In the first week of August, Saori Ichihara will be gust chef at Arla Unika. Saori is a freelance chef, raised in Nishinomiya in Japan with experience from, among others, the star restaurants Esperanto and Oaxen Krog. Saori most recently comes from restaurant Ichi, which she ran for many years. Saori cooks with inspiration from Japan, but also through discoveries she makes in everyday life and during meals with friends and acquaintances. Saori works according to the motto “Because I am here!”, where she wants to challenge herself to add inspiration from people and the place around her.
– Dairy products were unusual elements in cooking when I was growing up. Butter, cream and cheese were luxuries for me as a child, she says and continues:
– But I like dairy a lot and find many common characteristics of cheese with Japanese aged products such as umami from lactic acidification, aged salts and textures. This summer I want to interpret Japanese ingredients for the cheeses at Arla Unika and create something new and unique, says Saori.