Showcasing innovative Japanese cuisine
- Culinary Studio Dekura (369 Penshurst St, Chatswood)
“Inclusive Dining” was the theme of an event I attended on Monday 30 September 2024. This event is part of a series run by a company called Washoku Lovers. Each “Chef’s Chat” provides a space for chefs (and those invested in the Japanese food industry) to exchange ideas. The 16th edition of Chef’s Chat, was held in Culinary Studio Dekura (Chatswood, 2067).
Event attendees digging into a unique menu.
During each Chef’s Chat event, a guest chef is invited to talk about their philosophy and style of Japanese cuisine. In the Japanese language, “Washoku” can be simply understood to mean “Japanese food”, however it is a word with rich heritage. What makes a style of cooking “washoku” requires an adherence to standards of presentation, ingredient seasonality, flavour harmony, and preparation technique.
Inside Culinary Studio Dekura, I was impressed by the creativity of guest chef Ryota Kumusaka (of SHINMACHI and UCHILOUNGE). Together with his team of chefs, including Gabriel D’Agostini (of TENTO fame), Takumi Kawano and Takashi Ohuchi, Ryota demonstrated his style of washoku. Dishes created mimicked traditional Japanese staples, but used ingredients that were gluten-free, vegan-friendly and halal. What looked like tuna sashimi was actually marinated watermelon! Watch this video of the event.
Hideo Dekura, who is an author, chef, and the owner of Culinary Studio Dekura.
Vegan and gluten-free by Ryota Kumasaka
At the beginning of Chef’s Chat 16, the audience, many of whom were also Japanese chefs, were invited into the kitchen. While he and his team prepared lunch, Ryota Kumasaka talked about creating Japanese food that catered to people of different dietary requirements. Whilst traditional Japanese dishes may not be known for being gluten-free, vegan-friendly or halal, Ryota spoke about the importance of “inclusive dining” as a future pathway for Japanese hospitality.
Yuri Tazunoki, founder of Washoku Lovers, helps set the table for lunch.
After listening to Ryota and watching his team adeptly prepare in a kitchen setting that reminded me of a Masterchef episode, I was ready for lunch. Yuri Tazunoki, the host of each Chef’s Chat event, facilitated the audience to return to the table.
Despite many of the attendees being restaurateurs or established figures in the hospitality industry, there was no sense of individuality or ego. Everyone helped to set the table, passing plates and cutlery to each other like a group of friends would at a house gathering.
After tasting the food, appreciation was expressed and questions were curiously asked to the guest chefs. I liked how information was openly shared between the attendee chefs and the guest chefs. Rather than guarding secrets and maintaining competition, the focus was on how to innovate and push boundaries in Japanese cooking.
Chef’s Chat 16, facilitated by Yuri Tazunoki (of Washoku Lovers) and Hideo Dekura (of Culinary Studio Dekura), was a warm and welcoming event. I look forward to attending the next one! View the event on video here.
Healthy, vegan-friendly, organic Japanese cuisine.
