When it comes to standing out in the UK’s bustling food scene, sometimes it takes a bold, playful PR idea to really capture the media’s attention.
This Yorkshire Day, we did just that for our client, the Leeds Japanese restaurant Maki & Ramen.
Working alongside Executive Chef Sophie Wang, we used our knowledge of Japanese cuisine and what’s hot in the foodie scene (cue our Instagram and TikTok obsessions here!) to create a limited-edition Northern Fusion Feast, paying tribute to Yorkshire pride while celebrating Japanese culinary craft.
Available throughout August 2025, the menu was the perfect example of how food can tell a story, spark curiosity, and create the kind of cultural mash-up that the media (and hungry customers) can’t resist.
We’re proud to say that as an agency we secured 25 pieces of coverage for this campaign alone - including a piece on BBC Radio Leeds, two pieces in the Yorkshire Post, a video and blog in The Hoot and a piece on MSN.
Here’s what our PR campaign looked like:
Yorkshire Meets Japan: The Dishes That Told the Story
Maki & Ramen wanted to work with us on a campaign that drove more people into the restaurant. We were appointed just two weeks before Yorkshire Day and saw this as the perfect hook to make noise in the Leeds foodie scene.
It was our idea to design a menu that was a unique Yorkshire / Japanese fusion - featuring dishes that were not only delicious but that would grab headlines,
From quirky comfort foods to refined fusions, we worked with executive chef Sophie Wang to ensure the menu was designed to strike that perfect balance between local heritage and Japanese precision.
Iced Yorkshire Tea Matcha – Yorkshire’s favourite brew meets matcha in a refreshing iced drink, complete with a Yorkshire Rose stencil.
Sunday Roast Ramen – A rich chicken broth layered with sous vide chicken, roast potatoes, and of course, a Yorkshire Pudding for dipping.
Ee By Cod – A playful nod to the seaside chippy tea: cod wrapped in crispy rice noodles, fried until golden, and paired with vinegar mayo and mushy edamame.
God’s Own Bento – A hearty twist on the traditional pie-and-veg plate, with a sweet finish of blueberry onigiri, yuzu custard, and Parkin crumbs.
Sushi Butty – Crispy beef sushi, served with Wensleydale sauce and Henderson’s Relish dip (because it wouldn’t be Yorkshire without Hendo’s).
Builder’s Brew Crème Brûlée – A decadent finale of Rich Tea biscuits, matcha and Yorkshire Tea custard, marbled together under a golden crackly top.
Each dish carried both a sense of humour and a real respect for Yorkshire traditions, reimagined through a Japanese lens.
Why It Worked
As Executive Chef Sophie Wang explains:
“This fusion is all about celebrating the best of both worlds - combining the comforting, hearty flavours of Yorkshire with the delicate, fresh tastes of Japanese cuisine. It’s our way of paying tribute to this incredible city and its rich food heritage, while offering something exciting and new for locals and visitors alike.”
From a PR perspective, it’s a campaign that ticked all the boxes:
✅ Hyper-local relevance (Yorkshire Day)
✅ Shareable, Instagram-friendly visuals
✅ A playful but authentic story
✅ Limited-time FOMO appeal
The Takeaway
This Yorkshire Day activation shows how much impact a creative food story can have when it’s anchored in local culture and designed for both taste buds and headlines.
Here at Aubergine, these are exactly the kinds of campaigns we love to bring to life - where brand storytelling meets cultural relevance, and PR buzz comes served with a side of real flavour.
If you want a creative concept that turns heads and creates noise across both traditional press and social media - get in touch with the Aubergine team.
As former journalists it’s simple - we know what tastes good in the world of PR.