Today, October 1st, is National Soy Sauce Day! We’re celebrating with the WINNERS of the 2024 INSPIRED BY KIKKOMAN Chef Competition. After evaluating dozens of amazing entries showcasing Kikkoman® Soy Sauce, Chef’s Roll and Kikkoman narrowed the competing chefs down to five incredible finalists whose dishes were in the running to win a paid trip Japan.
From among these finalists, a judging panel – including former Kikkoman Chef Competition Winners Ian Ramirez, Mark Rivera, and Jackson Kalb, along with Kikkoman Executive Chef Andrew Hunter – collaborated with Kikkoman to crown the Runner Up and Grand Prize Winners. Joining them in receiving a prize is chef Evan Gonzalez, who was voted as the Fan Favorite winner!
Congratulations to our winners and thank you to everyone who competed in this year’s contest!
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Prize: A trip to Japan with Kikkoman!
Chef Brian Redzikowski – Wild King Salmon “Rice Bowl”
“An interactive Salmon Rice Bowl dish. Sourcing the best ingredients starting from the Soy Sauce to the mushrooms to let the simplicity of the ingredients shine. Using three different types of Kikkoman® Soy Sauce was the key to balance out each component to ensure nothing overpowered and all components worked in harmony.”
RUNNER UP WINNER
Prize: $2,500
Chef Nathaniel Malone – Miso Cured Smoked Pork Jowl with Sticky Soy and Choy Sum
“Miso Cured Smoked Pork Jowl with Sticky Soy Glaze, Choy Sum Goat Cheese, Pink Oyster Mushrooms, Lemon Ginger and Honey Ginko Nuts, Fresh Mission Figs, Concord Grapes, Tremella Mushroom ‘Pork’ Rinds, and Espresso Soy Sauce Powder. “
FAN FAVORITE WINNER
Prize: $2,500
Chef Evan Gonzalez – Mi Quang (Vietnamese Turmeric Chicken Noodle Soup)
“Black silkie chicken. Twice-cooked tamari confit farm egg. Homemade red beet-rice noodles. Turmeric chicken bone broth. Pineapple. Cherry tomatoes. Banana blossom. Scallion. Micro pea, corn, and amaranth. Black sesame rice cracker. Toasted peanuts.”
This contest is subject to the official Terms and Conditions.
Images courtesy Chef’s Roll, and Tomas Malik via Pexels.
