Kyoto, March 3 — The Japanese Cuisine and Dietary Culture Development Committee (JCDC) held a cooking certification test in Kyoto to award formal Japanese-cuisine qualifications to foreign chefs amid the global rise of washoku.
Twelve foreign chefs entered the program seeking gold or silver certification. Some candidates trained at traditional Japanese restaurants, while others qualified for the event after winning national Japanese-cuisine championships in their home countries.
Ten chefs took the silver-level exam, each asked to prepare one soup and five plated dishes. Advait S. Patil of India, a trainee at Tankuma Kita, said the six months of preparation for the silver certification were an important and formative experience that will help his career in the years ahead. Raul R. Arellano of Mexico, a winner of Mexico’s Japanese-cuisine championship, described participation in the silver test as a proud milestone that deepened his experience as a Japanese-cuisine chef.
Aeron C. B. Hin of Singapore, who won the Singapore championship, said achieving gold certification would make it easier to source Japanese ingredients for use in Singapore and help him incorporate high-quality, hybrid Japanese products into his restaurant. Indian trainee Akash M. Gade of Toriyone outlined some of the ingredients and techniques used in the exam: katsuobushi and kombu for stock, and seafood such as salmon, kanpachi and hamachi, with basic seasonings like miso, sake and mirin.
Two chefs attempted the gold-level exam, each preparing a Shokado bento box. Pham V. Loi of Vietnam, a trainee at Kimoto, said his study of Kyoto cuisine and feedback from fellow chefs in Kyoto — followed by continued training in Tokyo’s Kagurazaka district — will inform his plans to return to Vietnam and open a restaurant.
Mentors emphasized that cooks must adapt Japanese techniques and flavors to local conditions, noting that ‘‘each country has tastes influenced by temperature and air pressure—adjustments are necessary to recreate authentic Japanese flavors abroad.’’
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Updated At: 06:20 PM Mar 03, 2026 IST
