Akemi Yokoyama is a Japanese chef, presenter and culinary instructor based in London. Her regular classes at Sozai Cooking School have received very favourable reviews in national media, including Time Out and The Telegraph. She has also appeared on the popular TV programme, C4’s Sunday Breakfast, teaching the presenters how to make sushi. Her friendly teaching style is easy to follow and informative, she will teach the art of healthy Japanese home cooking to students at all levels.
Akemi’s enthusiasm for gastronomy originated early in her childhood in Sapporo, where enjoying the spoils of wild vegetable foraging and sea fishing were regular family activities. This drove her understanding regarding the importance of the freshest, highest quality ingredients together with exquisite taste pairings in Japanese food.
She demonstrates Japanese cooking in the UK and Europe at various diverse events and she regularly works with the Japanese government’s related organizations promoting Japanese cuisine to the media and public. Akemi was recently invited to the prestigious cruise ship MS Queen Elizabeth as the guest chef to entertain guests with the authentic Japanese cuisines and to train their chefs.
Akemi is a member of the Japanese Culinary Academy UK, is a certified miso sommelier and has the professional qualification WSET Sake Level 3.
Izumi grew up in Amakusa, a beautiful chain of five islands located in the south of Japan, blessed with delicious, natural, wholesome food -Izumi has never been far away from the joy that food can bring, honing her super-healthy recipes in surroundings with rich history.
Izi draws upon this upbringing in her work as an outstanding sushi chef, dietary consultant, and qualified sake sommelier. Her background as a trained and experienced pharmacist also enables her to create dishes and menus that are as nutritionally balanced as they are delicious.
Izi shares her passion for Japanese cooking and the health benefits to be had from it through her fun, informal, hands-on lessons. Her down to earth teaching and creative demonstrations at many companies and shows such as Your Sushi, Big Life Organics and Hyper Japan have already encapsulated and combining her talents. Her private lessons will show you how to create simple, delicious food. She is also the founder of 5 Incorporated Ltd, offering private chef/corporate event catering services.
Yuka’s passion for Japanese cuisine began at a very young age, taught by her grandmother and mother in rural Kyushu. Her childhood was filled with daily trips to fish, meat and vegetable markets where her grandmother taught her how to source the freshest of ingredients. Yuka trained in the art of traditional Kaiseki cuisine at Tokyo’s highly regarded Kaiseki cooking school, Kinsa-Ryu.
Yuka’s extensive knowledge and expertise in Japanese home cooking and formal training enables her to teach with an approachable and friendly technique. Her concept focuses on using four main seasonal ingredients to create simple and delicious menus which are beautifully presented. Yuka is a big advocate for using local ingredients which are easily accessible and reasonable. With her creative flair and natural enthusiasm, Yuka’s classes are fun, practical and hands-on, whatever your ability.
Utako Tanner is an artisan baker who also teaches Japanese baking and cookery based in London. She was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan and went to college in Winchester before deciding to move permanently to the UK in 2002. In 2016, Utako trained and qualified as a Bread Angel, joining a network of artisan bread bakers and teachers.
Utako recently appeared on BBC2 Top of The Shops with Tom Kerridge, she was the best seller in the Baking Category with her Japanese style sweet bread, “Earl Grey & Citrus Peel Bread” which is a combination of tastes from British and Japanese in one bread.
She is a passionate baker, happy to teach and share her skills. Her speciality is Japanese bread, both sweet and savoury, as well as basic bread and sourdough.
Born in Hokkaido, Matsuya completed his culinary education at 17.
After obtaining his cook's license he joined the self-defense forces of Japan and for 15 years cooked for many VIPs of many nations as the forces' chef.
After starting his own venture, he took a position at SO Restaurant, London, as the Head Sushi Chef. He is currently Head Sushi Chef at Miyama Mayfair.