The Art of Dashi: Cooking Class with Chef Shikawatari

This is a Japanese cooking class that goes behind sushi and provides you with tips about Japanese cuisine and recipes using dashi, the ever-present ingredient that enhances umami-rich dishes.

Your chef is Shogo Shikawatari, no less! He has appeared in many shows in Japan and across Asia, owns a high-end restaurant, and serves as a restaurant consultant for numerous establishments around Asia. His restaurant is among the first offered a Michelin star when the gastronomy guide first reached Japan. But Chef Shikawatari refused the star to keep his restaurant members-only. To set foot inside, you need an invitation from one of the members, and must make a reservation months in advance, which makes this an ultra-exclusive experience.

Hit the back alleys of glamorous Roppongi Hills and meet the chef. You’ll be gifted with a front-row-seat view and enjoy an up-close demonstration held by a high-profile master of Japanese cuisine, or washoku. You’ll be shown different brewing techniques for dashi and learn how to incorporate this pivotal component into four exquisite main dishes imbued with Japanese flavors.

Whether you’re a cooking amateur or you have a finely-attuned palate, roll up your sleeves! After the demonstration, it’s your turn at cooking a Michelin star-worthy fare. Chef Shikawatari will oversee the process and walk you through difficult steps so that you can infuse your dishes with delectable combinations of flavors.

Relish the dishes made in the class together with the chef, your friends, and family! And don’t forget to take the chance to ask your chef some questions and learn his secrets.

Menu:

-Chawanmushi (a savory egg custard dish using dashi and light soy sauce)

-Jibuni (a simmered dish with chicken and dashi with dark soy sauce)

-A simmered Japanese miso radish dish

-Shredded seabream and white rice steamed with dashi in an earthenware pot

-Side dishes made with the left-over scraps to minimize food waste as typical of Japanese cuisine