Japanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee

Brief Overview Training Program 2017
【Objectives】
Aiming at deeper understanding and promoting export of Japan-produced ingredients, we invite foreign chefs of theJapanese cuisine from overseas countries as the participant trainees. Through training in Japanese culinary schooland restaurants, we improve their knowledge of hygiene control, cooking skills, as well as learning mind of‘Omotenashi’ in Japanese cuisine and food culture. By succeeding in these, we try to enhance and develop them tobecome our partners, taking leading roles in transmitting allurements of the Japanese cuisine and food culture
especially when Japanese food related business operators plan to have overseas business development.

Selected from over 100 of applicants, the participant trainees arrived in Japan in June 2016 and attended theopening ceremony in Tokyo. Mr. Yoshihiro Murata, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Takeshi Kadokami, CoChairman of All Japan Food Association, together with Mr. Toru Osumi, Deputy Director-General, Ministry ofAgriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, educational partners in the program, and owners of individual training
restaurants gave trainees warm welcome and encouragements.

After having 1 month training of Japanese language, the participant trainees went to Le Cordon Bleu Tokyo in
Daikanyama, Tokyo, for another month, to learn basic knowledge and skills of Japanese cuisine. There were field
trips to Tsukiji Fish market and farms. There was a final examination on both paper and practical exam at the endof the training, which all of them passed successfully.
Opening Ceremony

Japanese language training

Lecture on Japanese food culture in culinary school

Practical training of basic cooking skills in culinary school

Photos：Le Cordon Bleu Tokyo

Study tour of cutting tuna in Tsukiji Fish Market

Photos：Le Cordon Bleu Tokyo

Photos：Le Cordon Bleu Tokyo

Farms visit in Ibaraki prefecture

写真提供：ル・コルドン・ブルー東京校
Photos：Le Cordon Bleu Tokyo

Japanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee

The individual practical training in Japanese cuisine and Sushi restaurants started after the 2 months ofgroup training. Trainees developed their own cooking skills in the practical restaurant kitchen work,
making use of their basic knowledge and skills of Japanese cuisine, with mentorship of restaurants.
Practical training in each restaurant kitchen

The trainees challenged the final examination in Kyoto Culinary Art College, exerting what they havelearned in the training. To confirm how they mastered their knowledge and skills of Japanese cuisine andfood culture, three judges consist of academic and cooking specialists made strict judgement in knowledgeof hygiene, usage of ingredients and tools, placement of dishes, seasoning, etc.

Japanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee

In finishing the training, the graduation ceremony was held in Kikunoi Honten, Kyoto, inviting training
partners and restaurant owners, as well as Mr. Keiji Yamada, the Governor of Kyoto. The trainees received
certificate of the Committee and diploma of Le Cordon Bleu Tokyo as well as receiving certificate of cooking
skills for Japanese Cuisine in foreign countries, in which we certify foreign chefs whose knowledge andcooking skills regarding Japanese cuisine have reached a certain level, based on the Guideline established by
the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Seven out of eleven trainees have become the world’s
first silver medalists of the system.
Trainees who have graduated from the 8-month training are expected to promote allurements of Japanesecuisine, food culture and ingredients throughout the world as the certified chefs of the Japanese Cuisine.
Certificates were handed to all trainees from the Chairman Murata

Certificate of the Training

Silver and bronze medal badges of the certification of cooking skills forJapanese cuisineJapanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee

Testimonials from trainees of 2016
Mr. Edgars Sutka (Latvian, Denmark resident) ※Silver medalist
I was working already into Japanese cuisine restaurants in Copenhagen for 6 years so I had some knowledge about
Japanese cuisine, but I multiplied my skills and knowledge 10 times or even 10times more, being into this program.
Japanese people work hard and gave me such a wonderful program for us. I wanted to show people that I am
working hard as Japanese and that I will not give up, and foreign chefs who are passioned in to Japanese cuisine
can work just as hard and good as Japanese, with good training they can work maybe even better. I wanted toshow also that Japanese can pass their knowledge of their culture and cuisine and that it will be carried out withthe best respect, love and soul out to the world.
I made also a sacrifice coming to Japan but I understood that it is the professional progress that I will gain and it is priceless.
I was grateful for any shelter that I was given and understood that it takes some sacrifice from me towards
progress. One will not find a lot of benefits that it has been given, if one will start to appreciate things thatwas taken for granted before.
I am just happy that I could be one of few selected. I have fallen in love with the Japan it made me to decideon staying in to my internship restaurant and I am glad that I had a chance to stay further, moreover I
successfully completed the program. The courteous behavior on welcoming guests and giving the bestexperience for guests. I observed how professional chef need to take his work, and that it is not only a workit is a lifestyle. I want to open restaurant with tatami mats, sliding doors, garden, service that is so kind asin Japan, all in all I want to open an authentic Japanese kaiseki restaurant or very close to it because it ishard to implement it into western countries, because of lack of ingredients, but I will do my best to make it
happen, because I want to give my guests a traditional Japanese restaurant experience abroad.

