Latest news with #EXOTICAUMAMI

Hong Kong-developed EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M] challenges century old cooking traditions with breakthrough flavour enhancement technology

The Sun

31-07-2025

Business
The Sun

Hong Kong-developed EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M] challenges century old cooking traditions with breakthrough flavour enhancement technology

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 31 July 2025 - The revolutionary multifunctional sauce EXOTICA UMAMI (known to Chinese speakers simply as 'EX M') continues to win admirers and astound veteran chefs with its versatility, flavour,texture and remarkable time and money-saving capabilities. At another groundbreaking introduction event on July 30, presented at the New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel, top Hong Kong chefs once again demonstrated the new seasoning and cooking sauce's ability to generate intense, rich flavours and sometimes tenderise proteins—with results that challenged conventional culinary wisdom, showing how EXOTICA UMAMI can challenge culinary norms, improve dining experiences while potentially optimizing restaurant budgets. THE IMPOSSIBLE TASK: USING FROZEN CHICKEN TO CHALLENGE FRESH Star Chef Kenneth Loo pushed EXOTICA UMAMI to its absolute limits, taking on the extraordinary challenge of using EX M sauce in a carefully developed recipe to vacuum marinade and poach frozen chicken in direct comparison to a blind test using fresh chicken with soy sauce. In Hong Kong, using fresh chicken for soy sauce chicken is a deeply rooted practice driven by culinary tradition, as the meat needs to remain succulent while the skin takes on a shiny, flavourful finish. Fresh chicken—not frozen—is generally used because it retains natural moisture, has a tender texture, and absorbs marinade better due to its intact cell structure, resulting in juicier, more flavourful meat with a glossy, appealing skin. Frozen chicken releases excess water, has damaged cell structure, and may develop a mushy texture, reducing marinade absorption and diluting flavour while creating a drier and tougher texture when cooked. The results were nothing short of revolutionary, defying traditional belief. The consensus was that the frozen chicken marinated in 'EX M' delivered a depth of flavour far more captivating than any standard soy sauce. Not only was the skin colour deeper and much more appealing, but the inherent ingredients in EXOTICA UMAMI—such as thyme and other fermented ingredients—delivered a more complex taste, dramatically enhanced juiciness and comparable texture to fresh chicken, even when the chef experimented with frozen chicken. BUDGET BEEF RIVALS PREMIUM WAGYU Moving onto the second demonstration, New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel Executive Chef Gary Wong personally conducted an ambitious test: grilling US Ribeye steak using EXOTICA UMAMI versus M5 Wagyu Ribeye without the sauce, directly challenging the perceived superiority of premium ingredients. M5 Wagyu Ribeye, which costs approximately double that of US Ribeye, supposedly is characterised by exceptional intramuscular fat, resulting in a rich, buttery texture and a velvety, melt-in-the-mouth feel. Its fine marbling enhances tenderness and juiciness, with low-melting-point fat that should contribute to a much more luxurious bite compared to the more budget type US Ribeye Steak. Once again, the results defied expectations and challenged industry assumptions. The consensus among the distinguished guests and professionals was that the US Ribeye through a few minutes of direct drizzling with 'EX M' sauce in the grill made it have comparable texture in quality to the Wagyu and being equally—or more—succulent, rich and juicy than the far more expensive Wagyu. RENOWNED ITALIAN CHEF ENDORSES Also attending the demonstration was Italian chef Paolo Monti of acclaimed Wan Chai trattoria AMA. The Rome native took particular