Denmark's Most Experienced Sushi Chef Zoë Escher

2019: Zoë was the judge for the daily newspaper Politiken in connection with testing food for their readers.
2016: Zoë held the official opening speech and opened the fair Formland Spring in Messecenter Herning in Denmark. At the opening of the fair there were 49 people from the press, 20 VIP and 271 exhibitors.
2015: Zoë has made sushi and Japanese dishes as private dining at home of US ambassador in Denmark Rufus Gifford.
2013: Rated as Denmark’s sushi expert no. 1 by gourmet supermarket chain Irma. Zoë was also guest judget at Masterchef Denmark season 3. Zoë has made sushi and Japanese dishes as staff food to the 3 star Michelin restaurant

Zoë is known from Danish magazines and TV such as Copenhagen Food, ALT for Damerne, Berlingske, Femina, IN, Mad & Bolig, TV3 and the consumer council magazine “THINK”.

Reference: Restaurant Geranium***, A.P. Møller – Mærsk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Ikea, Novartis, Velux, Takeda Pharma, Haldore Topsøe, Dansk Byggeri, Deloitte, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Symphogen and many more.

In Japan, what kind of topping is used on noodle soups?

April 4, 2023August 18, 2021 by Zoë Escher

In Japan, noodle soups are eaten all year round. The healthy noodle soups are the Japanese’s favorite fast food on busy days.
In Japan, you will find small noodle bars on most streets they serve homemade noodle soups of various sizes.

Once the food ticket has been pulled into the vending machine, given to the chef and you have found a seat at one of the small tables, than is just to wait. As a rule, no more than 5 minutes pass before a bowl of steaming hot soup is served. A classic Japanese ramen soup contains a little meat, eggs, seaweed, spring onions and mushrooms.

On the table are several different kinds of toppings such as chili oil, chili pepper, pickled ginger, finely chopped fermented red pepper.
Then it’s up to you whether you feel like adding extra topping to the soup in addition to what the chef has added.

Some Japanese choose to eat the soup as it is and, others choose to add the soup a little extra. It’s up to you.

In the Noodle Soup course for beginners, you will learn step by step how to make delicious and tasty noodle soup as it is served in restaurants in Tokyo.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

How to get the best avocados!

April 4, 2023August 16, 2021 by Zoë Escher

I love mature avocados, but they should not be so mature that they have also turned brown.

It can be difficult to pick ripe avocados. There are several reasons for this.

Some avocados appear soft on the outside but are rock hard on the inside. This typically happens when the avocados are pressed.

Most green avocados that come to Europe are of an avocado variety that is not mature until they have changed color to be dark brown.

The best way to ensure that you get good avocados in the shopping cart is to go for avocados that are wrapped. These are avocados that are packed in such a way that they do not get very many marks.

It is best to buy avocados a few days before they are to be used. Avocados benefit from lying on the kitchen table or near the window for a few days and ripening.

Read more about Sushi Chef & Sake Sommelier Zoë Escher

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

What kind of yakitori skewers are eaten in Japan?

July 3, 2023August 11, 2021 by Zoë Escher

In Japan, many different yakitori skewers are eaten for weekdays and weekends.
In Japan, the traditional Japanese yakitori skewers are made with chicken. It all parts of the chicken which are used for skewers such as skin, breast, liver and heart. Spit is cooked in a way so that the meat melts the tongue.

Just like in Europe, local ingredients are also used to make tasty yakitori skewers. In Japan, delicious and tasty skewers are prepared with fish, vegetables and other local ingredients. Before the raw materials end up spitting, they are prepared in different ways.
In Japan, the ingredients are sliced and marinated in several different ways, using cooking techniques that highlight the unique flavors and aromas.

In the Mini ebook: 5 Japanese Yakitori Skewers for One, you will learn step by step how to make delicious and tasty Japanese yakitori skewers that can be enjoyed all year round.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

In Japan, which fish is most popular for sushi?

April 5, 2023August 9, 2021 by Zoë Escher

The most sought after fish for sushi in Japan is tuna. Japan is the country in the world that eats the most tuna.

The largest fish market Tsukiji is located in Tokyo. Every day, large quantities of seafood are sold in the morning. Many sushi restaurants go directly to the Tsukiji fish market in the early morning hours to pick up fish for the restaurant.

Many sushi restaurants know in advance which fish they should have at the fish market. It happens regularly that they come home with other fish than what was on the shopping list. Their regular fish supplier can surprise with new and exciting fish that they did not anticipated.

The tuna is the big attraction at Tsukiji fish market.

Every day, large quantities of tuna land in different age groups. The quality of the fish is assessed by tuna buyers. Sushi restaurants will, on their advice, purchase the best tuna for just their particular restaurant.

At Sushi course for beginners, of course, tuna of the best quality from Japan is used.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

Which fish is most popular in the summer in Japan?

April 5, 2023August 6, 2021 by Zoë Escher

In Japan, the Japanese prefer to eat fish while in season.
Most sushi restaurants in Japan regularly replace their menus with seasonal fish.

One of the fish that has a special meaning is eel. It is a fatty fish, which in Japan is considered an exclusive fish. It is most often enjoyed in the summer.
In Japan there are 2 different kinds of eel freshwater eels and saltwater eels. As a guest, you do not notice the difference. As a chef, the 2 different eels allow you to cook them in different ways.

