On October 17, 2024, Christian Garcia, the Executive Chef of the Monaco Palace, visited Japan to host a DASSAI pairing dinner event on a riverside terrace near the DASSAI brewery, nestled deep in the mountains of Yamaguchi.
Chef Garcia is the president of the prestigious international organization, Club des Chefs des Chefs, which brings together personal chefs of heads of state and royal families from around the world. For over 30 years, he has been responsible for all the cuisine served at Monaco's official state banquets, private gatherings, and dinners with friends, representing the diplomacy of the Monaco Prince’s Palace.
We are honored to have held this pairing dinner featuring Chef Garcia’s dishes, cherished by the late Prince Rainier III and the current Prince Albert II, paired with DASSAI sake.
Reports from the event are below:
The day started early with food preparations. While working in a temporary kitchen with unfamiliar equipment presented some challenges, Chef Garcia remained cheerful and composed throughout the event.
Chef Garcia preparing alongside Mr. Hideo Kudo, CEO of EIRYO Co., Ltd., who assisted with the overall food preparation. Mr. Kudo provided valuable support in the cooking process throughout the event.
Before the event, a final meeting was held with all staff involved, including Chef Garcia. Everyone participated to go over the final details and preparations. In addition to Asahi Shuzo's staff, we were joined by experts in cooking and service from across the country!
For this event, the venue was decorated with flowers in red and white, inspired by the flag of the Principality of Monaco. The stage curtains and other elements of the venue were also unified in red and white.
The preparations were nearing completion.
As the sun began to set around the brewery, guests started to arrive. During the time between the opening and the start of the dinner, a string quartet from the Japan Century Symphony Orchestra, of which Chairman Hiroshi Sakurai serves as a director, performed for the guests. The performance, surrounded by the mountains and river, created a graceful and beautiful marriage of music and nature.
Once all the guests had taken their seats, the dinner began. First, our president, Hiroshi Sakurai, delivered a greeting. He expressed his gratitude to the guests, shared the background of the event, and spoke about the relationship with the Principality of Monaco.
We were honored to receive a greeting from His Excellency Didier Gamerdinger, the Ambassador of Monaco to Japan. He introduced the Principality of Monaco and Chef Garcia, and concluded by saying, "We warmly welcome all those attending today's dinner event to visit the Principality of Monaco in the future."
After the speeches, a ceremonial "Kagami Biraki" (sake barrel opening) took place with five participants: Chef Garcia, His Excellency Didier Gamerdinger, the Ambassador of Monaco to Japan, Gilles Bragard, founder of Club des Chefs des Chefs, Chairman Hiroshi Sakurai, and President Kazuhiro Sakurai. Everyone wore DASSAI happi coats and, with the traditional Japanese call of "Yoi-sho, yoi-sho, yoi-sho!", they struck the wooden mallet to open the sake barrel.
It seemed that all three of them were quite fascinated by both the happi coats and the Kagami Biraki ceremony, and they appeared to be enjoying the experience.
The toast was led by Gilles Bragard, the founder of Club des Chefs des Chefs and a member of the prestigious international organization that brings together personal chefs of heads of state and royal families from around the world. He spoke about the excellence of Chef Garcia’s cuisine and shared his admiration for the meal.
After the toast, the dinner began in a warm and festive atmosphere. In the photo, we see Her Excellency Geneviève Edna Apaloo, the Ambassador of Ghana to Japan. For the toast, the sake was served in a sake cup crafted by the Living National Treasure, Imaizumi Iwaemon, with “DASSAI Beyond" poured into it.
Finally, the dishes were brought to the table. Chef Garcia personally explained each course, sharing details about the dishes with the guests.
The 12-story headquarters building where DASSAI is brewed is illuminated in red and white, inspired by the flag of the Principality of Monaco. As the night deepened, the lighting became more pronounced, clearly visible in the evening.
The second dish was "Golden Egg with Fresh Sea Urchin." paired with DASSAI 23" Centrifuge.
The third dish was "Charletrieu Macaroni, a favorite of the late Prince Rainier III, loved across generations, with a mousse made from Japanese spiny lobster in the style of Grilled Mardi." This dish was inspired by the sea, paired with DASSAI 23."
The first dish was a special version of DASSAI 23 sorbet, a favorite of the current Head of State, Prince Albert II. It was served with a vintage balsamic sauce from Leonardi and J. Caviar from Miyazaki, 1983 Monaco, the official caviar of the Monaco royal family.
The freshly prepared sorbet was so delicate that it began to melt immediately, showcasing its fine craftsmanship. The dish was both visually stunning and delicious. Additionally, the caviar used in this dish was generously provided by Japan Caviar Co., Ltd. from Miyazaki Prefecture.
The fourth dish was "Medallion Steak of Hizen Beef with Truffle," paired with DASSAI Future-with Farmers.
The fifth dish was a "Special Cheese Assortment with Monaco Liqueur": Citrus Monaco: Lorraine Camembert flavored with yuzu peel from Kochi Prefecture, paired with Monaco bitter orange liqueur. Monaco Glacé: Corsican goat cheese with marron glacé, paired with carob liqueur from Monaco. paired with "DASSAI BLUE Type 35," crafted at the DASSAI New York brewery.
The final dish was the dessert: The Lemon, the Monaco royal family's signature dessert, enhanced with the flavor of DASSAI Umeshu.
The plate in front of the lemon featured the Monaco royal family's crest. While it appeared as though a real lemon, complete with its peel, was placed on the plate, the entire dessert was edible. The pink jelly-like accompaniment on the side was made using DASSAI Umeshu.
The completed the six-course meal. Each dish was a perfect harmony of visual beauty and exquisite taste.
Even after the meal, everyone enjoyed engaging in lively conversations.
October 17 was the night of a supermoon. Although the sky was overcast, the moon made a brief appearance, adding a touch of magic to the evening.
As a wonderful surprise, Chef Garcia and Mr. Bragard presented Asahi Shuzo with an honorary diploma from the Club des Chefs des Chefs. This gesture was made in recognition of Asahi Shuzo’s passion for cuisine and respect for tradition.
Chairman Sakurai was also presented with an apron as a special gift.
The event concluded with a closing address from Chairman Sakurai.
In his speech, he likened the dinner guests to the famous haiku:
"On a cherry blossom moonlit night, crossing Gion by the clear waters, everyone I meet is beautiful."
Thank you to everyone who helped create such a wonderful and memorable evening!