Japan chaired the 2019 G20 Osaka Summit. On the second day of the Summit, fourth generation Sushi chef and Sushi ambassador Yoshi planned and coordinated the spouse program luncheon. While making the Sushi himself he gave a presentation on Japanese culture and Japanese hospitality.
The historic Auditorium Room of the Osaka Civic Hall was turned into a Sushi restaurant with a Sushi counter. The spouses of the heads of state and international organizations including Mrs. Abe was treated to a Sushi lunch.
“A Sushi counter is where Japanese culture comes together”
For the guests to feel the Japanese culture and hospitality, we used knives and dishes made by the finest traditional craftsmanship. The cutting board was made from a 300year old cypress tree and on it we cut fish from around the country. YOSHI coordinated this event so the guests could feel. The rich Japanese culture through one piece of Sushi.
As the theme of the symposium held on the same morning was “sustainability” “peace” and “conservation of the ocean”, we tried to follow these principles and added some seasonal elements like the star festival and the beginning of summer.
Incorporating some ingredients from Osaka and Osaka style sushi made this a special “G20” lunch.
The menu took almost 6 months to plan, trying to meet the different religious and dietary restrictions was a challenge but we were able to create a unique menu for each of our guests. In line with the principle of SDGs 14, we served sustainable marine resources such as scallops that were listed on the Blue Seafood Guide.Sushi can be made from not only fish but vegetables and meats were used too.
The everchanging guest list and time schedule was another challenge. We planned for many variations and planned the service operation to fit these changes.
Having the experience as a tour guide abroad, hosting many high-end inbound guests at his restaurant, and his knowledge as a sommelier all helped to plan this event. The drink menu was a mix of sake and Japanese wine. The plates were hand made by Kazumi Murose, a Japanese lacquer ware artist recognized as a national treasure, the flowers were arranged by Hanamasa, a flower store from Kyoto, the flower pots were 500year old Shigaraki urns, the folding screen, the curtains, the carpet…. All were handpicked to compliment this event.
At the beginning YOSHI made a presentation of Japanese Sushi culture, then it was time to sit down to a personalized chefs choice Sushi lunch and ending in a “okonomi” – choose what you want – style session. The atmosphere was relaxed with many questions from the guests, conversation, and laughter.
YOSHI is honored to be a part of G20 Osaka Summit and thankful for the opportunity to be able to host a luncheon for guests from around the world. He would like to thank all the guests for coming and taking interest in Sushi and Japanese culture and all the staff that made this event possible.
YOSHI’s mission is to spread the knowledge of Japanese culture to the world through Sushi. Hosting guests from 20 different countries has been an education of different cultures and dietary restrictions. He plans on continuing his mission through cultural programs and catering services.