Hiroshi ISHIDAVice President, Japan Sommelier Association

Hiroshi ISHIDA

It’s no exaggeration to say that soy sauce is now one of the most famous seasonings in the world.
French chefs, too, especially the young generation, use “Soja (= soy sauce)” without hesitation. It seems “real” Japanese soy sauce has not been properly recognized, since Japanese food trend spread rapidly. boom has not disapproved a sense of rapid spread. If you are Japanese, you want to say to foreigners with confidence that “real soy sauce is like this.”
“Whole soybean ‘saishikomi (soy sauce re-brewed in soy sauce)’ Yasutsugu Kajita” has a strikingly deep black color, and a mahogany color on the border. This shows the high concentration of extract. The difference is striking compared to what is generally marketed in supermarkets. The aroma is so rich that you can clearly sense the soybeans. There is also an impression like raisins and cedar trees. In addition, creme brulee, aged balsamic vinegar, and spices such as octagon and clove can also be sensed.
The taste is round and soft. There’s a thickness throughout. The mild taste is in harmony with the smoothness. Some soy sauce has a strong umami taste, and some people recognize this as good soy sauce, but this kind of flavor is added, and the fact that this taste stands out in most soy sauce is the difference between Kajita’s “saishikomi” soy sauce.
How to use this soy sauce is simple. On mild and simple flavored dishes such as tofu, yuba, nagaimo (Chinese yam), and tororo. At first, you may find the soy sauce to be a bit thick and salty, but you will sense the sweet and mild delicious aftertaste.
It is a soy sauce that you don’t need to worry about “too much soy sauce”.
The use of this soy sauce may be considered similar to that of mature balsamic in Western food such as French and Italian.
With just a few drops of this soy sauce on carpaccio, niçoise-style salads, grilled fresh fish, beef steaks, parmesan and rucola (tagliata), etc., the rich flavor should give a deep taste to the taste.

Hiroshi ISHIDA

Profile

Born in Tokyo in 1969. Won a number of domestic sommelier contests. In 2000, won the third place in the 10th World's Best Sommelier Competition, achieving the third best as a Japanese. 2011 Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, master craftsman of the present,
November 2014 received a yellow medal from the Cabinet Office
In the same year, won the 7th All Japan Best Sommelier Competition.
2015 Asia-Oceania best sommelier contest championship. The 15th World's Best Sommelier Competition Semi-finalist from 2016. Advised Meguro Gajoen from June 2016.
Opened “Restaurant L’aube on June 30 of the same year.
Joint company Soupless representative, Restaurant L’aube Sommelier

Back to Recommender’s Voice