Watch: First Asian Chef's Irish Beef Club launched in Japan
Bord Bia launched its first-ever Chefs' Irish Beef Club (CIBC) in Asia today (Wednesday, June 11), marking a significant milestone in the promotion of premium Irish beef on the global stage.
The prestigious club, which has elevated the profile of Irish grass-fed beef across Europe and the Middle East, now extends its reach to Japan, welcoming three renowned Japanese chefs as its inaugural members in Asia.
The Chefs' Irish Beef Club is an exclusive international forum which brings together some of the leading international chefs who collectively endorse the sustainability credentials and taste of Irish beef.
The official launch took place at The Momentum by Porsche restaurant in Tokyo, as part of the Irish government's trade mission to Japan led by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon.
Three new chefs – Yuji Hayashi (The Momentum by Porsche), Yuki Inoue (Ristorante La Bisboccia), and Kenzo Nishizawa (Trattoria Da Kenzo) – were formally inducted into the international club.
Minister Heydon said: 'Irish beef is growing in strength in Japan and launching the Chefs' Irish Beef Club here in Tokyo is testament to how well premium Irish beef is received on the global stage.
'The voluntary endorsement of Irish beef by three prestigious Japanese chefs underscores the exceptional quality of meat from Ireland.'
He went on to say that Ireland's Protected Geographical Indicator (PGI) for Irish beef has officially been sent to Japanese authorities for registration, with the hope that it will be authorised in the coming months.
Chef Yuji Hayashi, who has worked for the last four years as the executive chef at Momentum, the world's first Porsche-approved restaurant in Tokyo, said: 'It's an honour to be part of the CIBC.
'I'm delighted to host Ireland's Minister of Agriculture today, and serve him and the group some beautiful Irish beef here in Tokyo.
'When I visited Ireland I realised how good the animal welfare was. It was amazing to see cattle living a stress-free life on the greenest grass.'
Bord Bia CEO Jim O'Toole said taste profiles are changing in Japan and that Irish grass-fed beef is now highly desired by consumers in Japan.
'Last year Bord Bia hosted trade buyers to Ireland along with chefs and a key Japanese importer of chilled premium beef,' he said.
'Historically, Japanese consumers have a preference for grain-fed beef over grass-fed, due to the reputation of their own grain-fed Wagyu beef, but Bord Bia's market insights show that this is changing.
'There is increasing evidence that Japanese consumers enjoy the taste, flavour, and smell of Irish grass-fed beef,' he said.
'The fact that some of Japan's most prestigious chefs are now cooking with Irish beef is a strong endorsement of the quality and reputation of Irish beef from farm to fork, and marks the beginning of a new chapter in the promotion of Irish beef in Japan.'
Chef Yuki Inoue, head chef at Ristorante La Bisboccia in Tokyo said: 'I've been using Irish beef at La Bisboccia for six years. We have served beef from all over the world, but Irish grass-fed beef stands up as the best, and our customers love it.'
Beef to Japan
In 2024, Ireland exported over 3,300t of beef and beef offal to Japan, valued at almost €25 million, up from €19.8 million in 2023.
Total Irish food and drink exports to Japan were €161 million last year.
Japan has been a prized market for beef offals such as tongue and more recently has become a destination for prime beef.
Since the Japan EU Economic Partnership Agreement was implemented in 2019, tariffs on imported beef from Europe have been decreasing.
To date, Irish beef tongue has proven a popular export choice, with Japan's Negishi chain of restaurants selling Irish beef tongue at its 49-or-so restaurants around the Kanto region of Japan, which includes Tokyo.
Irish beef tongue is the main feature of the menu at restaurant chain Negishi in Tokyo
Negishi specialises in various kinds of grilled beef tongue – regarded as a delicacy in Japan. A new Negishi restaurant in Osaka is due to open later this year.
The Chefs' Irish Beef Club, established in 2004, is an exclusive international network of award-winning chefs who share a passion for Irish beef.
Bord Bia has said that the club's members, who work in top restaurants and culinary institutions worldwide, play a pivotal role in promoting Irish beef as a premium product.
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