April 23, 2024

Kikkoman sponsored the Eighth Japan Culinary Fellowship Program (from February 4th through February 11th of 2024) hosted by Japanese Culinary Academy, which gave young overseas chefs techniques of Japanese cuisine and Japanese food culture.

 

The program based in Kyoto consisted of two curricula: learning about techniques of Japanese cuisine through training at Japanese restaurants and deepening understanding of Japanese ingredients and cooking essentials through tours of production sites. This year, chefs from restaurants in France, England, Germany, Australia, and Thailand participated in the program. The chefs experienced traditional Japanese culture from cooking techniques to tableware, preparation, and hospitality of welcoming customers in kitchens of the academy members. They also visited production sites and deepened their understanding of elements which formed varied food culture of Japan, such as ingredients, seasonings, and cooking equipment.

 

On February 6th, we held an event at Takasago Plant to introduce production processes of Kikkoman Soy Sauce and the secret of its deliciousness. On that day, we provided detailed explanations about the production processes of soy sauce in which three types of microorganisms of koji mold, lactic acid bacteria, and yeast were involved and how the distinctive aroma of soy sauce is gradually created by fermentation and aging of the moromi (mash of unmatured soy sauce prepared by mixing soy sauce koji and salt water). Then, we gave a demonstration of the pressing process of soy sauce and let the chefs experience it by themselves. We received enthusiastic questions from the chefs to find their highly inquisitiveness and sensitivity toward food and taste.

On February 11th, the final day of the Japan Culinary Fellowship Program, the chefs performed an open demonstration at Kyoto Culinary Art College with the theme of soy sauce as the culmination of the training, in which they cooked using Japanese ingredients. The overseas chefs, who were paired with young chefs from Kyoto, created colorful and beautiful dishes with a twist of soy sauce using ingredients familiar to Japan, which were added their creative touches inspired by the training.

<Examples of the dishes shown at the open demonstration>

We believe that what the overseas chefs experienced Japanese food culture through the program enables the young chefs to incorporate what they learned into their own dishes when they return to their home countries, which will be a cue of introducing the appeal of Japanese ingredients and food culture. Kikkoman will promote international exchange of food culture, having relationships with and training overseas chefs.