Ramen is a type of Japanese noodle soup that was commonly a street food, but has now become a gourmet sensation around the world.
Folks in the qathet region have also become more familiar with the cuisine because of a few places having it on offer, but do people outside of Japan really know what authentic ramen food culture is all about?
Local gold-certified Japanese cuisine chef Avi Sternberg is planning to bring back this authentic Japanese food knowledge, after training with a famous ramen chef in Osaka this January.
"I am a member of the All Japan Food Association (AJFA) comprised of leading chefs, the Japanese ministry of agriculture and many organizations connected to food, culture and distribution in Japan," said Sternberg. "My contact at the Japanese ministry arranged a training session for me with a famous ramen chef in Osaka in early January."
Sternberg said he plans to capture images and videos to share with the qathet community in order to increase awareness of authentic ramen food culture. He will also be learning about a new trend in ramen food culture, which is plant-based.
Due to the growing popularity of vegetarian and vegan ramen options, a Japanese-based company has developed a 100 per cent plant-derived umami ingredient called Miracore, which has made it possible to create a vegan dashi that tastes similar to a non-vegan one.
"As a member of the AJFA and certified at the gold-level in Japanese cuisine for foreigners under the Japanese Cuisine and Dietary Culture [JCDC] initiative, I have two primary goals," said Sternberg. "One is to act as a sort of ambassador to support education on authentic Japanese cuisine outside of Japan and two, to continue to develop my skills and knowledge in the culinary methodologies."
For those who can't make it to Vancouver or Japan to taste authentic ramen, Sternberg said he has has created some recipes here in qathet that folks can try: shoyu ramen, which is a clear broth; Hokkaido ramen, which is miso-based; and a plant-based ramen, which still could include a soft boiled egg, or not, if one chooses.
"Osaka is a place I strongly identify with, having spent more time there than anywhere else since I was 19 [years old]," said Sternberg. "Over time I have built a comfortable familiarity and connection with the neighbourhoods, people, food and culture."
Sternberg said after completing his learning engagement with the Japanese chef on January 14, he will be able to share more about plant-based ramen culture and what goes into making authentic ramen.
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