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Sakura Night

Meet the Master Chefs Behind Sakura Night

As it is the custom in Japan to celebrate the new season and sakura or cherry blossoms with seasonal food, the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is proud to present the 3rd annual Sakura Night Gala

On Sunday April 2 at Stanley Park Pavilion, Sakura Night will showcase an array of Asian-fusion dishes from eight of Vancouver’s top chefs. Meet two of the Master Chefs behind the mouth-watering magic.

Purchase your Sakura Night event ticket here before it sells out! – it will be an evening to remember!

Chef Ryu Yamamura – Zakkushi
Chef Ryu Yamamura was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan where he received authentic training from local masters to become a renowned Yakitori Chef. After opening and running Okada Ryuhei, his own yakitori venture in Japan for two years, Yamamura was attracted to life overseas and decided to pursue the Canadian food scene and spread the joy of yakitori.

Photo Credit Leila Kwok

Yakitori is one of the most popular Japanese cuisine that has been around for more than 300 years. Yakitori is skewered chicken grilled over charcoal called “binchotan”. By cooking over the charcoal, it gives more flavour and rich taste.

Photo Credit Leila Kwok

Using charcoal is very sensitive and difficult. The special yakitori sauce used to grill yakitori is aged and thickened over time to give deeper taste and natural deliciousness.

Zakkushi will be serving charcoal grilled pork and chicken skewers at Sakura Night.

Chef Nobu Ochi – Zen
“The opportunity to sample Chef Nobu Ochi’s exquisitely crafted, beautifully plated selection of sashimi, sushi, and innovative maki is well worth a trek across the bridge.” – Vancouver Magazine

Photo Credit Leila Kwok

Zen Japanese Restaurant, the critic’s choice as the North Shore’s best Japanese restaurant, also won the 2014 Diners’ Choice OpenTable Award and was Vancouver’s first Japanese restaurant to join Ocean Wise, a Vancouver Aquarium program committed to the long-term health and stability of the greater marine ecosystem.

Photo Credit Leila Kwok

Chef Nobu Ochi will be serving Fish & Chips, a coconut prawn roll, a marine roll, and temaki made to order at this years Sakura Night. Chef Nobu Ochi’s selections were served while he was a guest Chef at Toso.

“Within 1 hour of opening, we had served all the 150 orders that I had prepared for the whole evening.” – Chef Nobu Ochi.

“This dessert will change your world!” – Bella Gelateria
Pink bubbly will be flowing and the dining experience will finish with a one-of-a-kind gelato sushi dessert created by Bella Gelateria.

Photo Credit James Coleridge

“This dessert will change your world!” – James Coleridge

2014 International Gelato Master of the Year by Italy’s oldest gelato association, MIG Exhibition
2012 Double Gold Winner, Florence Gelato Festival, Technical Jury & People’s Choice
2011 Gelato Pioneer Award “The Father” – Carpigiani Group, Italy

View the full Sakura Night menu here.

Purchase your Sakura Night event ticket here – it will be an evening for your palette to remember.

Thank you to our world-class sponsors for making this event possible:

Ancora Waterfront Dining and Patio
Zen Japanese Restaurant
Zakkushi
Benkei Ramen
Hapa Izakaya
Masayoshi
Prestons Restaurant + Lounge
Bella Gelateria
Evolve Cellars
Stanley Park Brewing