Level Up Your Sushi Game at the JETRO World Sushi Skills Seminar 2025

Pull out your sharpest knives, it's time to elevate your skills at the JETRO World Sushi Skills Seminar...

Japanese cuisine, particularly sushi and sashimi continue to gain in popularity among local diners. For aspiring chefs and culinary professionals, elevating the sushi game by refining the traditional skill sets and mastering the craft becomes necessary and even mandatory to stay both competitive and relevant in the restaurant scene. And here's your chance to do exactly that. The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) hosts the prestigious World Sushi Skills Institute Seminar 2025 in partnership with Sanriku and Hightower, Inc. from February 5 to 7 at Enderun College. Designed to provide participants with advanced techniques as well as culinary insights to raise the bar in the country, the three-day seminar also aims to foster appreciation for the art of Japanese cuisine on a global platform. The seminar is part of an integrated program by JETRO to promote Japanese products and ingredients in the country with its long-term seafood campaign (for more on JETRO, see my previous post It's A Go For A Taste of Japan with GO! Japanese Seafood! by JETRO from late last year). Ready to take the next step? Then read on...

The local dining and restaurant scene has changed and evolved, now more globalized and heavily driven by social media. The culinary landscape is also more competitive but as food trends and short term fads come and go, a long look back at the basics becomes a much needed and long overdue opportunity to remain relevant amidst changing consumer palates. Japanese cuisine remains as popular as ever and is deeply threaded in the local culinary mainstream. With easy access to world class ingredients, meticulous execution becomes a vital component in establishing meaningful differentiation to cut through the restaurant clutter. And this is where JETRO comes in as it hosts the World Sushi Skills Seminar 2025 from February 5-7 at Enderun College... 

...with the aim of bridging the skills gap and elevating the Japanese dining experience in the country up a notch by upgrading the sushi-making standards among local Japanese restaurants. The three-day seminar offers Filipino sushi chefs to improve their skills for that added competitive advantage in a crowded restaurant segment. Continuous learning is key in any restaurant's long-term goal. But it all starts with the finest and freshest ingredients to level the playing field...

JETRO Executive Vice President Mr. Katsunori Nakazawa shared how Japan's surrounding seas boasting of unequalled marine diversity shaped and defined a unique and renowned food culture loved all over the world. The bountiful waters of Japan have also created a robust culinary export industry recognized and enjoyed by seafood lovers beyond Japan. It's this valued marine resource that has enriched Japan's culinary tradition and heritage driven by superior quality and freshness. With the freshest premium seafood now readily available, local restaurants must apply the proper technique and execution in creating memorable dishes that will set their offerings apart from the rest. And globally celebrated Chef Hirotoshi Ogawa will share his expertise on sushi preparation, food safety and presentation at the JETRO World Sushi Skills Seminar 2025. 

The acclaimed sushi master and Director General of the World Sushi Skills Institute as well as the founder of Ogawa Sushi in Tokyo will be sharing his wealth of knowledge at the three-day seminar. His stellar credentials also include serving as culinary adviser to the Japanese government advocating Japanese cuisine in more than forty countries. Chef Hirotoshi Ogawa's passion for uncompromising excellence and continuing education has made him the perfect man for the job in training the next generation of sushi professionals not only in Japan but all over the world. Including the Philippines...

The JETRO World Sushi Skills Seminar will feature a combination of classroom lectures and hands on practical training learning essential skills such as cooking sushi rice, managing knives, cutting and seasoning fish and preparing and serving sushi and sashimi. The program aligns with both Japanese and international standards which means local chefs can confidently showcase and demonstrate well-honed skills and expertise in any global culinary setting. The comprehensive curriculum is also designed to integrate a comprehensive understanding of Japan's rich culinary history while enhancing the professional development of local chefs in the art of authentic sushi-making. 

At the end of the rigorous three-day program, successful participants will receive the prestigious Sushi Proficiency Certificate issued by the World Sushi Skills Institute. This isn't your usual seminar but a culinary boot camp with classroom lectures, hands on training and even a written exam. The Sushi Proficiency Certificate becomes your badge to an exclusive group of sushi masters around the world. 

Many of the activities will be held at the Culinary Amphitheater and Kitchen Laboratory of Enderun College with sessions from 1pm to 6pm daily. The first day covers preparation followed by seminar lectures and practical training for the next three session days. The JETRO World Sushi Skills Seminar will be open to a maximum of 20 participants for an intimate and focused environment. 

The format allows for personalized instruction and in-depth feedback along with extensive hands on training to effectively master the necessary sushi-making skills. Being a short three-day seminar, participants are encouraged to study the materials by the World Sushi Skills Institute in advance upon registration (for registration, simply click on the link at the end of this post). 

The innovative and comprehensive program is part of the strategic pillars identified by JETRO marking a significant milestone in promoting authentic Japanese fisheries ingredients and culinary traditions in key markets like the Philippines. And at the same time, empower local chefs to achieve international standards of excellence to succeed in the crowded and competitive restaurant landscape. 

Ready to take your sushi game to the next level? Then sign up for the World Sushi Skills Seminar 2025 by JETRO and level up your sushi game (simply click the link at http://wkf.ms/3E69KFF to reserve your slot). Time to sharpen your knives. And skills...

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

Cold Storage Seafood is located at 216 Wilson Street, San Juan City or call 8571 7711 or 8706 6326. You can also visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/coldstorageseafood/ and IG Feed at https://www.instagram.com/coldstorageph/ for more information and updates.

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