Japanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee

Training Program Overview
O B J E C T I V E S
Aiming at deeper understanding and promoting export of Japan-produced ingredients, we invite foreign chefs of the Japanesecuisine from overseas countries as the participant trainees. Through training in Japanese culinary school and restaurants, weimprove their knowledge of hygiene management, cooking skills, as well as learning mind of “Omotenashi” in Japanese cuisineand food culture. By succeeding in these, we try to enhance and develop them to become our partners, taking leading roles intransmitting magnificence of the Japanese cuisine and food culture especially when Japanese food related business operatorsplan to have overseas business development.
The 8 participants selected through the final screening arrived in July 2018 and attended the Starting Ceremony. They
were welcomed and encouraged by Mr. Masahiro Kurisu, the Co Chairman of Japanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee together with the guest, Mr. Kazuhiro Shimane, Deputy Director, FoodCultures and Market Development Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
JAPAN, language and culinary training schools and the owners of training Japanese cuisine and sushi restaurants.
After Japanese language training in Naganuma School, they moved to Kyoto for over one month of the basic Japaneseculinary training in Kyoto Culinary Art College where they learned basic Japanese cuisine and practical skills. During thegroup training of language and culinary schools, their training included visits to fish market, lecture on “Umami” at
Umami Information Center, a Non-Profit Organization (NPO) accredited by the Tokyo Metropolitan Governor’s Office,Sake brewery, farms, and Japanese tea ceremony. They all passed paper and practical exam on the last day and went
for the practical restaurant training.
Starting Ceremony

Japanese Language Training

Photo: Naganuma School

Visit to Tsukiji Fish Market

Lecture on “Umami” by Dr. Kumiko Ninomiya

写真提供：大和学園
Cooperation
by Sakasyu Inc.

Practical Culinary Training in Culinary School

Photo: Kyoto Culinary Art College

写真提供：京都調理師専門学校
写真提供：大和学園
Cooperation by Umami
Information Center

Practical Culinary Training in Culinary School（Final Exam）

Photo: Kyoto Culinary Art CollegeJapanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee

After having two months of group training, the participants moved to the next stage, individual training in Japanese cuisineand sushi restaurants for six months. They improved their skills learned at school even further in the actual restaurant
kitchen with restaurant mentors.
Individual Practical Training in Restaurants

After finishing the restaurant training, the participants challenged for the final exam in Kyoto Culinary Art College on thelast day, exerting what they learned through the training. Their knowledge and skills of Japanese cuisine as well as
hygiene management, use of Japanese ingredients, cooking utensils and equipment, presentation of dishes, etc. wereevaluated rigorously by the three judges.

Assigned works at the final exam

Japanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee

Graduation at Kikunoi Honten, Kyoto, was held with the graduates and members of training schools and restaurants. The Mayor ofKyoto, Mr. Daisaku Kadokawa, gave appreciations and encouragements for the their future. The participants received not only thecertificate of the training from the Committee but also the Silver Certification of Cooking Skills for Japanese Cuisine in ForeignCountries (Guidelines established by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries).
The participants who have finished eight months of training are expected to continue developing their knowledge and skills gainedin this program and to promote magnificence of Japanese cuisine, food culture and Japan-produced ingredients throughout theworld as the Japanese cuisine chefs.

Certificate of the Program

Certificate of Cooking Skills for Japanese Cuisine in Foreign Countries

Certification Badge (Silver)Japanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee

Testimonials from the Participants of Program 2018
Dawid Szmurlo（Poland） ※Silver medalist
I like the idea of the program and all of what it could offer me. Without doubt, I went extremely level up withJapanese cuisine and as well with processing ingredients used in the kitchen. As well that was the first time when I
had a chance to work with Kyoryori. Now my knowledge about nihonryori is way better than it was before theprogram. I feel very gratified with all of that. I’m grateful for the kitchen team for all of the time they spend on
sharing with me their knowledge, recipe and smile they shared with me at this short time of 6 months. I admire thepassion of the guys and respect going along with their work and for the place of work

Aurore Wieczorek（France）※ Silver medalist

It is a giant step for me. I have a better knowledge on the Japanese products, the way they should be cooked, theseason it should be cooked. I understand better the cultural meaning f Kaiseki ryori (people coming for happy
occasion, funeral, special event) . It showed me the way through Kyoryori like having a ‘shoku-iku‘ for me. I feel
more confident in my knowledge of Japanese food culture and ready to export it to France.

Willian Hideki Escobar Tsuchida（Brazil）※ Silver medalist

I’ve learned not only about fish but sushi culture and many seasonal ingredients, organization in the kitchen, theprocedures and the way they think. Seasonal food is something. I really appreciated Japanese knives and how tomaintain them. I have, I wanted the experience of working in Japan and in a highly level kitchen which would bevery hard to achieve if it wasn’t by the program. I also have a goal to learn nihongo and by staying in Japan for 8months was a really good way to push myself to study and practice as well as the cuisine skills.

Gabriel Narvaez Parada（Mexico）※ Silver medalist

Japanese culture is not an easy cuisine, even with 8 months is not enough time but I did my best to keep all theknowledges and could take it to Mexico and show the people whom I work with. There is a lot to learn still though.
I am feeling happy about finishing and glad with everyone in the program.

Ｑ

Having experienced the program, do you
want to start using or increasing Japanproduced ingredients in your home country’s
restaurant?

ＱOn finishing the program, how do Japanesecuisine and culture attract you? (Multipleanswers)

Good taste

（n=8）

5

Beautiful decoration for presentation

Yes, will consider(if possible)
50.0%

Yes, verymuch

7Seasonal expression

8
8

Culture of Dashi/Umami
Skills of single-edged knife

3

Healthy/nourishment balance

50.0%

55

Cooking methods to bring put each ingredient
Varioous kinds of highly quarified ingredient

（n=8）

4

Dietary culture of rice and water

2

Techniques of fermented food and seasoning

5Respect for Nature

3

Manner of 'Omotenashi'

5012345678（人）Japanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee

List of Participants and Restaurants 2017
【Participants】※Random order
NameNationality

Willian Hideki Escobar Tsuchida

BrazilDawid Szmurlo

PolandDaniel Shin

CanadaCheuk Wai (Will) Fung

ＵＳＡ

Gerald Zhi Yuan Liau

Singapore

Gabriel Narvaez Parada

MexicoMusaad Alsubhi

Saudi arabia

Aurore Wieczorek

France【Restaurants】※Random order
AreaRestaurant

Kikunoi (main restaurant)

OwnerYoshihiro Murata

ＵＲＬ

http://kikunoi.jp/KyotoUosaburo

Shigeo Araki

http://www.uosaburo.com/access.html

Gion Sasaki

Hiroshi Sasaki

http://gion-sasaki.sakura.ne.jp/

Kyoto Cuisine Restaurant Takeshigero

Yoji Satake

http://www.takeshigero.com/

Arashiyama Kumahiko

Motoi Kurisu

http://www.kumahiko.com/index.html

Sakaezushi

Tokyo

Masayoshi Kazato

http://sushi-skills.com/sakae2/

Nihombashi Yukari

Kimio Nonaga

http://nihonbashi-yukari.com/

Akasaka Asada

Shota Asada

http://www.asadayaihei.co.jp/akasaka/