Japan: Jocelyn York (Daily Life in Sendai)

Program: Great Dane Japan Brewing Internship, Summer

Living in Sendai provided me with a daily routine that felt both deeply grounded in Japanese culture and closely tied to my passion for food engineering and processing. Every morning began in my apartment, where I would start the day with a cup of tea and enjoy the morning. A quiet ritual I quickly fell in love with was preparing a traditional bowl of ochazuke (お茶づけ), or green tea poured over steamed rice. I would often pan-sear a fillet of fish, brew a fresh pot of Japanese tea, and stack the bowl with various toppings like seaweed and veggies. It was a comforting, energizing meal that fueled me for the day ahead before I set off on my daily commute.

My journey to work involved a short walk to the neighborhood train station followed by a brief ride toward the outer district near the brewery. Because the trains did not run directly to the facility, I would meet up with a coworker at the station and carpool the rest of the way. These daily drives became one of my favorite opportunities to connect culturally. My coworker acted as a language mentor, turning our morning commute into an interactive Japanese lesson where I would practice vocabulary and gain conversational confidence in a supportive natural environment.

Once at the Great Dane, I stepped directly into the production facility to join the brewing crew. It was fascinating to observe the day’s schedule and study how different recipe formulations required distinct processing steps and mash profiles. The facility procured a diverse portfolio of craft styles rooted in international traditions, drawing inspiration from Germany, France, the UK and even my home state brewing heritage in Wisconsin. During downtime between brewing steps like lautering or boiling, I focused on my individual projects. Drawing on my background from working at the Center for Cheese and Dairy research and Babcock Ice Cream plant back in Madison, I worked on refining the menu’s nacho cheese recipe to improve its textural stability. Additionally, I took on the challenge of formulating a specialty ice cream recipe designed to feature one of the craft beverages for its main flavor profile.

My dairy background also sparked an unexpected research endeavor during lunch breaks. When sampling the restaurant’s cheese curds, I noticed they lacked the signature elasticity and fresh “squeak” I was used to back in Wisconsin. Intrigued by how the local milk supply and pasteurization methods affected the curd structure, I was tasked with developing a comprehensive cost-and-process sheet for a cheese production plant, learning about regional Japanese flavor notes and cheese production. In the afternoons, I joined the team for formal sensory analysis sessions. Phil would show me how to evaluate the raw ingredients, wort samples, and finished batch profiles; analyzing color, head retention, aroma compounds, and body. This process gave me a profound appreciation for the precision required in large-scale fermentation.

Wrapping up in the brewery, my coworker and I would head back to the station so I could catch the train back into Sendai. On my walk home, I would sometimes make a pitstop at Lawson (my favorite Japanese convenience store) to pick up some of their famous Karage-Kun. It is delicious bite-sized chicken that comes in fun seasonal flavors like red pepper, lemon, and cheese. Sometimes for dinner I would explore local restaurants, often going to recommendations from my boss Rob. Sendai offered a variety of food, from traditional ramen and gyudon (savory beef rice bowl topped with customized toppings) to tsukemen, a unique style of ramen where noodles are dipped into an intensely flavory, concentrated broth.

Living like a local in Sendai was defined by the small meaningful moments like learning a new phrase on the drive to work, applying food science in a craft brewery, and discovering various restaurants in the city. The internship gave me a rare perspective that I will carry with me for the rest of my academic and professional career.