Japanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee

Training Program 2019 Overview【Objectives】
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, we
improve 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 13 participants selected through the final screening arrived in July 2019 and attended the Starting Ceremony.
They were welcomed and encouraged by Mr. Yoshihihiro Murata, the Chairman of Japanese Cuisine and Food
Culture Human Resource Development Committee together with the guest, Mr. Shigeaki Makanae, Deputy Director,
Food Cultures and Market Development Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry andFisheries 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
the group training of language and culinary schools, their training included visits to Toyosu 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. Having received the bronze certification, they went for the practical restaurant training.
Starting Ceremony

Japanese Language Training

Photo by Naganuma School

Toyosu Fish Market

Cooperation by Tokyo Central Wholesale Market

Practical Culinary Training in Culinary School

Photo by Ttaiwa Kyoto Culinary Art College

Lecture on “Umami” by Dr. Kumiko Ninomiya

Cooperation by Umami Information Center

Practical Culinary Training in Culinary School（Final Exam）

Photoby Ttaiwa Kyoto Culinary Art College
写真提供：大和学園

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 cuisine and sushi restaurants for six months. They improved their skills learned atschool 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 the last day, exerting what they learned through the training. Their knowledge andskills of Japanese cuisine as well as hygiene management, use of Japanese ingredients, cooking
utensils and equipment, presentation of dishes, etc. were evaluated rigorously by the three judges.

Assigned works at the final exam

Japanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee

Final training was held at Kikunoi Honten, Kyoto, together with the graduation. Chairman Murata gave
appreciations and encouragements for the participants’ future. The participants received not only thecertificate of the training from the Committee but also the Silver Certification of Cooking Skills for JapaneseCuisine in Foreign Countries (Guidelines established by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries).
The participants who have finished eight months of training are expected to continue developing theirknowledge and skills gained in this program and to promote magnificence of Japanese cuisine, food culture
and Japan-produced ingredients throughout the world 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 2019
Iulian-Radu Neicu (Romania, resident of UK)
Silver Medalist

I am so pleased and grateful for everything regarding this program ! Congratulations to everyone who`sbehind this program and well done for the professionalism you have proven. I`ve seen that the Japanese focus
on the small things in their cuisine that helps make such a large impact in the quality of the food. The country
takes pride in their food and uses it for various symbolic reasons. A meal in Japanese society goes beyond foodbecause through a meal people can socialize , build stronger bonds and work in teams and help society todevelop.
After I did my first step inside the kitchen I had this dream into my mind to come to Japan and learn deeply
about the cuisine and the culture. So I fulfilled my dream and now I just let everything to come by itself. God`swill because He knows better what is good for me. But keep my name in your mind as one day I will become
famous and I will spread around the world everything about this beautiful cuisine and culture.

Giulio Antonio Fanales (Italy)
Silver Medalist

The whole program was organized and managed in an excellent way. From the beginning to the end I felt
welcomed and helped for my stay in Japan.
Umami and beauty; the attention to detail and the centralization of the taste of each ingredient makes eachdish a fantastic experience. Being a Chef includes having a great sensitivity for products and a great knowledgeof technique, artistic culture move in the same way and together represents the essence of Japan.
During this journey I discovered new flavors and new emotions that I will bring during my professional career.
My goal is to deepen Japanese culture to apply it in conjunction with Mediterranean culture around the world
to raise awareness of a healthy and balanced diet by creating new artistic waves.

Brandon Barrios （USA）
Silver Medalist

Taiwa Culinary Institute was the best training I have received from any School/restaurant I have ever had.
Each person had a varied experience from each restaurant, however I feel as though it may depend also on theperson more than the restaurant. In my experience, they did so much to make sure I did well and learned asmuch as possible.
Omotenashi: Japanese hospitality and how it determines the Japanese Cuisine. I never thought I would
experience what it was like to try to reproduce it. Japan is well known for it’s supreme hospitality and I have amuch larger appreciation for Omotenashi. I can only now understand how hard the Japanese people work touphold this high level of traditional experience.

Ｑ

Having experienced the program, do you
want to start using or increasing Japanproduced ingredients in your home country’s
restaurant? （n=12）Ｑ

On finishing the program, how do Japanesecuisine and culture attract you? (Multipleanswers) （n=12）1010

Good taste

Yes, will consider

Beautiful decoration for presentation(if possible)

Seasonal expression

118Culture of Dashi/Umami

33.3%

10Skills of single-edged knife

Yes, very

66

Healthy/nourishment balance
Cooking methods to bring put each ingredientmuch

Varioous kinds of highly quarified ingredient66.7%

Techniques of fermented food and seasoning

86

Dietary culture of rice and water

910

Respect for Nature

8

Manner of 'Omotenashi'

（人）

024

681012

Japanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee

List of Participants Restaurants【Participants】※Random order
NameNationality

Brandon Barrios

USA

Samuel Cheng

China (HK)

Giulio Antonio Fanales

Italy

Jakub HorakCzech

Christopher Jung

USA

Alenka Elena Malinowski

UK

Makoto Masuda Matsushita

Peru
Romania （Resident of UK)

Julian Radu Neicu
Dennis Park

USA

Czar Tagayuna

USA

Carlos Manuel Velez Villar

MexicoYang Zao

Australia【Restaurants】※Random order
Area

Restaurant

Kikunoi Honten

Kinki (Kyoto）

Owner

Yoshihiro Murata

ＵＲＬ

http://kikunoi.jp/Uosaburo

Shigeo Araki

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

Gion Sasaki

Hiroshi Sasaki

http://gion-sasaki.sakura.ne.jp/Minokichi Honten Takeshigero

Yoji Satake

http://www.takeshigero.com/

Arashiyama Kumahiko

Motoi Kurisu

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

Isshi Soden Nakamura

Motokazu Nakamura http://www.kyoryori-nakamura.com/

Kanto
Hokuriku

KinobuTakuji Takahashi

http://www.kinobu.co.jp/

Sakaezushi

Masayoshi Kazato

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

Nihonbashi Yukari

Kimio Nonaga

http://nihonbashi-yukari.com/

Akasaka Asada

ihota Asada

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

Shichijuniko

Akio Saito

https://72kou.jp/

Shinichiro Takagi

https://zeniya.co.jp/

Zeniya