French best sommelier pairs sake with French cuisine in Paris
On 2 July in Paris, a French best sommelier and a Master of Wine paired Takara Shuzo's environmentally conscious limited-edition sake Zendo and others with French dishes for European industry guests.
On 2 July 2026, an event introducing sake was held in Paris. The hosts were Xavier Thuizat, who has been named France’s best sommelier, and Kenichi Ohashi, a Master of Wine (MW). The MW is said to be the most difficult qualification to obtain in the wine industry. The two experts, both with strong track records in the world of wine, presented pairings of French cuisine and sake to food and drink industry professionals from across Europe.
Zendo, a limited-edition sake brewed with the environment in mind
The focus was Zendo, a limited-edition sake from Takara Shuzo, a major alcoholic drinks maker headquartered in Kyoto. It is brewed at the company’s Shochikubai Shirakabegura brewery in Kobe (Hyogo Prefecture). According to Takara Shuzo, Zendo is made with environmental considerations built in from the stage of growing the sake rice, and it has significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional brewing methods. Takara Shuzo regards the European market, where interest in environmental protection is high, as an important place to sell this kind of sake.
Pairings with French cuisine devised by the sommelier
The dishes were devised by Mr Thuizat to go with sake, and centred on fish. Sake to accompany cheese was also prepared. One participant, Julien Lejeau (27), said that sake comes in a great variety and that he sees great potential in it. Because a wine professional suggested sake to go with his own country’s cuisine, European guests were introduced to sake not only as a drink to accompany Japanese food, but as something that can be chosen at the table just like wine.
How to enjoy sake in Europe
Taking this event as a guide, you do not need to prepare Japanese food to enjoy sake. An easy way to start is to try it with everyday fish dishes or cheese. Drinking it from a wine glass, which makes it easier to appreciate the aroma, is also recommended. In shops and restaurants, look out for brands that explain how their sake rice is grown and the environmental impact of their brewing. If European importers begin to handle such sake, “where and how it was made” may become a new criterion for choosing sake as well.
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This article was written by The Sake Wire editorial team, summarising the public sources listed above. Images are our own.
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