AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Japanese Teppanyaki Restaurant Sazanka at Hotel Okura Amsterdam has been awarded a Michelin star in the 2015 edition of the famous guidebook. This brings the total number of stars in the hotel to four, as Ciel Bleu Restaurant kept its two stars and Yamazato also retained its star. Add to this the Bib Gourmand for Serre Restaurant, and all four of the hotel’s restaurants have been granted Michelin awards, a unique feat in the world.
Michelin praised Sazanka for its years of consistent quality: “Sazanka takes you on an adventure to Japan. The sober interior and waitresses dressed in kimonos set the tone; then enters the chef, who proudly takes his place behind the teppan-yaki grill. He confidently demonstrates his skills and uses excellent ingredients to create flavours which provide contrast but are always well balanced. What a show!”
“The team has worked long and hard for this. But to be honest, it still came as a huge surprise. Four Michelin stars and a Bib Gourmand under one roof. That says a lot about our culinary qualities. I’m so proud. It’s a wonderful recognition of the quality we stand for,” says General Manager Emmy Stoel.
In the Netherlands, the first teppanyaki tables appeared in the 1970s in Hotel Okura’s Yamazato Restaurant. In 1978, Okura opened a restaurant specializing entirely in teppanyaki: Restaurant Sazanka was born. Sazanka is the first and so far only teppanyaki restaurant in Europe to be awarded a Michelin star. What once started as a practical method of preparing food – invented when the Japanese grilled their fish on a shovel above an open fire – has now evolved into a sophisticated cuisine. Increasing in popularity and now recognised by many as a cuisine in its own right, teppanyaki has now also been recognised by Michelin. A true reward for all the hard work of Sazanka’s team.
About Hotel Okura Amsterdam
Hotel Okura Amsterdam is situated on the edge of the city center, close to many cultural landmarks. The hotel’s 300 luxury rooms include the most spacious (485 m2) and luxurious suite in the BeNeLux countries. All four of Hotel Okura Amsterdam’s restaurants have been awarded by Michelin. There are two Japanese restaurants: Teppanyaki Restaurant Sazanka, where dishes are prepared as guests watch, and the traditional Japanese Yamazato Restaurant. The Ciel Bleu Restaurant on the 23rd floor offers a panoramic view of the city. Serre Restaurant, inspired by Ciel Bleu Restaurant, offers brasserie style dishes during the day. The hotel’s Twenty Third Bar is named the Netherlands' best cocktail bar. At the Taste of Okura Culinary Center, chefs give cooking workshops so guests can prepare the chefs' dishes themselves and learn how to pair wine and sake with the culinary creations. The hotel’s services include a spa and a health club with a large swimming pool.
About Hotel Okura Co., Ltd.
Hotel Okura Co., Ltd., founded in 1958 and headquartered in Tokyo, opened its flagship hotel, Hotel Okura Tokyo, in 1962. The company has extensive business operations in hospitality and related industries and manages Okura Hotels & Resorts, a network of 25 hotels in and outside Japan. Its subsidiary, international hospitality company JAL Hotels Co., Ltd., manages 48 hotels in two groups: international luxury hotel group Nikko Hotels International, with properties on three continents, and Hotel JAL City, a group of mid-priced business hotels in Japan.