Renowned Japanese Chef Gives Lecture on the Fifth Taste | Press

Japanese chef Shin Koike, renowned for his restaurants Sakagura A1 and Aizomê, both located in São Paulo, gave a lecture on Umami.

On September 18, the celebrated Japanese chef Shin Koike—head of the restaurants Sakagura A1 and Aizomê in São Paulo—gave a talk about Umami, the fifth basic taste of the palate. The presentation was one of the highlights of Equipotel, the country’s largest hospitality fair. Sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Japan, the lecture also featured a tasting of several foods rich in Umami.

Titled “The Healthy Seasoning: Umami”, Koike captivated the audience by presenting a flavor that is well known in Japan but still becoming popular in Brazil. “Besides sweet, salty, sour, and bitter, there is another taste—Umami. Has anyone heard of it?” asked the chef at the beginning of his talk. Many participants were already familiar with it, while others were surprised.

After a brief explanation, Koike showed a video demonstrating how to extract Umami flavor from the traditional Japanese seaweed kombu and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). Then came the tastings, featuring shiitake mushrooms and kombu diluted in water. “Through these samples, you can clearly perceive the Umami taste,” illustrated the Japanese chef.

Koike also spoke extensively about dashi, the traditional Japanese broth made from kombu and katsuobushi, which he called “the essential stock.” It was, in fact, dashi that helped Kikunae Ikeda discover the Umami taste in 1908. At the time, Ikeda was having dinner with his family when he noticed a flavor in the broth that was unlike any of the four known tastes.

This was the second time the chef had lectured on the fifth taste. In June, in partnership with JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization), Koike hosted an event about Umami at his restaurant for eleven Japanese companies participating in FISPAL (International Packaging, Process, and Logistics Fair for the Food and Beverage Industries).

UMAMI TASTE

Umami is the fifth basic taste of the human palate and was discovered in 1908 by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda. However, it was only recognized by the scientific community in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami identified specific receptors on the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main substances that give foods their Umami flavor. Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, and meats are rich in these compounds and therefore exhibit a stronger Umami taste. The two main characteristics of Umami are increased salivation and the persistence of the taste for a few minutes after eating.