interest in EXOTICA UMAMI after learning the sauce draws inspiration from Garum, the 2,000-year-old Roman marinade. Instead of fish in Ancient Garum, creator Dan Gan developed this modern innovative alternative for salt, soy sauce and MSG using the concept of pork as the foundation. Chef Monti demonstrated a sophisticated new dish of grilled pork neck with mashed potatoes, seasoned and vacuum marinated with EXOTICA UMAMI. The refined dish captivated everyone in attendance, showcasing the sauce's remarkable flexibility for use in authentic Italian cuisine. Chef Monti confirmed his professional endorsement: 'I respect Exotica Umami for not overpowering the original taste of the main ingredients while boosting savouriness, flavours and depth—something many other seasoning products fail to achieve.' Chef Monti announced he will be serving his new pork neck dish on AMA's menu from August 1. EXOTICA UMAMI INNOVATIVE DISHES LAUNCHED ONE AFTER ANOTHER Through this comprehensive series of chef workshops and exploration of EXOTICA UMAMI, it has become evident that the sauce delivers revolutionary, game-changing effects for enhancing dishes while achieving substantial time and cost savings. More hotels and eateries are adopting this breakthrough to their competitive advantage. In addition to Chef Monti's announcement of his new dish, New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel's Sagano will serve Exotica Umami EX M Teppanyaki beef on their à la carte menu starting 1 August to give customers a different feel. Chef Cheuk will also launch EX M Poached Chicken at New World Millennium's Tao Li as part of their reinvented Chinese 'Siu Mei' specialities from August 1, joining the successful EX M Char Siu, which he created and shared with overwhelming positive feedback during the June 30 workshop. Industry professionals praised his version of the local pork char siu as comparable to Spanish pork char siu—a significant achievement in flavour and texture elevation. About EXOTICA UMAMI This all-in-one multifunctional cooking sauce and natural type flavour enhancer has emerged as a genuine game changer for the food industry. The consensus confirms that EXOTICA UMAMI makes food demonstrably more succulent and juicy while contributing its own distinctly addictive taste profile. In numerous applications, the sauce can further tenderise meat and produce. This extraordinary ability to simultaneously add flavour and improve texture saves professional kitchens significant time and money. The revolutionary alternative for salt, soy sauce and MSG was invented in Hong Kong by food visionary Dan Gan. Inspired by ancient Roman culinary heritage, it was developed and perfected at Gan's Exotica Gelatea Restaurant through an unexpected journey. When his chef quit, Gan the proprietor was compelled to take over kitchen operations. Determined to elevate his food quality, he created a marinade to add directly to his burger while grilling. The transformative results helped earn recognition on the prestigious 'Ranked: the world's best burgers' list by UK platform Lovefood. To further refine his revolutionary seasoning sauce, Gan temporarily paused his restaurant operations. Using a carefully crafted mixture of pork, herb, spice and closely guarded secret ingredients combined with time-tested fermenting techniques, Gan systematically experimented with his sauce to elevate it for fine dining applications. Through this meticulous process, EXOTICA UMAMI ['EX M'] was born. Made in small batches, the unique sauce currently is mainly supplied to the hotel and restaurant industry. Currently, EXOTICA UMAMI maintains exclusive availability to industry professionals and is not actively sold in retail. However, EXOTICA UMAMI can be purchased at the JW Marriott e-shop and at Towngas Cooking Centre in Causeway Bay for non-industry professionals. For more information or details about the sauce or purchasing arrangements, contact: info@ More information can also be found at

