What is umami?

Sweet, sour, salty, and bitter have long been the cornerstones of flavor, but there’s a fifth taste that elevates dishes from good to unforgettable: umami. The one that makes us close our eyes, lean back, and say, “Ohhh, that’s good.”

For chefs building craveable menus, understanding umami isn’t just culinary curiosity. It’s a competitive edge. And few ingredients unlock it as effortlessly as shiitake mushrooms.

WHAT IS UMAMI?

Umami, a Japanese word meaning “delicious savoriness,” was officially recognized as the fifth basic taste in the early 20th century. It’s that deep, mouth-filling flavor found in slow-braised meats, aged cheeses, soy sauce, and you guessed it, mushrooms.

Umami comes from glutamates, naturally occurring amino acids that trigger taste receptors on the tongue, creating that rich, savory satisfaction humans crave. It spreads across the tongue and leaves a longer-lasting taste sensation than other basic tastes. 

Shiitake mushrooms are particularly rich in guanylate, one of the nucleotides that supercharges glutamate’s savory punch. This makes them umami powerhouses, especially when dried (the drying process intensifies these compounds).

WHY CHEFS LOVE IT? 

Umami makes a dish feel more indulgent without piling on fat or salt. It’s why ramen broth lingers, why aged cheeses make you swoon, and why slow-braised meats have diners licking the plate.

If umami is the goal, shiitake mushrooms are the cheat code. Their meaty texture and earthy depth make them one of the most powerful umami ingredients in the pantry. For chefs, it’s a natural way to elevate plant-forward options and build complexity so they stand toe-to-toe with traditional proteins, without reaching for additives or heavy processing.

Diners might not know the word, but they know the feeling: “That dish was so rich, so flavorful, so craveable… I want it again.” That’s umami doing its work!