Japanese Cuisine to Boost Restaurant Business

Japanese cooking insights for American daily dining out presented by JRO at
the NRA Show 2009

CHICAGO, May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The Organization to Promote Japanese
Restaurants Abroad (JRO) highlighted the benefits of leveraging Japanese
cuisine to boost a variety of restaurant businesses at the National Restaurant
Association (NRA) Show 2009, held from May 16 through May 19 at McCormick
Place in Chicago.

In the midst of economic recession and pandemic threat, restaurant industry
professionals are challenged to attract more customers by offering innovative
menu options at a significant value. JRO hosted cooking demonstrations at NRA
to show restaurateurs how to prepare great-tasting food with affordable
Japanese ingredients. JRO served approximately 17,000 samples. JRO also handed
out 12,000 ZAGAT guides listing top Japanese restaurants in the US to provide
recommendations on restaurants currently serving Japanese cuisine.

"Japanese cuisine is renowned for its delicious taste and appealing visual
image. In these difficult economic times, JRO is dedicated to conveying
Japanese ingredients as more accessible than generally thought, and helping
improve the American restaurateur through the application of Japanese recipes,
condiments and flavors," said Kazutaka Kato, president and CEO of JRO.

Food sampled at the JRO booth included marinated grilled chicken, California
rolls, salmon fillet with soy glaze, griddled beef with Japanese citrus (yuzu)
salt, stir-fried Japanese udon noodles, inari sushi and stick vegetables with
shichimi-tougarashi mayo (Japanese red pepper with mayonnaise).

Restaurateurs learned how using Umami, the fifth taste produced from dashi or
Japanese soup stock, can help reduce the use of salt through its savory flavor
and improve the overall healthiness of dishes. Umami translates to "delicious"
in Japanese.

About JRO
The Organization to Promote Japanese Restaurants Abroad (JRO) was established
in 2007 as an incorporated NPO by volunteers who wish to promote Japanese
cuisine to the world. The purpose of the JRO is to globally convey the appeal
of Japanese food and culture and eventually contribute to the development of
overseas markets for Japanese food products. For more information, please
visit http://www.jronet.org/eng_index.html.

SOURCE The Organization to Promote Japanese Restaurants Abroad

U.S., Margaret Hoerster of Ruder Finn, Inc. Chicago, +1-312-329-3909,
hoersterm@ruderfinn.com; or Japan, Kazuko Kotaki,
kazuko.kotaki@kyodo-pr.co.jp, or Hiroko Fukushima, h-fukushima@kyodo-pr.co.jp,
both of Kyodo Public Relations Co., Ltd., +81-3-3571-5302, all for The
Organization to Promote Japanese Restaurants Abroad