"Hosted training sessions for restaurant staff as part of Sake Week preparation so teams could learn pairing principles and how to select sakes for individual dinners; instruction emphasized the “magic” of koji and its role in making sake, and included Konishi’s practical note that “Chefs in the West are marinating their meats in it, so jumpstart the aging process for meat, because it brings out umami flavors,” he says. The sessions were intended to give restaurants an educational foundation so they could introduce sake pairings to guests and demonstrate that sake pairs with a wide range of cuisines: “Our effort with this project is to show people how sake is so versatile and can pair with foods beyond sushi,” Konishi says." - Courtney E. Smith