10 of Europe’s finest sushi masters will go knife-to-knife at the inaugural European Sushi Championship in March, a competition set to be hosted by Monaco’s own The Niwaki.
Top tier sushi chefs from all across the continent – Lyfoung Vameng will represent Monaco – are coming together to compete for the title of European Master Sushi Chef in an event that will take Japanese haute cuisine to its limits on 27th March.
“Sushi is an art in its own right, well-recognised in France, a country of gastronomy par excellence,” says Julien Panet, the event’s organiser. “The goal is to elevate this iconic symbol of Japanese gastronomy at European level. We have talented chefs who cultivate the excellence of this specialty, and all are inspired by their own cultures… The level will undoubtedly be very high!”
The candidates will be competing for a panel of expert jurists including The Niwaki’s own Chef Wagner Spadacio, the vice-World Champion Sushi Chef in 2018 and French Sushi Champion in 2017. He is also the president of the World Sushi Skills Institute (WSSI) and an organiser of the World Championships in Tokyo.
“In this competition, which offers an original format and leaves room for creativity, participants will be able to express their technique and their own interpretation of the art of sushi,” says Spadacio. “This event brings a whole new dimension to the art of sushi while promoting good practices in the consumption of seafood products.”
The contestants will be tested on two criteria. The first is an hour-long preparatory exercise, where chefs must prepare the raw materials, presenting all products intended to be used to the jury. The second will be a 60-minute creative test, where the chefs will need to perfectly prepare 40 to 50 pieces of sushi, with nigiri, maki, uramaki, kazari-maki, kazari-sushi, vegetarian sushi and 15 pieces of sashimi all required. Additionally, the competitors will select two six-piece signature dishes, prepared separately, for tasting, with one being a vegetarian option using Koppert Cress microgreen products.
“The technique will, of course, be analysed with precision. In a gastronomic competition of this rank, it goes without saying that the mastery of gestures and of the product is acquired. We will also give great importance to the chef’s sensitivity and to the visual harmony and flavours offered,” Panet enthuses.
The winner of day will walk away €1,000 richer and after the event, which kicks off at 1pm, there will be a cocktail reception and awards ceremony to celebrate the day. It’s a “can’t miss” event for sushi lovers and fans of The Niwaki alike.