Fresh Wasabi Meets Bluefin Tuna at Carmel Culinary Week

June 10, 2026

“Freshly grated real wasabi served with bluefin tuna at Carmel Culinary Week Soirée by the Sea”

Half Moon Bay Wasabi recently participated in Carmel Culinary Week, where we were featured at Soirée by the Sea, one of the week's signature events at the historic La Playa Hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

We couldn't have asked for a better spot.

Our table was positioned right next to one of the evening's main attractions: a live bluefin tuna cutting. As the tuna was broken down, guests were served sushi-grade cuts ranging from leaner pieces of bluefin to beautifully marbled toro.

Just a few feet away, we were grating fresh Half Moon Bay Wasabi.

Guests could take a piece of tuna straight from the cutting station and pair it with wasabi that had been grated moments earlier. For many, it was their first opportunity to taste real wasabi—and it's hard to imagine a better introduction.

This Is What Real Wasabi Looks Like

Most of the green “wasabi” served with sushi in the United States isn't freshly grated wasabi.

It's typically a prepared product made primarily from horseradish, often combined with mustard, coloring and other ingredients. Authentic wasabi comes from the Wasabia japonica plant and has a noticeably different flavor and texture.

At Half Moon Bay Wasabi, we've been growing real wasabi on the California coast since 2011. The cool coastal climate around Half Moon Bay provides the conditions needed to grow a crop that is notoriously difficult to cultivate.

“Fresh California-grown wasabi stems from Half Moon Bay Wasabi at Carmel Culinary Week”

At Carmel Culinary Week, we brought whole freshly harvested wasabi stems with us. Guests could see the actual wasabi plant, a first for many, watch us grate it and then immediately taste it alongside the bluefin.

That's a very different experience from squeezing green paste out of a tube.

Why Fresh Wasabi Works So Well With Bluefin Tuna

Fresh wasabi and high-quality raw tuna are a classic pairing for good reason.

Real wasabi has a fresh, complex flavor followed by a clean, aromatic heat. Unlike the lingering burn of a chili pepper, the sensation rises quickly through the nose and then fades.

That makes it particularly well suited to delicate raw fish.

And then there's toro.

The prized fatty cuts of bluefin have an exceptionally rich, almost buttery texture. Fresh wasabi provides a sharp contrast to that richness without overwhelming the flavor of the tuna. The fat mellows the initial heat of the wasabi, while the wasabi cuts through the richness of the fish.

“Fresh bluefin tuna being carved at Soirée by the Sea during Carmel Culinary Week”

At Soirée by the Sea, guests were able to experience both ingredients about as fresh as possible: bluefin carved on the spot and real wasabi grated to order.

From Half Moon Bay to Carmel-by-the-Sea

One of the things we enjoyed most about Soirée by the Sea was how local the pairing felt.

Our wasabi is grown on the California coast in Half Moon Bay. Less than 100 miles south, we were serving it in Carmel-by-the-Sea alongside exceptional seafood at an event celebrating the chefs, restaurants, wineries and food producers of the Monterey Peninsula.

Soirée by the Sea is one of the signature events of Carmel Culinary Week. Held at the landmark La Playa Hotel, the event brings together leading Carmel restaurants, chefs, wineries and culinary producers for an evening centered around seafood, wine and interactive food experiences.

For us, it was an opportunity to introduce more chefs and food lovers to a specialty crop that's being grown right here on the California coast.