Full Interview

Working in the first U.S. location of an international restaurant chain with more than 100 outlets in 27 cities across Asia and the United States has taught Chef Eddie Lam that it’s important to bring the unexpected to highly food-attuned crowds.

“San Francisco is a competitive restaurant environment, so at Crystal Jade, I bring some culinary surprises to classic Cantonese Chinese cuisine.” Lam explains that, growing up in Hong Kong, he experienced soy sauce as a standard at every meal; a typical family breakfast for the chef was rice and a fried egg topped with Kikkoman Soy Sauce.

Familiarity in New Forms
“That’s the taste of home for me,” says Lam, and its familiarity inspires him to use the trusted standard in some non-standard ways. Applying some unexpected techniques shows how a traditional ingredient can be creative and modern. He plays with the texture of soy sauce and describes encapsulating it so it’s beaded, “like caviar that bursts in the mouth,” Lam describes. Soy sauce has the same salty, umami flavor notes as caviar, so tiny soy beads are a familiar, yet unexpected taste sensation for diners.

“I also like to make soy sauce into a gélée that melts into the surface of a soup,” says Lam, describing how creative chefs want to look beyond standard uses to change how flavors, textures and temperature interact. “Chefs are usually control freaks, and with Kikkoman, you’re guaranteed quality and consistency. Kikkoman Soy Sauce already has layers of flavor. It’s not just saltiness. It can be used in new ways and at every stage of the cooking process,” Lam describes. “Soy sauce can be freeze-dried, or cracked into pieces and flaked over a salad for some crunch. Soy sauce is my go-to and can really bring out the creativity of a chef.”

Consistency and Versatility
“In more traditional cooking techniques, soy sauce holds up to high heat and intensifies when caramelized on the edges of a wok,” explains Lam. Yet, the complexity of soy sauce also comes through equally well with light heat. The classic combination of soy sauce, ginger and scallions really shines as a finishing sauce on steamed fish.

“These three ingredients are so simple and so useful together,” notes Lam. “I like Kikkoman Soy Sauce because it has the consistency and balance of roasted grain notes, and the bean fermentation is just right. It’s a great baseline flavor that I’ve worked with my entire career because I trust it.”

Soy sauce’s versatility extends to the dessert course and to the bar at Crystal Jade. “I like to use soy sauce in a peanut truffle surrounded by soy-infused dark chocolate. It’s a great combination of sweet-salty and savory.”

He turns a classic Singapore breakfast into another sweet, slightly savory dessert. “Kaya toast is white-bread toast spread with coconut custard, topped with a soft-boiled egg and drizzled with soy sauce,” explains Lam.“In San Francisco, I’ve done a version with fresh local berries and crème Anglaise.”

Soy in the Mix(ology)
A similar love of unexpected flavor combinations drives Crystal Jade Mixologist Graham Kimura to create an exceptional Bloody Mary.

“Many bartenders claim to have the best Bloody Mary, but I’d rather have a unique version,” says Kimura, who adds Kikkoman Soy Sauce and Ponzu Citrus Seasoned Dressing & Sauce for a slightly Asian flavor profile and “some extra oomph and umami,” explains Kimura. “Not everybody knows what makes the difference, but they know there is a difference.”

Kimura is half Japanese and also grew up eating Kikkoman Soy Sauce and rice, noting, “I know that the sauce is already well balanced in itself; it’s complex and consistent. It brings a nice balance to all of the ingredients in a Bloody Mary.”

In an exceptional Bloody Mary, “the flavors come at you in waves,” explains Kimura, but the soy sauce is the kicker in his tomato juice mix. He finishes his masterpiece witha cooked shrimp, torched at the bar with house chili sauce and Kikkoman Soy Sauce. People smell his finishing touch and want to know the source. He reports that it’s been such a hit, he’s playing with a green version with tomatillos. Watch Graham craft his Bloody Mary.