Miso Making Workshop
Miso Making Workshop
Miso is one of the most essential seasonings in everyday Japanese home cooking, alongside soy sauce. It provides the gut with beneficial nutrients that support overall health, as good gut health is linked to both mental and physical wellness. Miso is rich in essential minerals and a good source of various B vitamins, vitamins E, K, and folic acid.
Aspergillus oryzae, known as koji, is a type of mould (fungus) that is responsible for the fermentation of miso, sake, mirin, soy sauce and rice vinegar, earning it the affectionate nickname "Japan's national fungus."
Miso is regional and diverse in Japan. Some varieties are pale, others red, and some almost black. Miso varies in sweetness and saltiness.
During the class, you will learn:
* How miso is made
* What determines the colour and taste of miso
* What koji is
* How to prepare the soybeans before cooking
* How to cook the soybeans
* How to mix the ingredients
* How best to store the miso and ferment it
* How to make three simple miso recipes:
1. Aubergine with dark miso paste
2. Perfect everyday miso soup
3. Wakame seaweed and cucumber salad in miso and rice vinegar
4. Miso onigiri (rice ball)
At the end of the class, you will enjoy a wonderfully homely miso soup and the delicious miso dishes made during the class, along with a glass of refreshment of your choice. Full recipes will be provided by email after the class.
You will take home about 1kg of fresh miso to ferment at home, which will mature over the following six months before it is ready to be used.
The class size is small and held in the instructor's own kitchen, creating an intimate environment where you will feel at home. Akemi is a certified Japanese miso sommelier.
Instructor
Akemi Yokoyama
Akemi Yokoyama is a highly respected Japanese food specialist, chef, presenter, writer, and educator based in London. Her deep knowledge of Japanese food provenance stems from her father’s influence, having grown up foraging and fishing across the island of Hokkaido during her childhood.
As Principal of Sozai Cooking School, she leads acclaimed Japanese cookery classes, earning praise from UK national media. Her expertise has also been featured on major TV and radio programs, including Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, CBBC’s Saturday Mash-Up, and BBC Radio 4’s Front Row. Most recently, she appeared on Channel 5's Faking It as a panel judge to spot the fake sushi chef.
In addition to teaching, she is a sought-after private chef, known for creating authentic and refined Japanese dining experiences.
A passionate advocate for Japanese food culture, Akemi frequently collaborates with Japanese government-related organisations and projects to promote washoku and sake across the UK and Europe. Her culinary expertise extends to Japanese fermentation, crafting a variety of miso at home and exploring traditional preservation techniques.
With a unique ability to blend historical knowledge, technical skill, and engaging storytelling, Akemi is a dynamic force in the world of Japanese cuisine, ensuring its traditions continue to thrive on an international stage.
Member of Japanese Culinary Academy, UK
Certified miso sommelier, Japan
Certified koji making instructor, The Koji Academy, Japan
International Wine Challenge Sake Judge
British Sake Association Culinary Committee
We really enjoyed our ramen making class with Akemi. It ended up being a private session which was great! Akemi gave us an interesting culinary history of ramen across Japan, guided us through all the preparation and cooking steps of making ramen, and overall was just incredibly friendly and encouraging! We’ve taken a lot away from the session, both as tips for cooking and for devices/utensils we want to buy for our own kitchen!
We’d really recommend taking a class with Sozai and will definitely consider booking onto another session in the future.
Thank you, Akemi!
We had a fantastic time learning to make sushi - the class was really fun and relaxed. I'm not a very good or confident cook but I found the whole experience very enjoyable and satisfying! Would definitely recommend.
Had a great time.
Excellent teacher and team.
Relaxed environment.
Definitely recommend.