People's Choice Dining 2009 Winners Annouonced

SUSHI AWARDS 2007

SUSHI OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNER

Masashi Ogata
Asahizushi; Miyagi, Japan

Having spent 19 years honing his skills at Asahizushi, an acclaimed sushi restaurant based in an area renowned for its seafood delicacies in the northern prefecture of Miyagi, this exciting young chef now travels the length and breadth of Japan, stunning the nation with his sushi creations.

SUSHI OF THE YEAR: Golden Shooting Star

This ambitious dish recreates the exquisite taste and texture of shark’s fin, the traditional culinary speciality of Asashizushi’s homeground, whilst remaining 100% vegetarian. Assembling ingredients such as Japanese seaweed, fruit syrup, avocado and frosted cornflakes, this is a truly remarkable culinary feat.

On his victory: "I'm delighted to have won, but I can scarcely believe that it’s me. I will be proud to go back home and tell my wife."

This year's Seven Sushi Samurai line up:

Jeff Ramsey
Mandarin Oriental; Tokyo, Japan

Jeff is Sushi of the Year 2006 winner, and will return this year to defend his crown. Probably the world’s most exciting chef, Ramsey received full sushi chef training before embarking on his own unique experimental tangent. With his mixed American-Japanese heritage, Jeff is able to understand the traditional Japanese aesthetic of harmony and balance, while incorporating ideas and flavours from modern gastronomy to create exciting new sushi.

The Whole Salmon
Entirely unique in bringing together every salmon part in one dish, this spectacular creation includes the roe, the flesh, the head and the cartilage of the fish. With the addition of a highly inventive passion fruit juice marinade and a coffee mustard sauce, this is a ground-breaking sushi innovation.

Jose Calderon
Tako Grill; Maryland, USA

This Mexican born chef, now making his mark on the world stage, won a USA National Sushi Society contest in order to represent the nation at this year’s Sushi Awards.

Taco Sushi
Using Tostitos, jalapeno peppers and cilantro, Calderon brings the piquant taste of his homeland to salmon and octopus in this exciting dish. A Tostitos shell case, guacamole layer and fried kelp and flying fish roe topping make Taco Sushi a textural taste sensation.

Noriyoshi Watanabe
Tsukiji Tamazushi; Tokyo, Japan

Watanabe comes from Tsukiji Tamazushi, a sushi restaurant of huge repute established in 1924 which is notable for producing many prize-winners at the All Japan Sushi Skills Contest. Watanabe is a leading chef and sushi veteran with 38 years chef experience and his reputation at stake.

Fruits de la Mer Mille Feuille
This ingenious dish integrates an avocado and a tofu-based Watanabe special sauce into a delicate mille feuille of tuna, salmon, flying fish roe, scallops and Alaskan king crab.

Andrei Sim
Planeta Sushi; Moscow, Russia

Andrei is one of the rising stars of the vibrant Russian sushi scene. He is representing his country at the Sushi Awards 2007 after his victory this February at the Russian Sushi Contest, and will recreate for us the dish which so bedazzled the judges in Moscow.

Red Square
The colour of this wonderful creation is supplied by the red flesh of tuna, which is combined with Philadelphia cream cheese. A sweet-sour dressing, rocket salad and a finishing touch of balsamic vinegar work together to give this dish a unique gastronomic kick.

Yasuhiro Mineno
Nobu Restaurant Group; London, UK

Long time disciple of Japan’s highest form of culinary art, kaiseki ryori, Mineno is currently head chef at Nobu Group’s Ubon restaurant. After his passionate appeal to Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, a.k.a. Mr. Nobu, for the honour of representing the Nobu Group at this year’s Sushi Awards, Mineno will now face the pressure of carrying the prestigious Nobu flag of Japanese gastronomic excellence.

Miso Beef Sushi
Sushi is not limited to fish alone! In this exquisite multi-ethnic dish, Scottish beef fillet is marinated in miso, a quintessential Japanese ingredient, and served with pureed tomatoes for a refreshing tang.

Masaki Anayama
Matsuri restaurant group; London, UK

Anayama is a respected chef with Matsuri restaurant, which has been striving to raise the standard of UK sushi for 15 years and is accordingly one of the most revered of all the UK's Japanese restaurants. A sushi master with 25 years of varied chef experience, his repertoire includes a whole host of modern sushi delicacies.

Seared Seabass Sushi
This dish is a dazzling blend of the old and the new, searing marinated seabass in a thick tangy tare made with yuzu (Japanese citrus) and white soy sauce. In the place of wasabi, fresh limes are used, while hints of fresh red chilli and chives add zing to a traditional Japanese marinade.

We are grateful to the following companies for their generous provision of ingredients for use in the Seven Sushi Samurai’s dishes.

Seafood supplied by T&S ENTERPRISES (ATARI-YA FOODS)
Soy sauce supplied by KIKKOMAN
Sushi Vinegar supplied by MIZKAN
Nori supplied by YAMAMOTOYAMA
Other ingredients supplied by HARRO FOODS LTD. and TAZAKI FOODS LTD.