Each spring, as the rainy season begins to fade, Vancouver residents and visitors are rewarded with one of the world’s most cheerful sites: 40,000 cherry trees bursting with pink and white blooms. Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver is celebrating the changing of the seasons with a sakura-inspired tasting menu at Market by Jean-Georges, available from 20 March to 30 April 2016. Created by executive chef Ken Nakano, the Sakura tasting menu pays homage to his Japanese heritage, and is inspired by his mother. 

“I remember having bountiful picnics beneath the beautiful cherry trees in Queen Elizabeth Park with my family each spring,” said Nakano. “The flavours of this menu are inspired by my mother, and the Japanese cooking techniques that she instilled in me. For example, with daikon, she used to tell us if we grated it with too much force or anger it would become bitter and unpleasant. She taught us precision, and how to handle ingredients with respect.”

Guests can anticipate dishes such as Side Stripe Shrimp, with Eggplant Salad, Green Beans, Grated Daikon Momiji, and Sake Vinaigrette; or a savoury Sablefish, marinated in Sake Lees, Crispy Rice, and Edamame Purée. With a passion for authentic farm-to-table cuisine, Chef Nakano showcases the finest Canadian ingredients from coast to coast, which shine through on the Sakura menu with ingredients such as Northern Lite BC Rice, naturally grown in the Fraser Valley, as well as Ocean Wise seafood from the Pacific Ocean, stretching from Haida Gwaii to Fanny Bay on Vancouver Island.

As an accompaniment for the Sakura menu, guests are encouraged to try the Junmai sake pairing from the award-winning Artisan SakeMaker. Handcrafted on Granville Island by sakemaker Masa Shiroki, Osake is Canada’s first locally produced fresh premium sake. The Sakura tasting menu is CAD 98 per person, with sake or wine pairing available for CAD 70 per person.

The Sakura and Sake menu will be available from 20 March to 30 April 2016, at Market by Jean-Georges at Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver. For more information or for reservations, call Market by Jean-Georges at (604) 695-1115 or visit www.marketbyjgvancouver.com. 

ABOUT MARKET BY JEAN-GEORGES 

Market by Jean-Georges is the first restaurant in Canada for three-star Michelin chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and the signature restaurant of Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver. Executive Chef Ken Nakano is a homegrown talent who delights guests with sophisticated yet uncomplicated flavours. With a passion and dedication for authentic farm-to-table cuisine, Chef Nakano showcases the finest Canadian ingredients from coast to coast. Market is open seven days a week from breakfast through dinner, and is located on the hotel’s third floor, accessible through the hotel or directly off Alberni Street. 

ABOUT SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, VANCOUVER 

Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver is the first hotel in North America for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group. Since opening its doors in January 2009, the 119-room hotel, located in downtown Vancouver, has been recognized for its facilities and service with distinctions that include being Vancouver’s only AAA Five Diamond hotel for 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013, and being named the #1 City Hotel in Canada by Travel + Leisure Magazine (US) in their 2014 World’s Best Awards.