Eat-Japan Sushi Awards 2007 The only event of its kind reaches new heights of sushi brillianceThe Sushi Awards 2007, which took place on the 23 October, saw 300 connoisseurs, food journalists and lucky members of the public gather in Bloomsbury’s London House in order to pass judgement on the original creations of the best sushi chefs worldwide: the Seven Sushi Samurai. Together with a panel of expert judges, the guests cast their vote to determine which of the Samurai most deserved to win the coveted Sushi of the Year Award 2007.＊Congratulations to Mr Clemens Phillipi, winner of our event prize draw. He gets a pair of Matsuri St James's restaurant vouchers.
Sushi of the Year results>> 
A Unique Occasion
Bringing together the very finest sushi creations of the Seven Sushi Samurai, a spectacular Japanese buffet prepared by sushi masters and complimentary Japanese beer and sake, all in Bloomsbury’s London House, the Sushi Awards 2007 was a truly unique occasion in sushi history, as all of the event’s lucky attendees could not help but admit. 
Seven Sushi Samurai
In the striking main hall of the venue, each of the Seven Sushi Samurai, those chosen as the best sushi chefs in the world, stood behind a table upon which they assembled and served the sushi pieces that they had been planning and preparing for weeks. After an opening ceremony, where the samurai were quizzed by an expert judge panel about their individual creations, the public were free to circulate the Samurai tables, exchanging the precious sushi tickets they had been provided for a sample of each of the contenders for Sushi of the Year Award 2007. Luxury Japanese Buffet Yet the Samurai's sushi was not the only type of feast on offer at the Sushi Awards; guests on the night were also treated to a luxury buffet prepared by sushi masters including members of last year's Samurai and the All Japan Sushi Association International Division. The range of expertly-prepared sushi favourites and other Japanese classics proved extremely popular. 
Complimentary Drinks As any Japanese person will tell you, no sushi banquet is truly complete without some sake or beer on the side. Fortunately for the guests of the Sushi Awards 2007, the bars flowed with complimentary Asahi Beer and two types of quality Japanese sake. Lively discussion proliferated as the event attendees weighed up which of the samurai should go on to receive the much coveted Sushi of the Year Award. 
A Nail-biting Climax
After the voting had closed, the Sushi Awards reached its climax with the Results Ceremony. The audience gathered to watch as the members of the Guest Judge Panel shared some of their thoughts on the calibre of the sushi on offer, and the difficulties they had faced in deciding who to vote for, and then it was time for the apprehensive Samurai to be invited back on stage to take part in a Japanese-inspired vote-counting ritual. It was Japanese Samurai Masashi Ogata who was left at the end of the exciting ceremony, standing at the front of the stage with a red ball in his hand and a slightly bewildered look on his face. The crowd and other samurais erupted into rapturous applause as the winner was presented with the Sushi of the Award 2007 Trophy, as well as a year’s supply of Kikkoman soy sauce and an ANA London-Tokyo return flight.  
Masashi Ogata
Sushi of the Year Award 2007 Winner Head Chef of Asahizushi Miyagi, Japan “With my Golden Shooting Star sushi, I tried not only to recreate the taste of shark’s fin without using any fish, but also to make a piece of sushi that would appeal to the palates of people over here. So Im really happy that people understood the effort that I made.” 
Stefan Gates
Presenter Food writer and presenter of Food Uncut “One of the great things about Japanese food is that it has a real sense of purity and refinement. People are looking for that.” 
Henry Harris
Chairman of Guest Judges Chef Director of Soho House “I was so impressed by the overall standard across the board – seeing that different chefs from different cities around the world were all understanding that sushi is about one mouthful, and showcasing those ingredients with no imbalance in the flavour.” 
Kyle Connaughton
Guest Judge Head Chef at Fat Duck Development Kitchen “There was some good discussion amongst the judges, which helped bring out the top two, who I thought were deservedly so. The fascinating thing about sushi at the moment is that its no longer just about Japan and California; each region is taking sushi in a new direction, as dictated by the needs and tastes of their particular clientele.” 
Masayoshi Kazato
Sushi Master Vice Director of All-Japan Sushi Association International Division Sakaezushi, Chiba, Japan “The sushi that was made today wasn't just excellent as sushi, although that it was – it was excellent cookery. The Samurai's creations respected the origins of sushi and used that to their advantage in performing some top quality culinary artistry.”
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| Prizes | Sponsorship and Support | SUSHI AWARDS 2007 press release (709K, PDF) | Sponsored by:
Supported by:
Embassy of Japan, JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) , JNTO (Japan National Tourist Organization) and All Japan Sushi Association Special thanks to:
FENG SUSHI, HARRO FOODS LTD., MOSHI MOSHI and TAZAKI FOODS LTD. |
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