As part of the upcoming Global Sushi Challenge, the Norwegian Seafood Council along with the World Sushi Skills Institute is thrilled to present the US preliminary competition on May 17th from 12-4 PM at Kendall College in Chicago, IL. The Global Sushi Challenge is a one-of-a-kind competition that joins sushi chefs from around the world to network and showcase their talent. Each country will hold a preliminary competition to declare a winner to represent them at the Grand Final in Tokyo, Japan on Wednesday, November 25th.
“We are excited for this new initiative which brings together Japanese sushi tradition and Norwegian salmon, the seafood enjoyed worldwide and one of the most popular sushi toppings,” said Henrik V.Andersen, Japan and Korea Director of the Norwegian Seafood Council. “We believe that the Global Sushi Challenge will further enhance the global development of sushi culture, and consumers worldwide will be able to enjoy high quality sushi.”
Today, sushi is one of the most popular Japanese foods in the world and has successfully integrated into many global food cultures. Norwegian Salmon plays a key role in expanding the popularity of sushi because of its global recognition and wide availability. Long considered the original salmon sushi, Norwegian Salmon is recognized as the preferred salmon for raw consumption because of the safety measures in place.
During the US preliminary, the chefs will compete in both an Edomae competition and creative sushi competition, which will be judged by the World Sushi Skills Institute and three local judges. There will be 8 contestants from the US and Canada:
- Sang Hyun Lee – Oliveira’s Restaurant, Everett, MA
- Brent Koshu – Sushi Koshu, Diamond Bar, CA
- Naoki Nakashima – Shaw’s Crab House, Chicago, IL
- Enkhbileg “Billy” Tserenbat – Sushi Fix, Wayzata, MN
- Jorge Dionicio – O Ya Restaurant, New York, NY
- Bernie Martinez – Makoto Japanese Restaurant, Eugene, OR
- Desmond Yu Wai Chow – Taunton, MA
- Takuya Matsuda – Kamei Royale Japanese Restaurant, Staples, Vancouver B.C.
- Takatoshi Toshi – Sushi Ran, Sausalito, CA
“The Global Sushi Challenge provides a wonderful opportunity for everyone involved – it offers a platform to network and exchange ideas, showcase talent and technique and exhibit proper sushi safety,” says Egil Sundheim, US Director of the Norwegian Seafood Council. “And it gives us a chance to demonstrate why Norwegian Salmon is the preferred sushi topping.”
The Global Sushi Challenge aims to further develop the popularity of sushi among both professional chefs and consumers by expanding their knowledge and appreciation for safe, high-quality sushi. For more information on Norwegian Salmon, visit salmonfromnorway.com.
Global Sushi Challenge 2015” Competition Overview
> Name: Global Sushi Challenge 2015
> Host: Global Sushi Challenge Planning Committee [Members:]
* World Sushi Skills Institute
* Norwegian Seafood Council
> Sponsor: Okamoto Industries, Inc. Kewpie Corporation, Tako Town,
Hasegawa Chemical Industry co., ltd, Yamasa Corporation (order in the Japanese alphabet)
> Regional Competition:
* Entry Qualifications:
Sushi chefs with more than five years of experience will be invited to regional competitions. Through careful screening, a maximum of 20 sushi chefs will be chosen to participate in the regional competition. In addition to the right to participate in the regional competition, sushi chefs will be invited to a two-day sushi seminar held by WSSI, paid for by GSC.
* Regional Competition Schedule:
5/17: U.S. 9/13: Poland
6/18: Korea 9/18: Portugal
6/30: Japan 9/23: Spain
7/9: Singapore 9/30: U.K.
7/16: Taiwan 10/7: Sweden
8/27: Indonesia 10/10: Norway
9/9: Germany 10/15: France
> Grand Final:
* Winners of the regional competition in 14 countries will be invited to participate in the Grand Final in Tokyo. The Grand Final will be an opportunity for chefs to compete and learn from others, and also to establish their global network.
* Wednesday, November 25, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan
> Prize:
* 3 day “Sushi Tour” in Japan, the origin of the sushi tradition. If the winner is from Japan, the chef will be invited to tour Norway, the origin of Norwegian salmon, one of the most popular sushi toppings.
About the World Sushi Skills Institute
The World Sushi Skills Institute (WSSI) is part of All Japan Sushi Association endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) in Japan. WSSI conduct sushi skills seminars and workshops around the world, promoting hygiene, art of sushi and aiming to increase the knowledge about sushi and “train the trainers” who can demonstrate correct skills and raise the quality of sushi chefs abroad with special focus on hygienic and safe handling of seafood for raw consumption.
About the Norwegian Seafood Council
Founded in 1991 by the Ministry of Fisheries, the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) builds awareness of and educates the public on seafood from Norway. Headquartered in Tromsø, Norway with a U.S. branch in Boston, Mass., the NSC carries out Norwegian Seafood promotional, media, marketing and public relations campaigns and is a resource for market information in more than 20 different markets. Its efforts are financed by the Norwegian seafood industry itself. As the world’s second- largest exporter of seafood, Norway provides quality, nutrient-rich seafood to over 150 different countries and is the world's largest joint marketer of seafood.
Source: Norwegian Seafood Council
