Food innovation is an oftentimes frightening concept. Usually linked with processed foods, GMOs and pesticides, producing food differently doesn’t really seem that sweet. Until you meet the Oishii Berry. Oishii has taken the strawberry to the next level by bringing it back to its roots, not in farming techniques but in flavor. Grown vertically indoors, using solar power, recycled water and robotics, Hiroki Koga, Oishii CEO and co-founder, brought Omakase berry seeds from the Japanese Alps to America and now we should never go back to the bland supermarket berries we are used to. The Oishii berry is how strawberries were meant to taste. Grown year round thanks to the technologies of indoor farming, yet still bursting with flavor and fragrance. Koga found the solution to America’s issue with quantity over quality when it comes to strawberries, and I personally hope this is just the first peek at what can be done for the future of agriculture.
I got to taste the Oishii Berry at TenGoku Aburiya, co-founded by Kate Park, CEO of HIS Hospitality, alongside Chef Sangtae Park, and was surprised by how robust a strawberry could be. A fruit that is always present and grown up on, yet somehow I felt like I was tasting something new. The Oishii berry is debuting at TenGoku’s sister restaurant, Michelin starred Omakase Yume with desserts like the Oishii Matcha Panna Cotta and the Omakase Berry and Berry Shooter as part of the highly acclaimed 16-course tasting menu.
I spoke to Park and Koga about how Oishii has captured what was once a seemingly rare flavor profile, especially for Americans, how bees are still very much involved, and what you can expect to experience at Park’s restaurants here in Chicago.
The strawberry feels like a standard fruit that we see in and out of season, mostly devoured during the summer months. What makes the Oishii Berry different from the usual strawberries we encounter?
KOGA: Many U.S. consumers have a standard idea of what a strawberry should look and taste like, however, most don’t know that there are over 600 varieties of strawberries grown around the world—to which Japan is home to half—each with their own unique flavor, texture, color and aroma. Oishii is bringing a delicious, premium and diversified strawberry experience to the U.S. through the power of vertical farming. Oishii’s indoor vertical farms in New Jersey grow high quality Japanese varietal produce that is pesticide-free, non-GMO, and in-season and peak sweetness all year round. It’s the robust and unique sweetness that truly sets Oishii apart from other berries available in the U.S.—in fact, we frequently hear people say they’ll never be able to enjoy a different brand of strawberries ever again.
PARK: Grown from seedling to berry, Oishii Berries are vertically farmed indoors without GMOs, pesticides, or sprays. Oishii grows unique Japanese strawberries in their farm in New Jersey, yielding perfectly ripe berries that are always in season.
Why did Omakase Yume and sister concept Tengoku Aburiya want to take on this ingredient?
PARK: We are always looking to elevate our menu offerings and enhance the overall dining experience for our guests. So, we thought that the Oishii Omakase Berries, with their exceptional quality and story, would be a perfect addition to the menu. We also believe that Oishii's concept is the same as ours when it comes to keeping a natural and authentic flavor.
The Oishii berry is a farming concept, all vertical, very sustainable, clean and focused on the enjoyment of the fruit. What truly makes Oishii so coveted?
KOGA: Oishii produce is higher quality than what you see in typical grocery stores, and in most cases our products introduce consumers to an entirely new category of premium produce—that delivers on quality and flavor profiles unlike anything grown in the U.S. Oishii Berries are always-in-season, which means consumers can trust that our berries will be deliciously sweet no matter what time of the year it is. The berries you buy at Whole Foods Market in the summer will be the same as the berries you buy in the winter—and the same as the ones served at Omakase Yume! Oishii gives U.S. consumers a taste of Japanese luxury fruit culture at more accessible prices.
Oishii is also the only vertical farm that’s been able to create the perfect indoor ecosystem for bees, which live in harmony with our farmers and AI-powered robots, and work to naturally pollinate our produce.
PARK: What makes Oishii so great is exactly that, their farming concept! Oishii recreates a perfect day in Japan, growing their berries 365 days a year in idyllic indoor conditions that produce the best fruits. Their strawberry plants are grown in rows and stacked vertically, with the utmost care for each flower and berry.
There are two varieties of berries, the Omakase and the Koyo, what are the differences and what will customers encounter at Omakase Yume and Tengoku?
KOGA: The Omakase Berry was Oishii’s first product and is a varietal traditionally grown in the Japanese Alps. Meaning ‘I leave it up to you’ in Japanese, the Omakase Berry is known for its sweet flavor, creamy texture, and fragrant aroma. The Omakase Berry has quickly gained the attention of Michelin-starred chefs, and has been featured in 20+ Michelin-starred restaurants. Meaning ‘elated’ in Japanese, Oishii’s Koyo Berry is a rich red colored strawberry with a slightly firmer texture, bright aroma, eye-opening flavor, and refreshing sweetness. The Koyo Berry is now available for purchase at 25 Whole Foods Market stores in Chicago and its surrounding neighborhoods. Both Omakase and Koyo Berries will be served in various forms at Omakase Yume.
PARK: Both berries are very similar; just slightly different flavor profiles. The Koyo Berry has a refreshing sweetness with a subtle tartness and a slightly firm texture. The Omakase Berry has a delicate sweetness, aromatics that fill up the room, and a deliciously creamy texture. Our guests will be able to enjoy the Oishii Omakase Berry at Omakase Yume and TenGoku, and Bonyeon is currently undergoing R&D using the Oishii Omakase Berries to include into our menu during the fall/winter season.
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