Malay Mail

31-07-2025

Business
Malay Mail

Hong Kong-developed EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M] challenges century old cooking traditions with breakthrough flavour enhancement technology

Revolutionary Cooking Sauce Defies Culinary Logic: Frozen Chicken Rivals Fresh, Budget Beef Rivals Premium Wagyu TASTE CHALLENGE (FRESH) SOY CHICKEN VS (FROZEN) EX M POACHED CHICKEN TASTE CHALLENGE EXOTICA UMAMI GRILLED US RIBEYE VS GRILLED M5 WAGYU RIBEYE HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 31 July 2025 - The revolutionary multifunctional sauce EXOTICA UMAMI (known to Chinese speakers simply as "EX M") continues to win admirers and astound veteran chefs with its versatility, flavour,texture and remarkable time and money-saving another groundbreaking introduction event on July 30, presented at the New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel, top Hong Kong chefs once again demonstrated the new seasoning and cooking sauce's ability to generate intense, rich flavours and sometimes tenderise proteins—with results that challenged conventional culinary wisdom, showing how EXOTICA UMAMI can challenge culinary norms, improve dining experiences while potentially optimizing restaurant Chef Kenneth Loo pushed EXOTICA UMAMI to its absolute limits, taking on the extraordinary challenge of using EX M sauce in a carefully developed recipe to vacuum marinade and poach frozen chicken in direct comparison to a blind test using fresh chicken with soy sauce. In Hong Kong, using fresh chicken for soy sauce chicken is a deeply rooted practice driven by culinary tradition, as the meat needs to remain succulent while the skin takes on a shiny, flavourful finish. Fresh chicken—not frozen—is generally used because it retains natural moisture, has a tender texture, and absorbs marinade better due to its intact cell structure, resulting in juicier, more flavourful meat with a glossy, appealing skin. Frozen chicken releases excess water, has damaged cell structure, and may develop a mushy texture, reducing marinade absorption and diluting flavour while creating a drier and tougher texture when results were nothing short of revolutionary, defying traditional belief. The consensus was that the frozen chicken marinated in "EX M" delivered a depth of flavour far more captivating than any standard soy sauce. Not only was the skin colour deeper and much more appealing, but the inherent ingredients in EXOTICA UMAMI—such as thyme and other fermented ingredients—delivered a more complex taste, dramatically enhanced juiciness and comparable texture to fresh chicken, even when the chef experimented with frozen onto the second demonstration, New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel Executive Chef Gary Wong personally conducted an ambitious test: grilling US Ribeye steak using EXOTICA UMAMI versus M5 Wagyu Ribeye without the sauce, directly challenging the perceived superiority of premium ingredients.M5 Wagyu Ribeye, which costs approximately double that of US Ribeye, supposedly is characterised by exceptional intramuscular fat, resulting in a rich, buttery texture and a velvety, melt-in-the-mouth feel. Its fine marbling enhances tenderness and juiciness, with low-melting-point fat that should contribute to a much more luxurious bite compared to the more budget type US Ribeye again, the results defied expectations and challenged industry assumptions. The consensus among the distinguished guests and professionals was that the US Ribeye through a few minutes of direct drizzling with "EX M" sauce in the grill made it have comparable texture in quality to the Wagyu and being equally—or more—succulent, rich and juicy than the far more expensive attending the demonstration was Italian chef Paolo Monti of acclaimed Wan Chai trattoria AMA. The Rome native took particular interest in EXOTICA UMAMI after learning the sauce draws inspiration from Garum, the 2,000-year-old Roman marinade. Instead of fish in Ancient Garum, creator Dan Gan developed this modern innovative alternative for salt, soy sauce and MSG using the concept of pork as the Monti demonstrated a sophisticated new dish of grilled pork neck with mashed potatoes, seasoned and vacuum marinated with EXOTICA UMAMI. The refined dish captivated everyone in attendance, showcasing the sauce's remarkable flexibility for use in authentic Italian cuisine. Chef Monti confirmed his professional endorsement: "I respect Exotica Umami for not overpowering the original taste of the main ingredients while boosting savouriness, flavours and depth—something many other seasoning products fail to achieve." Chef Monti announced he will be serving his new pork neck dish on AMA's menu from August this comprehensive series of chef workshops and exploration of EXOTICA UMAMI, it has become evident that the sauce delivers revolutionary, game-changing effects for enhancing dishes while achieving substantial time and cost savings. More hotels and eateries are adopting this breakthrough to their competitive advantage. In addition to Chef Monti's announcement of his new dish, New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel's Sagano will serve Exotica Umami EX M Teppanyaki beef on their à la carte menu starting 1 August to give customers a different Cheuk will also launch EX M Poached Chicken at New World Millennium's Tao Li as part of their reinvented Chinese "Siu Mei" specialities from August 1, joining the successful EX M Char Siu, which he created and shared with overwhelming positive feedback during the June 30 workshop. Industry professionals praised his version of the local pork char siu as comparable to Spanish pork char siu—a significant achievement in flavour and texture all-in-one multifunctional cooking sauce and natural type flavour enhancer has emerged as a genuine game changer for the food industry. The consensus confirms that EXOTICA UMAMI makes food demonstrably more succulent and juicy while contributing its own distinctly addictive taste profile. In numerous applications, the sauce can further tenderise meat and produce. This extraordinary ability to simultaneously add flavour and improve texture saves professional kitchens significant time and revolutionary alternative for salt, soy sauce and MSG was invented in Hong Kong by food visionary Dan Gan. Inspired by ancient Roman culinary heritage, it was developed and perfected at Gan's Exotica Gelatea Restaurant through an unexpected journey. When his chef quit, Gan the proprietor was compelled to take over kitchen operations. Determined to elevate his food quality, he created a marinade to add directly to his burger while grilling. The transformative results helped earn recognition on the prestigious "Ranked: the world's best burgers" list by UK platform further refine his revolutionary seasoning sauce, Gan temporarily paused his restaurant operations. Using a carefully crafted mixture of pork, herb, spice and closely guarded secret ingredients combined with time-tested fermenting techniques, Gan systematically experimented with his sauce to elevate it for fine dining applications. Through this meticulous process, EXOTICA UMAMI ["EX M"] was born. Made in small batches, the unique sauce currently is mainly supplied to the hotel and restaurant EXOTICA UMAMI maintains exclusive availability to industry professionals and is not actively sold in retail. However, EXOTICA UMAMI can be purchased at the JW Marriott e-shop and at Towngas Cooking Centre in Causeway Bay for non-industry professionals. For more information or details about the sauce or purchasing arrangements, contact: [email protected] More information can also be found at #ExoticaUmami #Umami #ExM #鮮味 #萬能醬 #萬能烹飪醬料 #萬能調味料 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Hong Kong Developed Revolutionary Sauce EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M] Impresses Acclaimed International Chefs

