SLJCC Japanese Cooking Training Day

The SLJCC held yet another successful training all-day training session, this time the subject matter – Japanese Cuisine.

35 SLJCC members attended the day at Club Hotel Dolphin with Chef Priyantha from Jetwing Beach, & Chef Alan from Sri Lankan Catering conducting the session. An innovative learning experience was had by all.

The ten-course menu covered subjects like basic dashi, Japanese pickles, Japanese marination technique, handrolled sushi, maki, tempura, soba, miso, donburi, teriyaki, & much more.

After a quick morning briefing on the menu, a short lecture was given on the history of Japanese cuisine before heading straight for the kitchen. Once inside, a full explanation of all the Japanese ingredients & equipment before we got down to work.  Prior to morning tea, we had completed Japanese pickled vegetables, miso soup, Chawanmushi, and vegetable seafood tempura. This was followed by an explanation and demonstration on soba noodles with seared scallops and braised leeks; and directly after, one hour of nori and sushi making before lunch.

After a delicious buffet lunch expertly executed by Chef Trevor & his team, it was back into the kitchen for a quick fire afternoon of hot entrees, which included garoupa, Japanese BBQ duck, & an Australian beef fillet in miso egg yolk marinate.

The certificates were awarded to all participating Junior Chefs, and an appreciation award was given to the GM of Club Hotel Dolphin for their generous & continued support of SLJCC.

 When asked what he liked most about the class, Rasika Kumara responded by saying that “learning cooking in the kitchen close to the stove is far better than ‘cooking’ in the classroom”.

Great thanks to Chef Trevor & Sous Chef Rosman from the Club Hotel Dolphin for their full commitment to the project and supporting the education of young chefs. Edinborough, without whom this cooking training would not have taken place as the major sponsor of the event and the supplying of the Japanese ingredients their role is invaluable and the SLJCC is very grateful.

As the vast majority of the 35 Junior chefs have never cooked Japanese cuisine, or eat sushi in the past. This was certainly a very new experience that was enjoyed by all.