2024 FIL Cali's Great Japanese Dinner - Spiwak Hotels

As part of the activities of the Cali International Book Fair (FIL Cali 2024), and in celebration of Japan as the guest of honor, La Zarzuela restaurant at Hotel Spiwak Chipichape will host a spectacular culinary event on Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 PM: The Great Japanese Dinner.

This exclusive four-course dinner will be led by chefs Jorge "Coco" Tomita, Christian Tomita, and Verónica Rocca, experts in Nikkei cuisine, a harmonious blend of Peruvian and Japanese culinary traditions. Coco and Christian are the masterminds behind Shizen, one of the most renowned Nikkei restaurants in Lima, Peru, while Verónica Rocca, a rising star in Nikkei cuisine, brings her youthful and innovative approach to this celebrated culinary style.

A Menu to Delight the Senses

The chefs have prepared a unique four-course menu that showcases the fusion of millenary Japanese traditions with flavors and ingredients from the Pacific region of South America:

- Appetizer: Concha tiradito with rocoto – a delicate seafood dish elevated by the smoky, spicy notes of rocoto, a chili pepper native to the Andean region.
- Main Course: Udon uchucuta – a dish featuring thick, traditional Japanese wheat noodles in a sauce inspired by uchucuta, a Quechua term for ground chili.
- Dessert: Carmen no okashi – a dessert reminiscent of a classic quesillo, with deep, rounded flavors of pineapple and vanilla, inspired by traditional homemade recipes.
- Cocktail: Suijin – a dry sake from Iwate, Japan, named after the Shinto water deity, representing purity and the essence of Japanese spirituality.

The event offers a one-of-a-kind culinary experience for 205,000 Colombian pesos per person (tax included). Reservations can be made at the phone number 395 9999 ext. 2370, WhatsApp at +57 316 690 9586, or by sending an email to lazarzuela@spiwak.com.

Nikkei Cuisine: A Blend of Cultures and Flavors

Nikkei cuisine is the perfect example of how food bridges cultures and tells stories. Born from the Japanese migration to Peru in the late 19th century and especially to Colombia at the beginning of the 20th, this fusion combines Japanese culinary techniques and traditions with the vibrant ingredients of LatAm’s rich culinary heritage. The result is an extraordinary balance of flavors, textures, and umami—a hallmark of Japanese cooking—with the bold, fresh, and spicy notes that characterize Andean and Pacific coastal cuisines.

The Great Japanese Dinner at La Zarzuela not only celebrates this remarkable blend but also highlights the deep connections between Japan and the Pacific regions of South America, particularly Colombia and Peru.

A Festival of Culture, Tradition, and Culinary Art

This event is part of the FIL Cali 2024, a fair that brings together literature, culture, and the arts. It also reflects the ties between the culinary traditions of the Pacific Colombian region and Japan’s timeless heritage. The celebration of Japan as the guest of honor goes beyond books, showcasing how its influence transcends into flavors, stories, and shared histories.

La Zarzuela’s Great Japanese Dinner promises to be an unforgettable night where food becomes a narrative of cultural exchange and creativity.