On January 17, 2015, Nobu’s Japan held its third charity dinner event at Nobu Tokyo. Along side Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, this dinner welcomed one of the world’s most recognized chefs, Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten as the guest chef. Like the previous dinners this event marked the climax of an episode of Nobu’s Japan, a TV documentary series about the re-discovery of Japan’s culinary culture as seen through the eyes of the world’s top chefs. In this episode, Chef Nobu and Chef Jean-Georges travelled to Yamaguchi prefecture in western Japan to experience the dynamic culinary tradition which is shaped by the region’s bountiful seas, citrus groves and farms. The highlight of the journey was no doubt the mystical, poisonous and yet incredibly delicate and flavorful fugu, or blowfish, for which Yamaguchi is perhaps most known.  

 

Inspired by ingredients from Yamaguchi and armed with the countless ideas they hatched during their trip, the challenge for the chefs was figuring out how to reflect all of their ideas into one dinner. The chefs found a way and the result was a 13-course dinner showcasing the flavors of Yamaguchi. Some of culinary highlights of the evening were: Rose Fish with Green Chili and Puffed Rice, Hanaccoli Salad with Red Squid and Sawara (hanaccoli is a locally grown broccoli-Chinese vegetable hybrid that the chefs unearthed during their trip), Chef Nobu’s Fugu Sushi from Shimonoseki, Tempura Shrimp with Melted Yamaguchi Cabbage Konbu and Mint, Fugu and Shirako Zousui Risotto, and for dessert, Yamaguchi Citrus Pavlova.