In Japan, you will find eels on the menu at sushi restaurants and in classic Japanese restaurants. In sushi restaurants, eels are eaten in a way that in the traditional Japanese restaurants are prepared and eaten in several different ways.

In Denmark, eel is not widespread in the same way as in Japan. Most people enjoy smoked eel on a good piece of rye bread.

At the Sushi course for beginners, you will learn how to make delicious and tasty sushi the most popular fish.

Read more about Sushi course for beginners

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

How many different kinds of tuna do sushi restaurants have in Japan?

April 5, 2023July 30, 2021 by Zoë Escher

In Japan, sushi restaurants have several different kinds of tuna on the menu. In Japan, fish is the main source of protein and fish oil. During a week, the Japanese eat a lot of fish. They eat as much fish as meat is eaten in Europe.

Like so many others, the Japanese are happy to be able to choose from several different fish. One of the fish that stands out is the tuna. The meat on the tuna tastes very different depending on where it sits on the fish. Tuna from the stomach is called toro, it is fat light pink tuna and, is an exclusive eat.
Low-fat tuna which is bright red in color is called Akami, it sits at the spine. That piece is used for sashimi and nigiri pieces. That way, the meat pieces can be prepared and eaten in different ways.

The reason why sushi restaurants in Japan have several different pieces of tuna to choose from is that most of the tuna in the world lands at the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, which is the largest in the world.

Read more about Sushi course for beginners

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

Japanese noodle soup is your shortcut to a healthy meal on a busy day!

April 5, 2023July 28, 2021 by Zoë Escher

In most streets of Tokyo is a small noodle soup bar. A bar where there is typically only room for 10-15 diners at a time. It does not sound like much. The small noodle bars are very busy. They serve the Japanese favorite food, which suits a busy everyday life.

It takes approx. 2 seconds to pull a food ticket in the vending machine. It takes less than 5 minutes before a bowl of steaming hot noodle soup is on the table. Japanese people are fast eaters and very experienced when it comes to the use of chopsticks. It takes them less than 5 minutes to eat a nutritious and healthy noodle soup. In the course of a day, the many noodle bars can manage to serve many guests.

Japanese noodle soup is a low-fat and healthy meal that is eaten year-round in Japan.

On the Japanese noodle soup course for beginners you will learn how to make tasty soups from scratch as they are served in Tokyo.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

Where is it best to buy sushi knives?

April 5, 2023July 15, 2021 by Zoë Escher

It is best to buy sushi knives in Japan.

A sushi knife is not just a sushi knife. There are many things to keep in mind when buying a sushi knife.

In Japan, there are many different Japanese sushi knives of different sizes.
In Japan, sushi knives are made in different types of steel, some knife blades are easy to maintain and others are more challenging.

Some Japanese sushi knives are made of cheap steel, while others are made of exclusive steel, which has a long shelf life.

The shaft of the knife is also different. On traditional Japanese sushi knives, the handle is made of wood. In Japan you can buy sushi knives where the shaft is made of cheap wood, but you can also buy knives where the wood is exclusive. The actual design of the shaft also varies.

The weight of sushi knives is different. Some knives are light while others are heavy.

In Denmark, the selection of sushi knives is very small. In fact, it is far too small. The knives I use all come for Japan. If I need a new Japanese knife, then I will only buy it in Japan.

Read more about Sushi course for beginners

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

How is sushi rated in Japan?

April 5, 2023July 7, 2021 by Zoë Escher

Sushi in Japan is assessed in a different way than in Denmark and Europe.
In Japan, sushi chefs and customers have a slightly different view of sushi. Other criteria are used for whether sushi tastes good, is well cooked and the overall sushi experience.

What is most emphasized in Japan is the quality of the cooked rice. If the sushi rice is not cooked to perfection, the thumb is turned down. In Japan, no one wants to eat sushi where the rice has got too much and has the consistency of porridge. It affects the other ingredients in the making of sushi and, the finished sushi pieces. It will be a smattering experience.

Conversely, the rice can also be cooked in a way so that the rice is raw inside. It provides a hard core where the full benefit of the rice ‘taste and consistency is not present.

Sushi rice is not the easiest to cook, but when it succeeds it tastes so nice.

Read more about Sushi course for beginners

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

Where are there gourmet sushi restaurants in Europe?

April 5, 2023June 25, 2021 by Zoë Escher

There are several gourmet sushi restaurants in Europe that make delicious and tasty sushi of very high quality. You can always find michelin restaurants, which you just look up in the guide.

There are really good sushi restaurants which can be hard to find if you don’t know them well.

London is one of the cities that has many really good restaurants too when it comes to sushi.

Yashin sushi in London in the Kensington district makes traditional Japanese sushi with a twist. All their sushi chefs come from Japan. Their food is delicious and tasty of high quality.

Not far from Regent Street in London is Ikada, which makes traditional Japanese sushi as it is served in Japan. They have a large menu, so there is plenty to choose from. All their chefs are from Japan. You have the option of sitting in the sushi bar or in the restaurant.

Sushimama is located in Ljublijana, Slovenia, a sushi restaurant that makes tasty, high-quality sushi. All their sushi chefs come from Japan. Sushimama is one of the sushi restaurants where you can get sushi with truffle. There is also a restaurant that I can highly recommend.

Read about Sushi chef & Sake sommelier Zoë Escher

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.