The Broth Belt is retired, for now, at least, but Orlando’s top chefs will soon be scrapping again, this time in an arena ruled — in part, anyway — by raw.
But, says Yuhi Fujinaga, director of culinary for Patina Group, there will be a Tuna Trophy.
The inaugural Sushi Showdown, set in the glittering coliseum of Morimoto Asia, will take place on Sept. 21.
Two seatings — 5:30 and 8 p.m. — will see guests casting their votes for the top preparations in two variations: raw and cooked.
“We’re so excited to continue the legacy of the Ramen Rumble and showcase Orlando’s finest sushi chefs as they go head-to-head for this inaugural challenge,” says Fujinaga.
It’s a one-night-only competition featuring exclusive tastings of premium rice and beautiful tuna, the latter of which chefs will prep in full view of guests. Ergo: a reception-style dinner and an incredible show.
Competing for bragging rights, and fueling the funds collected for Orlando-local nonprofit Give Kids The World: chefs Kevin Abanilla of Okonomi, Lex Bawgus of Sushi Saint, Lewis Lin and David Tsan of the soon-to-open Hayashi Taro, Chau Trinh of Sushi Pop and Huy Tin of Seito Sushi Baldwin Park.
Amy Drew Thompson / Orlando Sentinel
Seito executive chef/partner Huy Tin strikes a pose with a serving of corned beef pho at a past Good Salt Restaurant Group event. He’ll be representing the group at the first-ever Sushi Showdown at Morimoto Asia on Sept. 21. (Amy Drew Thompson/Orlando Sentinel)
Tin, who has competed in Ramen Rumbles before, is excited about the new format.
“The guests will be able to walk around freely between the stations,” he notes, adding that each session will see staffers breaking down a whole bluefin tuna, giving portions to each competitor. “We will be prepping and cooking the dishes on the spot while the guests watch.”
First round will be raw preps, the second: cooked.
“I’m already thinking about it,” he says. “Creating the dishes is really exciting, and since it’s all tuna, we’ll be looking to make our dishes different. It’s fun to think about what I can do with a 2oz. tuna serving that will be memorable enough for when the time comes for guests to vote.”
General admission tickets are available for $125 per person, plus tax and gratuity, with a limited number of VIP Experiences for $700. These feature booths for up to four people. Guests can elevate their experience by purchasing a $25 six-sake pairing featuring premium pours from Dassai, Hakkaisan, Kubota, Nanbu Bijin and Soto.
Morimoto Asia will host the inaugural Sushi Showdown on Sept. 21, featuring the best sushi chefs in the city. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Additional food stations will feature bites from Morimoto Asia, as well, adding to the event’s flavor.
The evening will include live entertainment and an on-site auction, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Give Kids The World, supporting its mission to create unforgettable vacations for critically ill children and their families.
“I am so thrilled about the community of chefs and that the foodies will be around to interact with,” says Tin. “Every time we do these events, that’s what I’m looking forward to the most. The fact that this is reception-style allows us to be out there. The competition and teamwork aspect is great, too.”
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Good Salt Restaurant Group’s Jason Chin is happy to put down his planning hat for a spell and cheer on the chefs.
“We’re very happy to participate and keep the spirit of competition going and at the same venue. And I think it’s cool that it has switched up now to sushi. There’s a lot of awesome sushi talent in town, and we’re proud to offer up our very own chef Huy, who’s been with us for about a decade and a half. We know he’ll be a strong competitor, but he’s going to have his work cut out for him.”
Tickets are available at morimotoasia.com/events/sushi-showdown.
Find me on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com, For more foodie fun, join the Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group.
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