Billy Dec, the creative force behind Sunda in the Gulch, is proud to share his Filipino heritage, including serving on the White House Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for the past four years. In honor of the fact that May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Dec and his staff at Sunda have planned three special events to introduce Nashville to some aspects of Asian and Pacific Islander culture that might be unfamiliar to most of us.
First off is a Sushi Rolling Class at the restaurant on Tuesday, May 29, beginning at 5 p.m. Head sushi chef Masanobu Ise will teach this hands-on workshop using all the components to make amazing sushi rolls. Students will enjoy sake samples during class and get to eat what they rolled at the end. The class is $45 per person.
The second event should be especially festive as Dec and crew throw a Kamayan Feast on Wednesday, May 30, starting at 5 p.m. This party is a casual family-style meal you eat with your hands, featuring an array of traditional Filipino food spread across a table covered in banana leaves. The word "Kamayan" means "with hands" in Tagalog, a native Filipino language, so feast guests will have a hands-on experience of a full range of culinary flavors and textures from the Philippines, including lechon kawali (Filipino pork belly); crispy soft-shell crab; shrimp and chicken adobo skewers; whole crispy snapper; longanisa (Filipino sweet sausage), vegetables, crispy pork shank and more. For just $55 a head, that sounds like a bargain!
The final celebratory event will be on Thursday, May 31, at 5 p.m. with a sake social. For $30, guests will join Sunda Nashville lead mixologist Nahm Kim for sake tasting and sushi bites during a fun and interactive Sake Social. This event is appropriate for experienced sake drinkers and rank amateurs.
To hold your spot at any or all of these special events, visit the Sunda website for reservations.
