Amin Abbas

DUBAI: A ‘Japan Premium Food’ event was held on Jan. 19-20, which was organized by MCO GROUP DUBAI in collaboration with Toyosu Tokyo Market.

Under the theme ‘Toyosu Market to the World’, the collaboration of MCO GROUP DUBAI with the biggest suppliers of fisheries, fruit and vegetable from Toyosu Market is aiming to promote the premium food of Japan to the Middle East.

Toyosu Tokyo Market has recently become the largest fish market in the world, and it’s widely known for high quality, unique product assortment and advance and strict logistics and facilities. Becoming one of the most authentic and special tourist attraction in Tokyo, the market has three interconnected buildings – two for wholesale seafood and one for wholesale fruit and vegetables.

One of the highlights of the event was the attendance of Japanese chef Yoshinori Tezuka (Yoshi) – a fourth generation Sushi Chef, Sushi Ambassador, and Blowfish Cooking Licensed chef.

Chef Yoshi is the fourth generation in a family of sushi chefs that specializes in one of the oldest styles of sushi from the Edo period. His restaurant, Matsunozushi, is one of the oldest and most prestigious sushi restaurants in Tokyo.

Chef Yoshi graduated from Keio University, spent a summer at Stanford University, and has lectured on sushi culture at various events around the world including the 2015 Milan Exposition Japan Day, and the 2016 Turin Slow Food International Congress. He also regularly conducts special workshops for various universities in Japan such as Keio University, Sophia University, and Kikkoman. Yoshi offers private tours to Tsukiji and also caters sushi all around the world for the royalties, dignitaries, rich and famous.

Michael del Rosario, CEO of MCO GROUP DUBAI, told Arab News Japan that the support of their alliance partners from Japan and Dubai helped them achieve the success of the Japan Premium Food event.

 “One of the main challenges was bringing/exporting the fresh premium foods from Japan to Dubai without affecting the quality and safety of the foods,” he explained.

Rosario said that feedback from visitors at the event was “very positively overwhelming.”

“We invited chefs from different Japanese restaurants and many VIP guests. Many guests realized and discover more about the premium food of Japan, especially when Chef Yoshi showcased his masterpiece by making sushi fpr all guests and chefs using the fish and vegetables from Toyosu Market Suppliers,” he told Arab News Japan.

Rosario said that the group aims to host the Japanese Premium Food event every six months.

“We also want to invite Chef Tezuka in the near future to give lectures and workshops about Authentic Japanese Sushi culture,” he added.

MCO GROUP – is a Dubai and Japan based group that focuses, supports and promotes Japanese products and technology to the Middle East and the world.