MEDIA RELEASE

4 Iron Chefs reunite in Sydney after 20 years

SYDNEY Opera House will stage the epic Iron Chef All Stars charity dinner on 2 August where four original Iron Chefs –  Rokusaburo Michiba (Japanese), Hiroyuki Sakai (French), Kenichi Chen (Chinese) and Masahiko Kobe (Italian) – will reunite on stage for the first time since the FujiTV program ended in 1997. They will be joined by 2 Michelin Star Kentaro Chen from Shisen Hanten and Asia’s Top Pastry Chef Janice Wong from 2am Dessert Bar / Cobo House, to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime gastronomic experience for charitable diners. http://ironchefallstars.com

Event producer Jun Hasegawa from Tryber, who has been organising this exciting event for the last two years, said: “We set our hearts on the Sydney Opera House as it is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and fits our purpose as the stage to exchange skills, culture and tourism between Australia and Japan. We will be fulfilling the dreams of these great Iron Chefs to cook at such an iconic landmark of Australia.”

Iron Chef Ikuei Arakane, who spearheaded all the Iron Chef events in Australia, advised: “This will be the first and last time the oldest Iron Chef, Rokusaburo Michiba, cooks outside of Japan.  He is 87 years old and has long retired, but his passion to represent Japan for such a historical culinary event got him excited to create a dish that will be the first in the world!”

Executive Chef Mark Normoyle, who was given the title of an Iron Chef when he was challenged in Melbourne back in 2010, said: “It’s an honour to be cooking with these legends once again. Their creativity, precision skills, diligence and unrelenting passion to cook at this age is something all chefs must learn and be inspired by.”

Iron Chef All Stars 2017 Dinner will be held inside the Concert Hall Northern Foyer of Sydney Opera House to raise awareness and funds for Opportunity International Australia*. Victorian Opportunity Ambassador and event director, Miss Roslyn Foo from Glamorazzi, has been producing Dining For Charity events since 2015. “We are blessed to be trusted by world-renowned chefs and to receive generous support from many sponsors, partners, voluntary event crew and chefs. I am excited to work with MC Andrew Morello, winner of the first season of The Apprentice, who will guide diners through the magnificent Iron Chef degustation, he will also act as our charity auctioneer!”

The Iron Chef All Stars 2017 Dinner official partners are Kirin, Asian Inspirations and Qantas. Tickets are priced at $990 per seat available now at the Sydney Opera House Box Office

An extension of the dinner event is a Japanese fair, the Experience Japan 2017, exhibitors includes Japanese prefectures such as Ehime, Okinawa, Tokushima, Nagano and Nigata, along with Kirin, Asian Inspirations, Dassai, Kamikatsu, Shoda Shoyu and more, to showcase the best of Japanese tourism, culture and produce, with performances, coffee by latte art champion, cocktails by Japanese mixologist, various tasting stations, and limited exclusive Iron Chef show bags for eligible attendees. Experience Japan 2017 will be opened to the public between 10am – 4pm on both days and tickets are complimentary but must be booked at Sydney Opera House Box Office

*Opportunity International Australia provides small loans to families in developing countries to help them build businesses, earn incomes and leave poverty behind. By helping a mother buy a sewing machine to start a tailoring business or a father buy seeds to plant a vegetable garden, small loans enable them to transform their lives, their children’s’ futures and their communities. With 98% of loans recycled, the impact continues year after year. Find out more at www.opportunity.org.au