London restaurants to showcase sake’s versatility beyond Japanese cuisine
Top London restaurants will serve sake alongside modern European dishes this February, as part of a campaign designed to challenge perceptions of how the drink can be enjoyed.
Some of London’s leading restaurants are set to spotlight sake’s food-pairing potential this February, serving the Japanese drink alongside contemporary, non-Japanese cuisine.
Launched under the banner Sake Food Sensations, the initiative brings together a curated group of high-profile restaurants offering exclusive pairing menus for at least two weeks during the month. Each dish has been designed to be enjoyed with a carefully selected sake, highlighting the drink’s compatibility with modern European cooking.
The campaign has been created on behalf of JFOODO, the organisation responsible for promoting Japanese food and drink products globally.
“In the UK, sake is still largely associated with Japanese cuisine, with most consumption happening in Japanese restaurants,” said Masaru Mizoguchi, Director at JFOODO. “Yet the quality and diversity of sake mean it deserves far broader recognition. Through this February’s collaboration with some of London’s leading restaurants, we want to show how well sake pairs with modern European dishes.”
Mizoguchi added that the aim is for the campaign to have a lasting impact. “Our hope is that this experience will inspire restaurants to keep sake on their menus and help more diners discover its versatility long after the campaign ends.”
Training and expertise
Sake expert Henry Thorogood has provided training to many of the participating restaurants ahead of the promotion. He said sake’s structural qualities make it particularly well suited to food pairing.
“There is a saying in Japanese that ‘sake doesn’t fight with food’, and this rings true,” Thorogood explained. “Whereas wine is often used to refresh the palate, the lower acidity and much higher levels of umami in Japanese sake mean that it instead supports the dish – almost hugging the food, adding layers of flavour, and emphasising the deliciousness of the ingredients.”
He added that, regardless of cuisine, there are “relatively few risky food-and-sake pairings, but many truly wonderful combinations to be explored”.
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Restaurants confirmed so far include Albers, Behind, Da Terra, Frame Notting Hill, Galvin La Chapelle, Ibai, Labombe by Trivet, Noizé, Ormer Mayfair, Papi, Prince Arthur, Row on 5, Sael, Studio Gauthier, Sune and Trivet.
Trivet leads the way
Two-Michelin-starred Trivet has played a central role in championing the campaign. Head Chef Jonny Lake and Master Sommelier Isa Bal have long incorporated sake into their approach to food and drink pairing.
Ahead of the February rollout, the pair hosted an invitation-only masterclass at Trivet for chefs and sommeliers, serving a bespoke menu matched with premium sakes. The event was designed to inspire other restaurants to develop their own sake pairings for the campaign.
“I’ve been inspired by Japanese ingredients for a very long time and during my trip to Japan with Isa, I was impressed by the versatility of sake,” said Lake. “Its vibrant and diverse flavour profiles make it not only a fascinating beverage but also an exciting ingredient to cook with.”
At Trivet, this approach includes using sake directly in the kitchen. “We bring this to life in our Hokkaido Potato dessert, adding a unique depth and character that celebrates its Japanese roots,” Lake added.
Bal said his relationship with sake spans more than two decades. “I have been working with sake for over 20 years, and as someone who loves Japanese culture, it remains one of the things I most closely associate with it,” he said. “Sake is a wonderful drink, full of intricate details and character, that pairs well not only with Japanese cuisine but also with many dishes from around the world.”
Full details of the participating restaurants and their sake pairing menus will be announced via the Sake Food Sensations Instagram channel, the forthcoming campaign website and the restaurants’ own platforms. Further information is available at @sake_sensations on Instagram.
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