New Project by JCDC: Support for Opening Japanese Cuisine Courses and Dispatching Instructors to Overseas Culinary Schools

Japanese chefs were dispatched to culinary schools in Türkiye and India to hold Japanese cooking classes in collaboration with local chefs.

While Japanese restaurants overseas continue to proliferate (According to the latest survey, there are 187,000 stores, which is about a 20% increase since 2021.), there is a shortage of chefs with the specialized knowledge and skills in Japanese cuisine, as well as instructors capable of teaching the techniques of Japanese cooking at culinary schools abroad.
In order to make up for this shortage and further promote Japanese cuisine, food culture and ingredients, JCDC (Location: Tokyo, Representative: Yoshihiro Murata) has started a project to dispatch Japanese chefs to overseas culinary schools and other institutions that want to set up Japanese cuisine courses with the aim of teaching correct knowledge and cooking methods for Japanese cuisine, food culture and ingredients, with the cooperation of local Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassadors, the Certification Body and graduates of past JCDC program. In this first year of the project, we have taken this ambitious initiative to Turkey and India.
Participants commented that “until now I thought that ramen and sushi were the only traditional Japanese dishes, but now I finally understand how important dashi is!”, “it was completely different from what I had imagined. This lecture has changed the way I look at Japanese food”, “I want to know more about Japanese food and how it has evolved to the present day”, and so on.

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Chef Kimio Nonaga (Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador)

[Countries where events were held in 2024]
A. Istanbul, Türkiye
-Title: "Japon Mutfak Sanatlari Egitimi Ozel Semineri"
https://www.yenisafak.com/gundem/topkapi-universitesi-usla-uzakdogu-mutfak-akademisi-is-birliginde-profesyonel-japon-mutfak-sanatlari-mezuniyet-ve-unvan-takdim-toreni-gerceklestirildi-4659083
* Held as part of the events commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Establishment of Japan-Türkiye Diplomatic Relations

- Location: USLA (Ulslararast Servis & Lezzet Akademisi)
https://www.usla.com.tr/

- Dispatched instructor: Kimio Nonaga (Third generation owner/chef of Nihonbashi Yukari, Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador, A regular member of All Japan Food Association)

- Cooperative local instructor:
Shun-ichi Horikoshi (Owner/Chef of Itsumi, Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador)
https://www.itsumijp.com/
Sinan Damgacioglu (Partner of Uzakdogu Mutfak Akademisi Eğitim ve Danışmanlık A.Ş., Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador; A graduate of the JCDC program for 2016.)
Didem Yalçınkaya (Chef & Owner, Oishii Wok & Sushi; A graduate of the JCDC program for 2022.)

- Organized by
Japanese Cuisine and Dietary Culture Development Committee (JCDC)
https://en.jcdc.tokyo/
Uzakdoğu Mutfak Akademisi (The Certification Body)
https://www.instagram.com/uzakdogumutfakakademisi/
USLA (Ulslararast Servis & Lezzet Akademisi)

- Sponsored by
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF)

- Cooperated by
All Japan Food Association (AJFA)

B. Goa, India
- Title: "Honoring Nature’s Gifts -- Introduction to Traditional Japanese Cuisine"
https://www.bharatfact.com/goa-hosts-first-ever-japanese-cooking-course/

- Location: IHM (Institute of Hotel Management), Goa
https://ihmgoa.gov.in/home

- Dispatched instructor: Kiyoyuki Ichimaida (Professor of Japanese cuisine at Hattori Nutrition College)
https://www.hattori.ac.jp/

- Cooperative local instructor:
Brehadeesh Kumar (Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador, Chief chef of Ginkgo (Japanese Food and Ingredient Supporter Store); A graduate of the JCDC program for 2022.)
https://www.instagram.com/ginkgopune/

- Organized by
Japanese Cuisine and Dietary Culture Development Committee (JCDC)

- Sponsored by
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF)

- Cooperated by
Embassy of Japan in India
Institute of Hotel Management, Goa
Hattori Nutrition College
Hal Yamashita
Kai India, etc.

[The certification program of Japanese Food and Ingredient Supporter Stores Overseas]
https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/trends/foods/supporter/

[Guidelines for Certification of Cooking Skills for Japanese Cuisine in Foreign Countries]
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/shokusan/syokubun/attach/pdf/tyori-19.pdf

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