MASTERCLASSES
MASTERCLASSES
Jonas Kellens started ‘Shinshu’ in 2021 in the heart of Antwerp after getting inspired by the Japanese term ‘Shinshu 新酒’ which means ‘New Sake’. New sake refers to sake that is freshly released by the brewery.
With his experience as a sake sommelier at Restaurant DIM Dining in Antwerp, Jonas built a sake list with +150 references. He specializes in creating a tailormade sake food pairing for his guests with every dish and menu.
The sake menu Jonas Kellens compiled for DIM Dining has been rewarded in the Michelin guide as an ‘Outstanding sake list’. Partly thanks to this list the restaurant was given the title of ‘Best Asian restaurant of Belgium 2020’ and ‘Host of the Year 2022’ by Gault Millau.
Since 2023, Jonas has been organizing the Belgium Sake Festival — an annual celebration festival that attracts over 2,000 visitors from Belgium and abroad, with more than 250 sakes to taste and a dozen masterclasses and live acts across the weekend.
Today, the Belgium Sake Festival stands as a true reference point in the European sake scene.
Jonas got his certificates of WSET 3, Awarded as a MSS Master Sake Sommelier and SSA Educator after an intense study period at the Sake Sommelier Academy (SSA).
Of course, Jonas makes sure he stays in touch with new brewing techniques and upcoming sake breweries all the time.
With the approvement of SSA, Jonas will be teaching sake courses from 2021. Sake Sommelier Assocation has been the world’s leading sake education provider since 2000, with innovative courses expertly tailored to suit students from all backgrounds and cultures, training them to become Sake Sommeliers. As certified Sake Sommelier and teacher, Jonas Kellens can now pass on this knowledge himself with support of SSA in 6 continents. Students can participate in sommelier competitions and brewery events organised by SSA.