Featured Chefs and Experts

Chef Daisuke Nomura, Sougo; Tokyo

Nestled in the heart of Tokyo’s vibrant Roppongi neighborhood, Sougo restaurant serves traditional shojin ryori with a modern twist. Shojin ryori is a traditional form of Japanese Buddhist cuisine, known for its focus on plant-based ingredients and mindful preparation.

Daisuke Nomura is the chef and owner of Sougo, and he talks about respecting seasonal ingredients and using all parts of the vegetable in his exquisitely prepared vegan dishes. Chef Nomura's restaurant earned him a spot on the Plant Forward Global 50, a group of 50 chefs worldwide leading the movement for plant-based cuisine. More information about Sougo here.

Chef Kenya Sakai, Kenya; Kyoto

Chef Kenya Sakai, of Kenya Restaurant in Kyoto's Okazaki neighborhood, is known for his unique blend of Japanese, Chinese, and Western cuisines. He shows us his playful take on penne pasta by serving hollowed out burdock root with tomato sauce, as well as a dish he calls “Rice Meeting” featuring small dishes arranged around a bowl of rice. More information about Kenya Restaurant here.

Yoshiki Tsuji, President of Tsuji Culinary Institute; Osaka

Yoshiki Tsuji is president of Tsuji Culinary Institute, one of Japan’s most renowned culinary schools, with campuses in Osaka, Tokyo, and Lyon, France.  The CIA and Tsuji Culinary Institute collaborate to deliver the educational experience of students in the Japanese Cuisine and Culture Concentration program, and enhance their learning about Japan’s culinary heritage. Yoshiki Tsuji talks about hosting the CIA students at his school, and the role of Japanese cuisine on the global stage. Learn more about the Tsuji Culinary Institute here.

Elizabeth Andoh, A Taste of Culture; Tokyo

Aesthetics, seasonality, color and balance are all primal elements of Japanese cooking. Award winning cookbook author Elizabeth Andoh explains the principles of, Washoku, which literally translates as the harmony of food. At a glance most Japanese recipes appear relatively simple. It's this minimalism that distinguishes Japanese cuisine from other great culinary traditions and it is this quality that makes Japanese cuisine so delectable and difficult to master. Andoh is the author of six books on Japanese cooking, including two IACP award-winners, An Ocean of Flavor (Morrow, 1988) and Washoku (Ten Speed, 2005). She was Gourmet’s Japan correspondent for more than three decades and was a regular contributor to the New York Times travel section for many years. Learn more about A Taste of Culture here.

Mitsuharu Tsumura, Maido; Lima, Peru

Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura —Micha, as everybody calls him—was born in Lima and since his childhood was very passionate about cooking. He worked to develop The Great Encyclopedia of Peruvian Cuisine. His passion for Japanese and Peruvian cuisine led him to create Maido, a Japanese restaurant with Peruvian heart. At Maido, he works with his team investigating and creating new culinary trends where Japanese and Peruvian cuisines live in harmony giving birth to Nikkei cuisine. Maido ranks 44th on S. Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and 5th on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Learn more about Maido here.

Chef Chris Kajioka, Senia; Honolulu, HI

Chris Kajioka ‘05 is one of Honolulu’s most well-known and beloved chefs. Since childhood, he has never wanted to be anything other than a chef, and he has proven that he knows no bounds in perfecting his craft. Chris, a Honolulu native, received a degree in the culinary arts from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After graduation, he went on to work at Ron Siegel’s Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco and then Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York. Making his way west yet again, Chris worked his way up to sous chef at Aziza in San Francisco and then continued on to Blaine Wetzel’s Willows Inn on Lummi Island, Washington. Returning to his native Hawaii in 2012, he became the executive chef at Vintage Cave. Chris’ classical culinary training combined with his affinity for his own Japanese heritage results in his own unique style: inventive dishes incorporating techniques from contemporary French cuisine with a distinctly Japanese sensibility. At Vintage Cave, he earned nominations for the James Beard Rising Star Award and Food & Wine’s People's Best New Chef, as well as being awarded a place in the “Top Ten Dishes of 2013” from Food & Wine. Closer to home, Chris has become a central figure in the Honolulu food community and remains a staunch supporter of local farms, artisans, and time-honored small businesses. In 2015, he joined forces with British chef Anthony Rush and began work on their forthcoming restaurant, Senia, which opened in December 2016 in Honolulu’s Chinatown. Senia offers a cuisine showcasing their mutual culinary pedigree, and explores and celebrates Hawaii’s abundance of ingredients. Learn more about Senia restaurant here.

“As a student of Japanese cuisine culture for four decades now I am constantly learning and being inspired. The commitment to craft, telling the story of the seasons and the ingredients, and the purity of flavors that abounds. And above all else, warm, generous, and authentic ‘omotenashi’ hospitality are an inspiration for chefs around the world. There is so much to learn and we constantly look to apply those ethos and principles to what we do.”

- Chef Kyle Connaughton, SingleThread Farm-Restaurant-Inn; Healdsburg, CA