The Sun

29-07-2025

Entertainment
The Sun

Hong Kong Developed Revolutionary Sauce EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M] Impresses Acclaimed International Chefs

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 29 July 2025 - The new revolutionary flavour enhancer EXOTICA UMAMI (known to Chinese speakers simply as, 'EX M') continues to win admirers and impress professional chefs with its versatility, flavour and time and money saving capability. The flavouring agent's newest convert is Italian chef Paolo Monti of acclaimed Hong Kong's Wan Chai ristorante AMA. Chef Monti has decided to add a new refined dish to his restaurant's menu incorporating the revolutionary umami alternative in a new dish of grilled pork neck with mashed potatoes, seasoned and marinated with EXOTICA UMAMI. 'We will marinate the meat with the EXOTICA UMAMI sauce,' Chef Monti explains. 'Then we will leave it in a vacuum bag so the sauce goes through all the meat and it will impart its essence and flavour. We will slow cook it in sous vide for one and a half hour to tenderize the meat at 64 degrees Celsius before charcoal grilling it. 'To serve, we thin slice the pork, still warm, and sit it on top of the Exotica Umami vacuum marinated steamed rustic mashed potato. Then we add some fresh chives, some good extra virgin olive oil, salt, and finish with some pink peppercorn. A few drops of balsamic will add a little sweetness at the end.' The dish is presented at a professional tasting event on July 30th and Chef Monti will be serving his new dish at AMA starting August 1st. A native of Rome, Chef Paolo Monti has been one the top Italian chefs in Hong Kong for over 20 years, famous for his amatriciana pasta. In 2022, he opened AMA Ristorante to showcase his Roman and Italian dishes made with fresh and seasonal ingredients. It was named a 'Top Italian Restaurants' in 2024 by Gambero Rosso International guide. Timeout also listed it as among the best Italian Restaurants to try in Hong Kong. Monti took a special interest in EXOTICA UMAMI after learning the sauce is based on inspiration of the 2,000 year old Roman marinade called Garum. Instead of anchovy, its Hong Kong-based creator Dan Gan developed this new alternative for salt, soy sauce and MSG by mainly using pork instead. 'EXOTICA UMAMI is like a modern version of the ingredient, Garum, from Ancient Roman Empire,' Chef adds. 'However, contrary to what Garum was, I find Exotica Umami is quite simple and clear in flavour. It does not overpower, suitable for the modern tastes. I find its strong thyme smell very earthy, very easy to approach. Once I tried EX M, I saw the benefits of this ingredient so I decided to play with it and explore, and I think I will explore it more over time.' Where the traditional method of Garum generates an overly intense pungent aroma, EXOTICA UMAMI has a non-invasive and pleasant tone on the nose, reflecting the refined experiments and effort to develop a condiment that can suit any cuisine, which Chef Monti concurs. 'It's good for making modern, contemporary dishes because it's not an overpowering umami unlike many other seasoning products. In terms of flavour, this just gives me a little bit of a help to create dishes with depth and is tasty in less time. That's a big issue in Hong Kong. We are always in a rush, right? So in just a few minutes you can create tastier things and this sauce is easy to handle. It's not something that can be messed up.' Chef Monti appreciates Exotica Umami for its refined, non-invasive umami which in this case the subtle savouriness complements the richness of pork neck and creamy mashed potatoes, adding depth while preserving the dish's natural flavours. Monti values its versatility and linkage to many types of ingredients, making it a superior choice for contemporary Italian cooking. 'Exotica Umami multiplies the taste and it truly has its own character' says Monti. AMA Ristorante is at 25/F, 208 Johnston Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2117 9789.

