About Yuki

“My mission is to bring Japanese Cooking and Cookery to your table; to show you that it’s really simple to make, one of the healthiest ways to eat and can be easily incorporated into your daily life. ”

Raised in a traditional Japanese family, my mother was a fanatical cook who instilled the
virtues of well-prepared food in me at an early age. Living near the mountains close to
Mount Fuji, we were blessed with fresh air and home-grown organic vegetables for every
meal.

I moved to the USA and studied classical music at university in Chicago. When I
finished the course, my passion changed, my love of food inspired me to train as a
professional, and I studied for “an associate in applied science in culinary arts” with the
prestigious “Le Cordon Bleu” at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago.

My first professional appointment was in the “Soul Kitchen” restaurant in Chicago,
working with Chef Curtis Giszczynski. Here, I learned the craft of line cooking in an
exceedingly busy restaurant, and later helped Chef Curtis to develop Asian and fusion
dishes.

Back in Japan I was a consultant for the “Rock” restaurant and microbrewery, with
menu planning and the development of fusion items. Once back in Japan, I was keen
to develop my knowledge of traditional Japanese cooking, augmenting the skills I had
learned on “Le cordon Bleu” course. Revisiting traditional Japanese cuisine after my
European training allowed me to experience my own heritage in a new light. I was
trained by master noodle chef Serizawa, with whom I learned special Soba and Udon
noodle skills.

After I moved to England and I worked for authentic Japanese restaurant in central
London. I developed new recipes for both the restaurant and the sushi delicatessen
where I also created a new menu.

Whilst working at the company I was struck by increasing popularity of Japanese food.
The clientele were largely Japanese, but more and more Europeans and Americans
seemed to be enjoying the food. People queued up to buy take-away meals for their
lunches and parties. I stared to hear them say “I can’t make this at home so I have no
choice to but buy it” or “I wish I could make this at home” or they asked me “do you
know anyone who can me teach me how to make this?” and this inspired me to change
from selling Japanese food to teaching the skills of making Japanese food.

I now regularly teach Japanese home cooking classes in my kitchen and also in the
student’s home. I also provide catering for dinner parties, corporate and for larger
events, I can plan and manage everything from start to finish. A “Tasting Party” is a
wonderful opportunity to experience the wonderful world of Japanese cooking. I am
doing for charity work, events and private functions in UK and France. I am organising a
lot of different workshops at my Kitchen!