Home - Romania Sushi Cup

2025

Welcome to Romania Sushi Cup

National Sushi Contest 3rd edition
— June 12, 13 and 14

Participate

Take part in the two days of preparation and present yourself at the competition.

Win

Win and you will represent Romania at the World Sushi Competition in Japan.

Educational partners

How it was in the first edition

Romania Sushi Cup ?

Between June 2-3, 2022, 20 Romanian chefs benefited from specialized training, then participated in the Romania Sushi Cup competition that took place the following day, June 4, being judged by some of the best sushi chefs in world.

This competition, which takes place internationally, aims to improve gastronomic standards and identify the best sushi chefs in the world.

Sorin Zaharia, the winner of the first Romania Suhsi Cup competition, represented Romania at the World Sushi Competition in Tokyo, held between January 18-20, 2024, where he won 1st place in the “Creative Sushi Open Competition” category, taking 3rd place at the same time , in the general ranking.

Zaharia Andrei received the special “Yamasa Soy Sauce” award.

The winners of the first edition

Romania Sushi Cup 2022

Andrei Zaharia

2nd place — Romania Sushi Cup 2022

Sorin Zaharia

1st place — Romania Sushi Cup 2022

1st place — Japan Creative Sushi 2024

3rd place — Japan Sushi Cup 2024

Malai Claudiu

3rd place — Romania Sushi Cup 2022

The Romania Sushi Cup 2024 Jury

You will be judged by some of the best sushi chefs in the world

Hirotoshi Ogawa

President of the Japan Sushi Association and the World Sushi Skills Institute

A graduate of the famous Tsuji Culinary School in Osaka, he started his internship at the famous Sushi restaurant in Tokyo. Since then, he has worked in many well-known Sushi restaurants in Australia and Japan. In 2003 he founded his own restaurant which he eventually sold and became a member and instructor of the AISA Sushi Skills Institute. As part of his activity, he taught the art of sushi in over 50 countries such as the USA, Portugal, Thailand, the Czech Republic, India, the Netherlands, Romania or Ukraine. He also launched the video course “Sushi, Sashimi – Skills Improvement Program”.

Alon Than

World Sushi Champion 2015

A Sushi master with over 20 years of experience gained in Japan where he managed the kitchens of several restaurants in Tokyo. He currently lives in Poland since 2003, where he is the owner of the Izumi Sushi restaurant chain (6 restaurants), 2 Kago by Alon restaurants and Matcha Bistro & Bar with his wife Alicja. In August 2015, Alon won gold at the World Sushi Cup Japan, thus becoming the best sushi champion in the world.

Wagner Spadacio

Vicechampion World Cup Sushi Japan 2018

Originally from Brazil, he arrived in France at the age of 14 and began his Japanese culinary career in 2010 after obtaining the Pro Sushi Chef certificate in Paris. His passion for Japanese culture developed, and a few years later, he participated in the French Open Sushi Competition where he finished victorious, becoming the French Sushi Champion in 2017. He then trained in Japan at the famous Bazara restaurant in Tokyo, led by chef 3 Michelin stars Hirohisa Koyama, becoming in 2018 world runner-up at the World Sushi Cup in Tokyo.

Executive sushi chef THE NIWAKI, Head Sushi Chef Nobu – Fairmont Monte Carlo & Head Sushi Chef – Buddha Bar Monte-Carlo.

Junko Kawada

Vicechampion World Cup Sushi Japan 2013

Junko Kawada initially started working with chocolate, but immediately changed her focus to raw seafood after meeting Sushi Master Kazato-San in 2007. The change was very successful and resulted in a silver medal at World Sushi Cup in Japan in 2013. Kawada is especially known for her creative and unusual dishes. He runs KO’UZI Sushi & Fine Foods in Antwerpen.

Jorge Dionicio

Sushi Chef 1999

Born in Lima, due to the unusual location of his hometown, Jorge was fascinated by cuisine, especially the use of fish and seafood. He has been in contact with Japanese cuisine for 20 years and for over 15 years he has been working in the most recognized sushi restaurants in the world (New York, Austin, LA and Tokyo).
He worked with the best masters, including Morimoto, Azabu, Uchi, Hirohisa and Akashi, learning from them various techniques and values of Japanese cuisine.

Cătălin Petrescu

Chef Rotonda restaurant

Hello, I’m Sushi Chef Catalin Petrescu and I’m happy to be part of the jury of Sushi Cup Romania 2024. After more than 20 years of experience in the kitchen, and especially in the Asian kitchen, I feel that I can share the secrets of sushi preparation with young people and Asian gastronomy enthusiasts. It’s not easy, but I can definitely tell you that it’s beautiful, and only the good feel the joy of beauty in the kitchen. So I’m waiting for you between June 6 and 8 at Romania Sushi Cup 2024, the most important competition in Romania dedicated to Sushi. Let’s see how good you are!

Vladimir Pak

Gold medal in the World Sushi Cup 2017

Based in Oslo, Norway, Chef Vladimir Pak is regarded as one of the most influential sushi chefs of the moment. Chef Vladimir Pak, awarded the gold medal in the World Sushi Cup 2017, is one of the most influential sushi chefs in the world at the moment. He also holds the position of Head Chef at the World Sushi Skills Institute and is a certified Sushi Chef from the All Japanese Sushi Association.

* 1 Michelin Star chef in Oslo
* Gold medal in the World Sushi Cup 2017
* Omakase of Japanese Edomae Sushi

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