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 19 June 2025 - A versatile and revolutionary new seasoning and cooking sauce is gaining attention from chefs in the restaurant industry.

The Sun

20-06-2025

Business
The Sun

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 19 June 2025 - A versatile and revolutionary new seasoning and cooking sauce is gaining attention from chefs in the restaurant industry.

Invented in Hong Kong by food visionary Dan Gan, EXOTICA UMAMI (known to Chinese speakers simply as, 'Ex M') is an excellent new alternative for salt, soy sauce and MSG, making food succulent and juicy, plus with a distinctly addictive taste, while in some cases tenderizing the meat or produce. This new and natural flavour enhancer – with distinct acidic notes and a deep full-bodied umami richness – is ideal for marinating, seasoning, cooking, finishing a dish and taking it to new culinary heights. This innovative umami sauce was inspired by an ancient Roman recipe but developed and created here in Hong Kong at Gan's Exotica Gelatea Restaurant with 80-days fermentation. When his chef quit, Gan the proprietor was forced to take over. In an effort to improve his food, he created this marinate to add directly to his hamburger while grilling. The result helped earn a place on the 'Ranked: the world's best burgers' list by UK platform, Lovefood. To further refine his revolutionary seasoning sauce, Gan put his outlet on pause for the time being. Using a mixture of pork, herb, spice and secret ingredients with time-tested fermenting techniques, Gan started experimenting with his marinate to improve it to complement the requirements for fine dining. Eventually, EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M]was created. 'I'm not a chef and I don't have any training, but I just wanted my burger to stand out. I found this ancient 2,000 year-old Roman sauce recipe and thought I would try it. I introduced some modern techniques and changed the recipe, constantly refining the formula. I added it to my burger and suddenly everyone was saying it's so juicy and tender and they couldn't get enough of it. I couldn't believe it when food writers started saying it was one of the world's best burgers,' says Gan. Made in small batches, the unique multifunctional sauce has already gained a stamp of approval from the hotel, restaurant and F&B industry. One example is the New World Millennium Hotel's Chinese restaurant, Tao Li which recently offered a set featuring EXOTICA UMAMI in dishes like Smoked Diced Cod, Pan-fried East Spotted Garoupa Fillets and Poached Chicken. In addition, Towngas Cooking Centre in Causeway Bay will be planning to have Cooking Practice and Demonstration Courses of EXOTICA UMAMI starting in July/August 2025. For chefs, it offers the benefit of saving time and money while generating more flavour. As a marinate or direct application, in some cases it can also help tenderize meat and produce. Currently, EXOTICA UMAMI is exclusively available to industry professionals and not actively sold in retail. However, EXOTICA UMAMI can be purchased at the JW Marriott e-shop and will be available at Towngas Cooking Centre in Causeway Bay from 1 July for non industry professionals. For anyone interested in more information or details about the sauce or how to purchase, contact: . More information can also be found at .

