Umami Symposium

Thomas Keller of French Laundry, Hiro Sone of Terra and Ame, and Kunio Tokuoka of Japan's Kyoto Kitcho are joining together to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of ~THE DISCOVERY OF UMAMI~ by Dr. Kikunae Ikeda in Tokyo, Japan. The chefs will unite with leading food scientists and culinary experts to discuss and celebrate the fifth taste, umami.

To begin the symposium, culinary experts and scientists will discuss the impact of umami in a casual panel conversation. The panelists are Kathy Sykes, Ph.D. (professor of sciences and society, University of Bristol); Gary Beauchamp, Ph.D. (director, Monell Chemical Senses Center); John Prescott, Ph.D. (associate professor of psychology, The University of Newcastle); Harold McGee, Ph.D. (food writer and molecular gastronomist); Kunio Tokuoka (executive chef, Kyoto Kitcho); and Tim Hanni (Master of Wine and wine educator). Master of Ceremonies, Kathy Sykes, will mediate by engaging the panel of experts and the audience in a discussion about the importance of umami and its influence on the culinary industry.

Following the discussion, the internationally accredited chefs will serve a multi-course lunch to demonstrate umami (you can check out a PDF of the menu here.) Highlights of the menu will include seared Japanese spiny lobster, ginger-poached Georgia shrimp and watermelon salad, and salle d'agneau: lamb sous vide. Tim Hanni will introduce a number of wines at the luncheon to demonstrate how they can successfully be paired with umami-rich foods. (Umami is particularly prominent in ripe tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, cured ham, mushrooms, chicken soup, meat and fish.)

In honor of the event, and in case you are now really fired up for an umami-rich meal, Ame is also hosting an ~UMAMI CELEBRATION TASTING MENU~ from July 14th–August 3rd, 2008. The menu is $85, and with paired wine is an additional $65. The multi-course menu includes:

Ame Raw Three Ways:
ceviche with garum lime sauce
sea bass sashimi with ume plum vinaigrette
kampachi carpaccio with nuka pickles and ponzu

Corn Bisque with Lobster Tortelloni and Pesto Sauce

Broiled Sake Marinated Black Cod in Shiso Broth

Grilled Berkshire Pork on Carolina Gold Rice and Tomato "Risotto" with Vadouvan Sauce

Caramel Ice Cream with Shoyu Powder

Umami Symposium: New Frontiers of Taste
Mon., July 21, 2008

Hyatt Regency
5 Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, CA

11:30am–4:30pm

tickets

$100
$50 for students with valid student I.D.

Registration closes on Monday July 7th. No onsite registration.