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.