Three chefs, two countries, two cities. ANA, Japan’s largest airline and Aiste Miseviciute, founder of popular food blog LUXEAT, proudly present a series of events: Japan Meets Barcelona & Ibiza 2017. From the 3rd to the 7th of June 2017, three high-profile, Japanese chefs will take over the kitchens of PAKTA restaurant (1 Michelin Star) and Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, followed by Sa Nansa and La Muella restaurants in Ibiza. Each a master of a different type of Japanese cuisine, chefs Kentaro Nakahara, Takaaki Sugita and Yoshiteru Ikegawa will collaborate for the first time outside Japan, combining their culinary techniques with exquisite Spanish ingredients. At Pakta in Barcelona, the Japanese masters will be joined by the legendary star chef Albert Adrià, cooking a collaborative dinner together.
As a 5-Star Airline with an expanding international network, ANA strives to bridge people and connect cultures from around the world, and we have decided to be the wings to carry these three internationally renowned Japanese master chefs and their extraordinary tastes to Spain, one of the trendiest food countries. Food is a defining facet of each culture, and plays an indispensable role in Japanese daily life and at ANA. We hope these collaborative events will serve as an epicurean bridge between the two cultures. At ANA, we aim to enrich the lives of our customers through once-in-a-lifetime moments that excite and inspire, and this highly unique and innovative culinary experience would be a perfect embodiment of our brand, “Inspiration of Japan”.
The chefs
Yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) master Kentaro Nakahara is the chef and owner of Sumibiyakiniku Nakahara, considered one of Tokyo’s best restaurants. A self-taught butcher and beef connoisseur, Nakahara is highly respected across Japan and has been featured in publications such as The Japan Times.
Sushi master Takaaki Sugita owns one of Tokyo’s most popular sushi restaurants, Nihonbashi Kakigaracho Sugita. Each piece of fish and seafood on his menu is treated and aged specifically to bring out its unique flavors and textures. Chef Sugita has 1 Michelin star.
Yakitori (grilled chicken skewer) master Yoshiteru Ikegawa is the chef and owner of Michelin starred restaurant Torishiki, where he expertly serves up chicken, grilled traditionally over charcoal.
The menus at Japan Meets Barcelona & Ibiza 2017 will reflect the expertise of each chef. Dishes will include Japanese Wagyu beef and wagyu tartare by Nakahara; sushi and sashimi, by Sugita; and chicken skewers by yakitori expert Ikegawa. At the end of each meal, guests will be treated with a taste of award-winning Brazilian chocolate Q, by Chef Samantha Aquim.
The dinners are expertly curated by globe-trotting foodie Aiste Miseviciute, and follow the success of the Japan Meets Ibiza weekend in August 2016, where barbecue master Nakahara and legendary sushi chef Keiji Nakazawa cooked for an audience of international foodies.
Originally from Lithuania, Aiste Miseviciute is a former fashion model who set up gastronomy blog Luxeat 10 years ago to record her experiences travelling the globe. Quickly realising her passion for restaurants and discovering where food comes from, Aiste began forging relationships with the chefs she encountered while abroad, deepening her knowledge and love for the culinary world. She is now an established food writer and documentary maker, who splits her time between London, Paris and Ibiza.
“Thanks to wonderfully generous support of ANA, the Japan Meets Barcelona & Ibiza 2017 culinary events aim to build a bridge between two wonderful countries. I have always believed there are many similarities between Japan and Spain concerning the quality of ingredients, dedication of chefs and dining culture. I hope that people will join us to embrace this gastronomic exploration,” Aiste commented.
Japan Meets Barcelona & Ibiza 2017 chef collaborative dinner events by ANA & LUXEAT with the support of Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona.
- 3rd June: Pakta, Barcelona: collaborative dinner with Japanese masters and star chef Albert Adrià.
- 4th June: Dinner hosted at Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona
- 6th June: Sa Nansa restaurant in Ibiza, co-hosted by chef patron Pedro Tur
- 7th June: Lamuella in Ibiza, co-hosted by chef Gome Galily.
For more information and to book the events, please visit: www.luxeat.com/blog/21822
For bookings at Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, please call +34 93 151 8783 or email to ffernandez@mohg.com