with GO! Japanese Seafood by JETRO...

For more information on JETRO Philippines, you can visit their website at https://www.jetro.go.jp/philippines

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