Mr. Nadim Frenn (Canadian) ※Silver medalist
This program is excellent and It will change the life of any serious person who wants to increase his experience inJapanese food and culture.
This program put me in a high level with a real Japanese experience , it showed me and explain me all the details
needed in the Japanese cuisine and culture, I think if I didn’t do this program ,I will never be
a professional Japanese chef even if I worked in the best restaurant in the world.
I saw, discover and learn how it should be done and I achieved a lot in Japanese cuisine which I learned all
the details and I put an extra effort by reading books and participating to many expos and events
concerning the Japanese cuisine culture and I went to see and taste Miso, Sake, Surimi, Whisky, Green tea,
Soy sauce factories, farms and a lot of restaurant like Sushi, Teppanyaki, Ramen, Okonomiyaki, Izakayas…So I can learn as much as I can in this amazing cuisine.
After this experience with the experience that I had before, I think I am ready to go and start my own
business and looking forward to go every year to japan to keep connections and to stay up-to-date

Ｑ

Having experienced the program, do you want tostart using or increasing Japan-produced
ingredients in your home country’s restaurant?

ＱOn finishing the program, how do Japanesecuisine and culture attract you? (Multipleanswer)
88

Good Taste

No, not too uch
9.1%

Healthy & Nourishment balance

3Safety / High quality

4Originalty

Yes, will consider (ifpossible)

27.3%

9Appearance

Yes, very much
Variety/Freshness
63.6%
Cooking methods to bring out each ingredient

11Sense of Four Seasons

855Good Water

10Techniques of fermented food

88Culture of Dashi/Umami
Mind of "Omotenashi"（n=11）（n=11）

0Others0（人）246810Japanese Cuisine and Food Culture
Human Resource Development Committee

Training Restaurants 2016
【Participant Trainees】※INPONameNationality

Junhua Ni

UKMiles Jacob Odell

USAPatrick Gannon Greenway O‘DeaUSAArturo Onate

USA

Edgars Sutka

LATVIA (resident in DENMARK）

Nadim Frenn

CANADA

Evandro Hidetoshi Kawanami

BRAZIL

Hong Kai Tan

SINGAPORE

Petra Hiebler

AUSTRIA （resident in SPAIN）

Frederic Dumont-Plante

CANADA

Sinan Damgacioglu

TURKEY【Restaurants】※INPO
Area

Name

Owner

ＵＲＬ

Kyoto

Kikunoi Honten

Yoshihijro Murata

http://kikunoi.jp/

Kyoryori Tankuma Kitamise

Masahiro Kurisu

http://www.tankumakita.jp/

Kyoryori Kinobu

Takkuji Takahashi

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

Uosaburo

Shigeo Araki

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

Gion Sasaki

Hiroshi Sasaki

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

Kyokaiseki Minokichi Takeshigero

Yoji Satake

http://www.takeshigero.com/

Arashiyama Kumahiko

Motoi Kurisu

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

Tokyo/Chiba

Kikunoi Akasaka

Yoshihiro Murata

http://kikunoi.jp/kikunoiweb/Akasaka/index

Tsukiji Tamura

Takashi Tamura

http://www.tsukiji-tamura.com/

Ginza Sushiko Honten

Mamoru Sugiyama

Sakaezushi

Masayoshi Kazato

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

Kimio Nonaga

http://nihonbashi-yukari.com/

Masahiro Kasahara

http://www.sanpi-ryoron.com/

Nihonbashi YuikariNihonryori Sanpi Ryoron
Nihonryori Ryugin

Seiji Yamamoto

http://www.nihonryori-ryugin.com/