Jesse Ito Scores Nice Endorsement Deal

Jesse Ito of Royal Izakaya may have been shut out again at the James Beard Foundation Awards, but he just scored a nice endorsement deal with Mazda USA and Food & Wine.

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In a new video posted on Instagram, it shows Jesse driving around in a Mazda CX70 going about his day, picking up and unloading groceries. Then, it shows him doing his chef thing at his restaurant in Queen Village.

He provides short voiceover commentary about his rise to fame, family restaurant history, and his culinary philosophy which somehow ties into the sleek automobile.

It’s a tastefully produced video. I think it’s smart of Mazda to feature real people, and bring attention to great chefs and restaurants in their advertising campaigns. They were smart to partner with Food & Wine, too.

It’s a subtle ad, putting most of the focus on Jesse, with the car playing a supporting role. The introductory tone allows us to get to know Jesse, but “connect” with him on a human level. Most of us (even food bloggers) don’t have easy access to chefs like Jesse.

At the end of the day, no matter our “stature,” we’re all human, we all need to get around, and do things. Does Jesse actually drive a Mazda CX70? It doesn’t matter. He’s a great chef!

I’m always glad to see Philadlephia restaurants and Philadelphia chefs in the spotlight, even if it is through ads. It proves Philly has great talent here and the world should be looking at it. This visibility is important at keeping Philly’s food scene interesting, and worth highlighting.

Now, can we get some Michelin stars or a Top Chef season here? I think it’s time. 🙂

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