JBF Events

Beard Presents: Masterpiece Dining

Umami: A Modern Japanese Dégustation

Kunio Tokuoka Kyoto Kitcho, Kyoto, Japan

The James Beard Foundation is honored to welcome chef Kunio Tokuoka of Kyoto’s celebrated Kitcho restaurant, for this once-in-a-lifetime event to savor umami and celebrate its nuances. This Masterpiece Dinner, part of a series of historic gastronomic experiences, is presented with support from the nonprofit Umami Information Center.

Unquestionably, one of the finest restaurants in all of Japan, Kyoto Kitcho is known for chef Tokuoka’s contemporary interpretations of traditional Japanese kaiseki haute cuisine. His genius lies in utilizing tradition as a springboard for innovative combinations of ingredients and breathtaking work-of-art presentations. Chef Tokuoka began his training at age 15 at Kyoto Kitcho. In 1995, after 20 years, he was made head chef, the position he holds today.

“It is such an honor to express in my dishes the knowledge, culture, and environment which my predecessors cultivated for years,” chef Tokuoka explained, adding that the need for innovating those dishes is a way to connect the past to the next generation. “What’s important is to never abandon, yet [examine each element one by one and rethink the concept.]”

For more than 1,000 years Kyoto was the capital of the Japanese empire, and during that time the food of this magical city evolved into a highly articulated and delicious cuisine. Kyoto’s cuisine is by definition rooted in a place, timed to a season, served in an appropriate environment, and orchestrated to create a culinary narrative that engages the body, mind, and soul in addition to the palate.

At Kyoto Kitcho, every detail of the experience is crafted around the guest’s enjoyment. Writing in the New York Times, Jonathan Hayes remarked “Tokuoka’s success lies in the way he nimbly blends tradition and innovation, as well as the emphasis he places on the luxurious setting and immaculate service.” Everything Tokuoka puts his hand to, Hayes concluded, is “beautiful, thoughtful, and delicious.”

The Umami Information Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to disseminating information about umami, known as “the fifth taste.” Loosely translated to evoke the savory, earthy, and unctuous sensation of some foods, the concept of umami has been a common Japanese descriptor for centuries. It was first isolated in 1908 by Japanese scientist Dr. Kikunae Ikeda as the flavor of glutamate or glutamic acid. Umami is what makes fermented foods, such as soy sauce, miso, fish sauce, and kombu so delicious. Western palates have long appreciated the concept of umami as well, in foods such as Parmesan cheese, ripened tomatoes, cured meats, and fermented sauces such as ketchup. We just didn't know the flavor had a name—until now.