Culinary School and Japanese Consulate Dive “Deeper into Japanese Ingredients”

The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Los Angeles along with the Japanese Consulate General in Los Angeles hosted a culinary celebration on February 27, 2012 in the kitchen and dining room of the campus’ Bistro 31.

The event “Deeper Into Japanese Ingredients ~ Tastes Beyond The Familiar” brought together chefs, vendors and students for a general question and answer session led by the school’s Culinary Arts Academic Director Chef Christophe Bernard, and cooking demonstrations from guest Chefs Katsuo (Suki) Sugiura of The Beverly Hilton and Troy N. Thompson of Asia de Cuba. A reception also featured knife-sharpening and soba making demonstrations, Japanese sake tastings and samples of the chef demonstrated recipes like the soba macaroons with a yuzu curd filling. On hand at the event and pictured here from far left is Mr. Hiroto Kobayashi, Chief Executive Director of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Chef Suki, Chef Bernard, Chef Thompson and Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles Jun Niimi.

Students were introduced to the traditional Japanese ingredients such as hokke, iriko and konbu dashi, kouya dofu, sakekasu and sendai miso, and learned innovative techniques and recipes integrating them into their cooking.