Japan Farmed Fish Association Showcases Japanese Madai and Buri at Shangri-La Toronto
Two of Japan’s most prized farmed fish arrived in Toronto this month, giving chefs and industry professionals a closer look at ingredients that go beyond familiar sashimi and sushi applications.
On September 28, 2026, the Japan Farmed Fish Association showcased Japanese Madai and Buri at a tasting event at Shangri-La Hotel Toronto, highlighting their distinctive texture, flavour and versatility for Canadian palates.
While Canadians may already recognize yellowtail, kingfish and sea bream on restaurant menus, Japanese Madai and Buri stand apart for being firmer in texture and milder on the palate. For chefs, that difference gives them more freedom to slice, cook, and serve the fish in creative ways.
Shangri-La Toronto’s Executive Chef Puts Their Versatility to the Test
At the Toronto event, Shangri-La Toronto Executive Chef JohnRoss Woodland demonstrated the adaptability of Madai and Buri across a variety of preparations.
Woodland pointed specifically to their freshness and firm texture as qualities that give chefs more options in the kitchen.
“We are able to dry-age the fish, serve it raw, or cook it. The firm texture also shows how the fish was handled coming out of the water,” he explains.
He also compared the experience of working with Madai and Buri to other fish chefs may already encounter.
“So many times when you get a Hamachi or sea bream in, it will shred when you’re trying to slice it, limiting your options. The Madai and Buri remain firm, allowing you to slice thinner to give a better mouth-feel.”
It’s a technical distinction diners may never notice, but it can significantly expand what chefs create with the ingredient.
Madai Is Known as Japan’s “King of Fish”
Beyond its culinary versatility, Madai carries deep cultural significance in Japan.
Known as the “King of Fish,” Madai stands out for its red colour, firm texture, and delicate sweetness. Its name connects to medetai, the Japanese word for “auspicious” or “good fortune,” making Madai a traditional choice for celebrations.
One example is okuizome, an occasion celebrating 100 days after a baby’s birth. Traditionally, families grill a whole Madai with a pinch of salt and serve it as iwaidai.
Its applications extend well beyond sashimi. Chefs prepare Madai as Kawashimo Zukuri by pouring boiling water over the skin, then cooling the fish in icy water.
Madai also appears in preparations including kobujime, kabutoni, taichazuke, taimeshi, meunière, carpaccio, acqua pazza, and Chinese-style steamed tai.
Buri Is More Than the Hamachi Diners May Already Know
Buri may sound less familiar to some Toronto diners, but its younger form is already common on international menus.
Buri is the mature form of Hamachi. At maturity, Buri can weigh 5 to 8 kilograms and measure 80 centimetres or more, making it larger than Hamachi.
Buri’s size, natural fat content, and powerful swimming muscles create rich flavour and pronounced umami, qualities sushi and sashimi chefs prize.
How chefs handle the fish after harvest also plays an important role in its quality.
Traditional Ikejime and Shinkeinuki techniques involve precisely spiking the brain and destroying the spinal cord, followed by thorough bleeding. By immediately stopping neurological activity and removing blood, the techniques help minimize stress and preserve texture and flavour.
The Shangri-La Toronto Team Went Well Beyond Sashimi
For anyone who thinks Madai and Buri belong exclusively on a sashimi plate, Woodland’s team demonstrated otherwise.
The chef described the fish as a “sounding board for all sorts of flavors.”
He explained exactly how the Shangri-La Toronto team experimented with them:
“You should not feel that they are locked into one technique or cuisine. Our team at the hotel has tried to show off the ways you can treat these two fish.
“Sashimi, crudo, and tartare are all obvious directions but we have also tried barbecuing the collars, smoking the bones, dry-aging on the bone, torching the skin, and as many techniques as possible to see what the best results were. These fish have held up well in all preparations.”
The tasting showcased raw preparations, dry-aging, barbecue, and smoking, highlighting how chefs can explore these fish across cuisines and techniques. These ingredients offer chefs the freedom to move beyond a single cuisine or technique and explore different preparations.
There’s a Bigger Story Behind How Madai and Buri Are Raised
The characteristics showcased in Toronto begin long before the fish reaches a restaurant kitchen.
Japan’s waters are influenced by the warm Kuroshio and cold Oyashio currents, while established farming, harvesting and processing traditions also shape the two species.
Many Japanese aquaculture operations farming Madai and Buri are family-owned businesses with deep connections to their coastal communities, with traditions extending back more than a century.
According to the association’s material, this long-term approach includes attention to careful husbandry, fish welfare, feed development and protection of the surrounding marine environment. Farmers are also developing compound feeds designed to remain stable in water and minimize environmental impact, while managing stocking levels to avoid overcrowding.
Why the Japan Farmed Fish Association Brought Madai and Buri to Toronto
For the Japan Farmed Fish Association, the September tasting was about more than introducing two seafood products.
It was an opportunity to demonstrate how the environment in which the fish are raised, along with their harvesting, processing and preparation, contributes to the final ingredient.
Yoshihiro Kobayashi, director and secretary general of the Japan Farmed Fish Association, explained:
“We want Canadian chefs and consumers to understand what makes Japanese Buri and Madai unique.”
He continued:
“From the waters in which they are raised to the way they are harvested, processed and prepared, every stage contributes to the quality, texture, and flavor of the fish.”
Woodland believes the two species align with qualities Canadian culinary professionals are looking for: freshness, flavour and the ability to either stand alone or play a supporting role on the plate.
For Toronto diners, that makes Madai and Buri two Japanese seafood names worth knowing—especially as Canadian chefs become more familiar with just how much they can do with them.
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