Twenty of London’s esteemed restaurants are joining forces to celebrate one of Japan’s finest exports this winter – the delicacy of Wagyu beef.
The special Wagyu Experience with Top Global Chefs 2022 in London is presented by the Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council and features the recipes of 20 chefs at restaurants across London, giving diners a chance to explore a new and tantalising side of Japanese Wagyu beef.
The event was marked by a chef tasting and Q&A for the press and participating chefs overseen by the Japan Livestock Products Promotion Council.
Prominent restaurants taking part include Frog by Adam Handling, Bob Bob Ricard, The Kitchen Table, Junsei, and Hide Mayfair. Every restaurant taking part will offer Wagyu specials on their menus for a limited time only all championing Japanese round cuts of Wagyu.
The Wagyu cut
In Japan, Wagyu has different applications depending on the different parts used. The leaner Wagyu ‘round cut’ is commonly used in Japan but is currently much less commonly used in restaurants in the UK.
Ken Sakurai, Managing Director of Japan Livestock Products Promotion Council says, “the volume of Wagyu beef exported from Japan to Europe was just 50 tons in 2014 and it is expected to exceed 450 tons in 2022. Looking at the breakdown, the most expensive part of Wagyu beef, the loin, accounts for 86 per cent of the total.
“Through this campaign with restaurants across London, we hope to increase awareness for lesser-used cuts of Wagyu and in particular round cuts.
Exemplary Quality Control
Wagyu beef is produced in one of the world’s most stringent quality control systems.
Wagyu pedigree is confirmed by assigning a standardised ten-digit individual identification number to the head of each calf. The government centrally manages this certification system. This allows consumers to trace where the beef was produced and how it was distributed to ensure peace of mind about the meat to be consumed.
Today, each Wagyu calf can even be checked through a smartphone. Purchasers can scan the QR code on their packaged beef to track the cattle’s date of birth, exact breed, grade, origin and more. Only genuine Wagyu cattle born and bred in Japan can be called ‘Wagyu’.
Japanese Wagyu is fattened for a minimum of 600 days on a high-quality diet of rice straw and nutritious feed (corn, soya beans, wheat).
Japan’s rigorous control system ensures the highest of standards for one of Japan’s finest global exports.
Restaurants Taking Part in London’s Wagyu Experience 2022
- 5th – 11th December: Frog by Adam Handling – Covent Garden
- 5th – 11th December: Issho-Ni
- 5th – 11th December: Akoko
- 5th – 11th December: The Colony Grill Room
- 5th – 11th December: Kitchen Table
- 5th – 11th December: The Silver Birch
- 5th – 11th December: Hide
- 5th – 11th December: Farang London
- 9th – 15th January: Bob Bob Ricard
- 9th – 15th January: Akari Japanese Kitchen & Bar
- 9th – 15th January: Gunpowder
- 9th – 15th January: Junsei
- 12th – 18th December: Mazi
- 17th – 23rd December: Madera at Treehouse London
- TBA Tatale
- TBA Mano Mayfair
- TBA Bife
- TBA zēphyr Notting Hill
- TBA Cheneston’s Restaurant – The Milestone Hotel
All participating restaurants, chefs and their developed menus can be found here.
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