On June 12, 2025, a soybean dashi tasting event was held, inviting culinary professionals. A special menu by culinary experts Mr. Osamu Yao and Ms. Eriko was on offer, and the next day it was even featured in the Kyoto Shimbun's digital edition.
The potential of soybean dashi, seriously engaged with by professionals
Gathering at this event—one that set itself apart from tasting events for the general public—were food professionals such as chefs, culinary experts, food coordinators, and restaurant owners. It became a place to assess the practicality and potential of soybean dashi, each from their own perspective.
"Can it actually be used in a professional kitchen," "What sets it apart from other dashi ingredients," "How is the balance between price and quality." Even amid a flurry of exacting scrutiny, soybean dashi firmly demonstrated its capabilities.
The "serious dishes" of soybean dashi that culinary experts showcased
That day, culinary experts Mr. Osamu Yao and Ms. Eriko each proposed their own menu.
Mr. Yao focused on the "gentle sweetness" and "aroma" of soybean dashi, developing dishes centered on simmered dishes and soups. In a takiawase of root vegetables, the thickness characteristic of soybean dashi gently clung to the ingredients, bringing out the ingredients' natural sweetness. In a mizore-style bowl dish, a finish that turned the cloudiness of soybean dashi to advantage was striking, and it became a talking point among participants as "this has a different expression from animal-based dashi." Participants who saw the finished simmered dish also said, "I never thought the aroma could turn into such depth."
Ms. Eriko broadened the potential of plant-based dashi with a Western-style menu. In soups and sauce-based dishes made with soybean dashi as a base, the umami of kombu and the sweetness of soybeans layered together, creating a satisfying richness without using butter or cream. A new perspective—"beyond the image of a Japanese dashi, it can be fully used as a base for Western cuisine"—spread among the professionals.
There were also moments where they inspired one another with "so there's this way to use it, too," and the applied skill and inventiveness that only professionals possess drew out the potential of soybean dashi even further.
The media took notice
When a press release about the tasting event was issued, the next day, June 13, 2025, the Kyoto Shimbun's digital edition featured the event.
The fact that a tasting event for professionals caught the media's eye showed the growing social interest in soybean dashi. The fact that "dashi can be drawn from soybeans" had come to be recognized as a topic worth conveying by a newspaper representative of Kyoto.
The conclusion the professionals reached
From the participants who finished the tasting event, frank impressions came in. A chef who had been looking to strengthen the vegan-friendly menu said, "soybean dashi could be the trump card for that." Regarding the point that the dashi residue itself becomes an ingredient, a restaurant owner remarked, "it's groundbreaking from a food-loss standpoint, too." From venues where foreign customers are increasing came the opinion that "a plant-based dashi option is going to become essential from now on." Even in the professional field, the value of soybean dashi is steadily being recognized.
Soybean dashi heads to the professional kitchen
The challenge of soybean dashi, which began at the everyday dining table, is spreading to the professional kitchen. Chefs engage with it seriously, the media takes notice, and food professionals evaluate it. The potential of soybean dashi is steadily expanding.