Japanese Madai & Buri Go Beyond Sashimi in Toronto

Citrus-cured Buri with avocado and kumquats. Dry-aged Madai with crispy skin and ponzu. A tasting at Shangri-La Toronto put two Japanese fish through a menu that went well beyond sashimi.

On Sep 28, 2026, the Japan Farmed Fish Export Association (JFFEA) brought Japanese Madai and Buri to Toronto’s culinary community for an afternoon focused on what these fish can do on the plate.

Shangri-La Toronto Executive Chef JohnRoss Woodland led the culinary showcase, using raw, cured, dry-aged and cooked preparations to demonstrate how both fish could fit into Canadian restaurant menus.

Madai is a Japanese red sea bream known for its firm texture and delicate sweetness. Buri, the mature form of Japanese yellowtail, has a higher natural fat content, a richer flavour and pronounced umami. Serving the two in several forms gave guests a way to compare their textures and see how each worked with different ingredients.

“You should not feel that they are locked into one technique or cuisine,” Woodland said.

That approach ran through the tasting menu. Alongside sashimi and tartare, the kitchen worked with pesto sushi rice, sourdough, chili oil, citrus and spaghetti squash. Woodland also described working with techniques such as barbecuing collars, smoking bones and dry-aging fish on the bone.

The Madai dishes included:

Kombujime Madai: Served cold with pesto sushi rice, edible flower and katsuramuki daikon.
Madai Tartare: With cauliflower, chives and roe.
Dry-Aged Madai: Served hot with crispy skin, ponzu sauce, spaghetti squash and nasturtium.
Cured Madai: With aguachile, tomato and basil.

The Buri preparations brought another set of combinations:

Dry-Aged Buri: With lemon, caperberries, sourdough, bacon and arugula.
Citrus-Cured Buri: With avocado, ponzu, togarashi and kumquats.
Chili Oil Buri: With scallion, daikon and jalapeño.
Buri Tartare: Featuring kombu, cucumber and BBQ collar.

Guests also sampled Madai and Buri Sashimi, presented side by side for a direct comparison of the two fish.

A high-angle shot showing two chefs in black uniforms working behind a prep counter near a large window. On the left, a chef with glasses carefully slices a red-and-white fish filet on a white cutting board. On the right, a second chef works with another portion of raw fish. In front of them, dozens of small, light-wood boat dishes are arranged in neat rows on green leaf mats, each containing fresh sashimi slices.

The menu moved between cold bites and hot preparations, showing how much the treatment of an ingredient can change its role in a dish. Madai appeared both in a cold preparation with pesto rice and as a hot, crispy-skinned bite. Buri was paired with citrus and avocado in one dish, and sourdough, caperberries and bacon in another.

The tasting brought together Toronto chefs, hospitality executives, seafood buyers and distributors, JFFEA representatives and delegates from Japan, representatives from MICHELIN-recognized restaurants and hotels, and select media. Too Perfect PR supported the event’s planning.

For the culinary and trade guests, it was an opportunity to meet the representatives behind the products and consider how the fish could work in their own businesses. For food lovers following Toronto’s restaurant scene, the menu offered a look at the range of dishes Japanese Madai and Buri can support, from a simple sashimi presentation to a cooked seafood course.

Read the full press release.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Japanese Madai?

Madai is a Japanese red sea bream known for its firm texture and delicate sweetness. At the Shangri-La Toronto tasting, it appeared in kombujime, tartare, cured and dry-aged preparations, as well as sashimi.

What is Japanese Buri?

Buri is the mature form of Japanese yellowtail. It is known for its rich flavour, natural fat content and pronounced umami, and was served in citrus-cured, chili oil, tartare, dry-aged and sashimi preparations at the event.

What is the difference between Madai and Buri?

Madai has a lighter, delicately sweet flavour, while Buri has a richer flavour and higher fat content. Both offer a firm texture that allows chefs to use them in a range of raw and cooked dishes.

Can Madai and Buri be cooked as well as served as sashimi?

Yes. Chef JohnRoss Woodland’s team demonstrated preparations beyond sashimi, including dry-aging and cooking Madai with crispy skin, and using barbecued Buri collar in tartare.

Who created the dishes at the Toronto tasting?

Shangri-La Toronto Executive Chef JohnRoss Woodland and his culinary team prepared the menu for the JFFEA tasting.

Can I order these dishes at Shangri-La Toronto?

The dishes featured in this article were prepared for the JFFEA tasting event. Contact Shangri-La Toronto directly to ask about current restaurant menus and availability.

How can restaurants and seafood buyers inquire about Madai and Buri?

Use the supplier contact listed below to ask about sourcing, ordering and availability in Canada.

For more information, visit www.jffea.com and follow @japan_fishexport_official on Instagram.

SUPPLIER CONTACT

Samantha Watson

DDN Creative

MEDIA CONTACT

Kyra Cabrera

Too Perfect PR