Umami is the theme of an event at Chef Shin Koike’s restaurant | Press

Renowned chef hosts an invite-only event about the fifth basic taste of the human palate.

Renowned chef Shin Koike is hosting an invite-only event this Thursday, June 20, 2013, about the fifth basic taste of the human palate—Umami—at Sakagura, the restaurant he owns in São Paulo. Chefs, food journalists, retailers, and supermarket professionals interested in learning more about Umami will be in attendance.

The Umami Committee Brazil, the organization responsible for promoting the fifth taste in the country, will deliver a talk covering the history of Umami, from its discovery to its influence on contemporary gastronomy. The second part of the event will be led by Shin Koike himself, who will show guests how to apply these concepts in practice by preparing umami-rich Japanese dishes.

The event is organized by JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization), a non-profit organization that aims to promote Japan’s foreign investment and trade. It serves as a pre-event for the eleven Japanese companies that will participate in FISPAL SIAL (International Packaging, Processing and Logistics Trade Show for the Food and Beverage Industries), held June 25–28 at Expo Center Norte in São Paulo.

The Chef

Shin Koike is a reference in Japanese cuisine and a promoter of the umami taste. With his book A Cor do Sabor: a culinária de Shin Koike (“The Color of Flavor: the cuisine of Shin Koike”), he was awarded second place for Best Japanese Cuisine Book in the world by the 2013 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

UMAMI TASTE

Umami is the fifth basic taste of the human palate and was discovered in 1908 by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda. It was only recognized by the scientific community in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami found specific receptors on the taste buds. The amino acid glutamate and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main substances that provide umami. Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, and meats in general are foods that contain these substances in large amounts and therefore have a more pronounced fifth taste. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and a lingering taste for a few minutes after food is ingested.