LUPHIA & SPIRIT Almond: Artisanal almond creations
About 80% of the world’s almond supply come from California. Being both a gourmet delicacy and a nutrient-dense food, the almond provided Michael and Jun Sanders the inspiration to create LUPHIA and SPIRIT Almond. In 2017, Jun, who was born in Japan, and Michael, who spent his teenage and early adult years there, discovered a passion for artisanal luxury sweets and launched LUPHIA, a brand based on the Omiyage culture — Japan’s unique gift-giving tradition which often involves local food specialties: “The almond was the perfect fit to create a signature California gift.” Serving celebrity and executive clients by special order, LUPHIA, whose Milk Chocolate Almond Toffee recently won the Gold Award in the International Chocolate Awards’ World Final competition, only sells their exclusive, locally crafted sweets to the general public once a year during the Winter holiday season via their online shop. In 2021, the couple decided to expand their line of artisanal almond products. On a mission to create the ultimate iterations of California almonds, they launched SPIRIT Almond, a plant-based… READ MORE Share your experience with #SPIRITAlmond
n/naka: Haute Japanese cuisine – the art of kaiseki
Kaiseki is a traditional multi-course dinner and a prime example of Japan’s culinary prowess. Based on centuries-old rituals, this culinary art is an expression of time and place, with an emphasis on esthetics. Kaiseki is above all an embodiment of omotenashi, which translates to wholehearted hospitality. Several ancient Japanese haute cuisines inspired the modern kaiseki, which showcases five traditional cooking techniques. The cuisine of Niki Nakayama, chef and owner of n/naka, epitomizes the nobility of modern kaiseki tradition. Born and raised in Los Angeles, the chef is one of the few women in the world to own a fine-dining Japanese restaurant… READ MORE
