I’ve always been obsessed with flavor. Nearly 25 years ago, I attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, dreaming of becoming a chef. Back then, I thought I’d be a saucier—someone dedicated to crafting the perfect sauces. It was the one part of cooking that truly fascinated me. But life took a different turn, and I ended up leaving the professional kitchen world behind (sorry, Mom and Dad).
Fast forward to today, after years of working in food marketing and immersing myself in Japanese cuisine, I’ve come full circle—right back to my passion for sauce making. Living in Japan, I found myself constantly searching for bold, deeply satisfying flavors in vegetarian and now vegan food. While Japan is home to some of the most incredible cuisine in the world, truly flavor-packed plant-based options are still rare. But the places that do get it right? They masterfully implement umami.
With all the incredible flavors I get to experience on a near-daily basis, I started wondering—what could I do with them?
That’s how Umami Everything was born—the first product I developed in my own kitchen after years of cooking, years of eating, and years of learning.
So what exactly is umami, and why does it make food taste so good? Let’s break it down.
Most of us grew up thinking there were only four tastes: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. But in 1908, a Japanese scientist named Kikunae Ikeda discovered that there was another taste—one that didn’t fit into any of the others. He named it umami (うま味), which translates to delicious taste in Japanese.¹
Unlike sweetness or saltiness, umami isn’t overpowering. Instead, it works in the background, enhancing everything it touches. It’s why parmesan cheese makes pasta taste better, why soy sauce deepens the flavor of stir-fries, and why a slow-simmered broth feels so comforting.
Umami is found in foods rich in glutamates and nucleotides, which naturally intensify savory flavors. Here are some of the most umami-packed ingredients:
When you combine multiple umami-rich ingredients, you get something called "umami synergy"—which basically means mind-blowing flavor depth.
Once you understand umami, you can start intentionally layering it into your dishes. Here are a few easy ways to boost umami in everyday meals:
Aged and fermented foods have high natural glutamates, which means they instantly add depth to anything you cook. Try:
Long, slow cooking breaks down proteins and releases umami compounds. This is why a slow-simmered broth or braised dish always has more depth than something cooked quickly.
This is where Umami Everything - The Original and Umami Everything - Bold & Spicy come in. It’s a shortcut to instant umami—made with smoky tamari, rich miso, crispy garlic, and Japanese chili peppers. Drizzle it over:
There’s actually a biological reason why umami tastes so good. Our bodies naturally crave glutamates because they signal protein and nutrient-rich foods. In other words, we’re wired to love umami because it helps us survive.²
Studies show that umami also increases salivation, which makes food literally feel juicier and more satisfying. That’s why once you start adding umami to your meals, it’s hard to go back.
For me, umami isn’t just a taste—it’s an experience. It’s that deep, soul-warming, can’t-stop-eating-it flavor that makes food memorable. That’s why I created Azabu Foods—to bring real, bold, Japanese umami to people who crave flavor that goes beyond the basics.
If you’ve ever tasted something and thought, why is this so good?—chances are, umami was the answer.
So next time you’re cooking, experiment with layering umami flavors, slow-cooking for depth, and finishing with a drizzle of Umami Everything. Your taste buds will thank you.
Footnotes & References