Invented in Hong Kong, EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M], a new and natural flavour enhancer gets stamp of approval from professional chefs

The Sun

19-06-2025

Business
The Sun

Invented in Hong Kong, EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M], a new and natural flavour enhancer gets stamp of approval from professional chefs

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 19 June 2025 - A versatile and revolutionary new seasoning and cooking sauce is gaining attention from chefs in the restaurant industry. Invented in Hong Kong by food visionary Dan Gan, EXOTICA UMAMI (known to Chinese speakers simply as, 'Ex M') is an excellent new alternative for salt, soy sauce and MSG, making food succulent and juicy, plus with a distinctly addictive taste, while in some cases tenderizing the meat or produce. This new and natural flavour enhancer – with distinct acidic notes and a deep full-bodied umami richness – is ideal for marinating, seasoning, cooking, finishing a dish and taking it to new culinary heights. This innovative umami sauce was inspired by an ancient Roman recipe but developed and created here in Hong Kong at Gan's Exotica Gelatea Restaurant with 80-days fermentation. When his chef quit, Gan the proprietor was forced to take over. In an effort to improve his food, he created this marinate to add directly to his hamburger while grilling. The result helped earn a place on the 'Ranked: the world's best burgers' list by UK platform, Lovefood. To further refine his revolutionary seasoning sauce, Gan put his outlet on pause for the time being. Using a mixture of pork, herb, spice and secret ingredients with time-tested fermenting techniques, Gan started experimenting with his marinate to improve it to complement the requirements for fine dining. Eventually, EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M]was created. 'I'm not a chef and I don't have any training, but I just wanted my burger to stand out. I found this ancient 2,000 year-old Roman sauce recipe and thought I would try it. I introduced some modern techniques and changed the recipe, constantly refining the formula. I added it to my burger and suddenly everyone was saying it's so juicy and tender and they couldn't get enough of it. I couldn't believe it when food writers started saying it was one of the world's best burgers,' says Gan. Made in small batches, the unique multifunctional sauce has already gained a stamp of approval from the hotel, restaurant and F&B industry. One example is the New World Millennium Hotel's Chinese restaurant, Tao Li which recently offered a set featuring EXOTICA UMAMI in dishes like Smoked Diced Cod, Pan-fried East Spotted Garoupa Fillets and Poached Chicken. In addition, Towngas Cooking Centre in Causeway Bay will be planning to have Cooking Practice and Demonstration Courses of EXOTICA UMAMI starting in July/August 2025. For chefs, it offers the benefit of saving time and money while generating more flavour. As a marinate or direct application, in some cases it can also help tenderize meat and produce. Currently, EXOTICA UMAMI is exclusively available to industry professionals and not actively sold in retail. However, EXOTICA UMAMI can be purchased at the JW Marriott e-shop and will be available at Towngas Cooking Centre in Causeway Bay from 1 July for non industry professionals. For anyone interested in more information or details about the sauce or how to purchase, contact: . More information can also be found at

Latest news with #EXOTICAUMAMI

Hong Kong-developed EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M] challenges century old cooking traditions with breakthrough flavour enhancement technology

Hong Kong-developed EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M] challenges century old cooking traditions with breakthrough flavour enhancement technology

Hong Kong Developed Revolutionary Sauce EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M] Impresses Acclaimed International Chefs

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 19 June 2025 - A versatile and revolutionary new seasoning and cooking sauce is gaining attention from chefs in the restaurant industry.

Invented in Hong Kong, EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M], a new and natural flavour enhancer gets stamp of approval from professional chefs

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