A crowd waits for sushi at last year's Japanese Food Festival.

The Japanese Restaurant Association (JRA) is looking for Southern California’s best knife-wielding sushi chefs to compete at the seventh annual Japanese Food Festival later this month.
The competition, which will be judged by attendees, is a new feature of the Food Festival, that each year draws a capacity crowd to the New Otani Hotel, 120 N. Los Angeles St., in Little Tokyo.

Familiar Japanese dishes as well as cuisine rarely sampled outside of Japan will be offered as two levels of the hotel—Golden Ballroom and Japanese Garden—are transformed into a setting reminiscent of a town in Japan on Sunday, Oct. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“This is absolutely the best opportunity to experience genuine Japanese food and culture,” said David Kudo of the Japanese Restaurant Association of Southern California (JRA), event organizers.
           
In addition to sushi, sashimi, yakitori, and tempura, there will be okonomi-yaki, shabu-shabu, noodles, and beverages such as shochu, tea, sake and beer. Also planned is a demonstration, during which a six-foot long tuna will be filleted in a matter of seconds by a master sushi chef.

A drawing will also be held with a trip to Japan among the prizes.

Each person who buys a ticket in advance will receive a free gift bag. Cost is $40 per person. Call the JRA office at (213) 687-4055 or visit www.jrasc.com.

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