“In Japans your education never ends. In 2012 I was introduced to a nigiri hand technique that takes 20 years to master I think that is fascinating” – 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.
What many are not aware of is that I first started training the Japanese fencing called kendo in Denmark.
In 2004, I traveled to Japan for the first time on a training camp. During the stay I was introduced to Japanese cuisine both traditional dishes but also sushi.
In 2006, I was educated to become a Japanese Sushi chef & sake sommelier. Since then, I have traveled to Japan almost every year to inspire Japanese gastronomy, practise kendo kata and visiting friends.
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Zoë has held sushi courses and cooking classes for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.
The Japanese do not eat as much sushi as many in European believe.
The Japanese are very fond of sushi. In Japan, sushi accounts for less than 15% of Japanese cuisine due to the fact that Japanese cuisine has many unique styles to offer.
The Japanese cuisine spans just Kaiseki which is a dinner consisting of 7-12 small dishes, tempura, yakitori, stews, grilled dishes, deep fried dishes, noodles and much more.
In the Japanese kitchen there are also styles that suit everything from a busy weekday to a weekend night with a party. Many Tokyo restaurants are decorated in such a way that there is also seating if you come alone.
Some of these styles are offered on the courses I hold.
Dried seaweed nori used for sushi is the healthiest vegetable in the world.
It is the vegetable that contains the most vitamins and minerals. One piece of sushi nori corresponds to 600 grams of vegetables.
In Japan, sushi nori is found in many different qualities depending on whether it is produced. China, Korea and Japan produces different kinds of seaweed nori for sushi.
As the range of seaweed is very large in Japan the Japanese have the opportunity to choose the types of seaweed that suit them best.
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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.
More and more of the young Japanese have begun to acquire European habits. Especially Danish pastries and other baked goods have become a popular eating over the years.
However, the majority still eats a traditional Japanese breakfast, consisting of cooked rice, a miso soup and a piece of fish is cooked.
If you stay at a hotel, you will typically get served a slightly bigger breakfast. At the Japanese hotels also called Ryokan they do not have the breakfast buffet as we know it here in Europe.
At Japanese hotel you will typically get served a bento box containing just 7-12 small dishes. Healthy dishes that covers the dietary pyramid.
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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. Gem
In Japan the selection of Japanese green tea is very large.
In Denmark there are more and more people who drinks Matcha tea. Matcha tea has gain a lot of attention due the health benefits you get from drinking the tea.
Japan produces annually approx. 85 tons of tea of which 99.9% is green tea. The most popular brands of green tea tea are Bancha, Genmaicha, Gyokuro, Hojicha, Kabusecha, Kukicha, Matcha Sencha and Shicha.
Within these types of green tea you can buy tea of different qualities in Japan which all have their own unique flavors and taste.
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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.
It depends a little on whether they eat sushi on a weekday or an evening at the weekend.
As a starting point, the Japanese prefer to drink an ice-cold classic beer with their sushi. The Japanese are a beer people and they value a good beer for the food. However, it is also Japanese who prefers a cup of green tea for the food.
On weekends where the Japanese are free and have more time to sit and eat a meal for several hours. There, the Japanese will also tend to drink sake for sushi.
In Japan, the range of sake is at least as large as the selection of wines in a European supermarket. Therefore, a sushi restaurant will serve sake within various price levels which are closely aligned to the menu that is served.
_ Zoë has held sushi courses and cooking classes for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.
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Zoë has held sushi courses and cooking classes for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.
In 2004, I traveled to Tokyo for the first time on a training session. My Japanese kendo teacher Hirakawa sensei had arranged that I was going to practise in Tokyo’s best kendo club.
As it was my first trip to Japan, I was told that I was going to take the bus from Narita Airport to the Sunshine Hotel in Tokyo where I would be picked up by 2 members from the Kendo Club Yushinkan Dojo.
When I arrived at the hotel we walked directly into the hotel to have lunch at one of the hotel’s many restaurants. In the restaurant I was served sushi and it was my first meeting with Japanese sushi.
I clearly remember the experience. The quality was different and the sushi pieces tasted more fish than what I had experienced in Denmark.
I was also surprised at how many different kind of seafood are used for sushi.
That it would later go to be my way of life I did not really think so at that time.
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Zoë has held sushi courses and cooking classes for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.
The Japanese have a slightly different view of sushi.
In Japan it is believed that all types of high quality fish can be used for sushi. This means that most sushi restaurants have 15-20 different fish on the menu. With such a large selection the Japanese prefer to eat nigiri.
But before a fish enters a sushi bar the quality of the fish has to meet the specific criteria.
On the classSushi for beginners you will hear the quality of the fish is decided.
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Zoë has held sushi courses and cooking classes for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.
In Japan soya products such as tofu, soya sauce and miso is eaten in large amounts. It is a healthy source of protein.
If you take the product tofu.The selection of tofu in Japan is very high. You can get many different types of tofu at different price ranges and qualities.
In Japan you can get several type of tofu where the consistency is very different some types are soft while others are firm. To determine which tofu buy you have think of the dish you are making since some tofu are suitable to fried on a pan.
There are more and more Japanese household who makes their own tofu. It is cheaper you also have a freshly made tofu.
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Zoë gives lectures and has 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 many are not aware of is that I first started training the Japanese fencing called kendo in Denmark.
