Food & Sake with Kimio Nonaga, Celebrating the Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armor

NEW YORK, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday November 7, 2009 the Trustees Dining Room at The Metropolitan Museum of Art held a unique, multi-course, Kaiseki-style dinner paired with sake and wine. The event was held to coincide with the presentation of the special exhibition, Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armor, 1156 - 1868, on view now through January 10, 2010.

Kimio Nonaga, Japan's 2002 Iron Chef Champion, presented the meal and shared his insights on the thoughtful preparation behind each course, from the seasonal influences to the consideration of each garnish. The acclaimed Japanese chef's family-run restaurant, Nihonbashi Yukari in Tokyo, has been serving the Japanese Emperor in the Imperial Household Agency for three generations. Chef Nonaga is one of only 55 Japanese Grand Chefs and in 2003 was highlighted as one of five up-and-coming young chefs by The New York Times. He is considered an ambassador for Japanese cuisine and has taught several master classes at both the French Culinary Institute and the Culinary Institute of America. His exciting, innovative style has appeared in many industry and commercial publications.

Kaiseki cuisine is best known as a beautifully presented multi-course banquet. However, using different characters, it can also refer to the simple fare served before the Japanese tea ceremony. It was 16th-century Tea Master Sen no Rikyu, a native of Sakai, who first used kaiseki to describe the elegant meal he served before presenting his guests with tea. Sakai, once one of the world's wealthiest cities, is historically known for its production of samurai arms and today is famous for its high-quality kitchen knives, which are sought after by top chefs from around the world.

The ticketed evening began with a reception in the Patron's Lounge with a sparkling sake toast by Sakai City and then proceeded into the Trustees Dining Room for dinner. Chef Nonaga was presented with a special Sakai City knife with which he treated the guests to a special demonstration illustrating his artistic talents.

About Restaurant Associates

Restaurant Associates is recognized as the nation's premier foodservice, restaurant and catering company, operating over 100 prestigious locations. Restaurant Associates, based in New York City, provides premium food services to museums, performing arts centers, aquariums, corporate dining, educational facilities and off-premise catering events in New York City, Boston, Hartford, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and Toronto. Restaurant Associates is an operating company of Compass Group North America, the world's leading foodservice organization. www.restaurantassociates.com

About The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the world's largest and finest art museums. Its collections include more than two million works of art spanning 5,000 years of world culture, from prehistory to the present and from every part of the globe. www.metmuseum.org

SOURCE Restaurant Associates

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