Lectures
‘Japanese Cuisine Tradition and Innovation’
Synopsis
Synopsis:
This lecture will explore how the interplay of tradition and innovation has shaped Japanese cuisine into one of the world’s most diverse and sophisticated culinary systems. Drawing on Japan’s unique geography, its centuries of cultural absorption from China and Europe, and the distinctive food cultures of Kyoto, Osaka, and Edo, the lecture traces how Japanese cuisine evolved from imperial court dining to the street food of Edo — and how that process of constant refinement produced kaiseki, the Japanese knife tradition, the precision technique of shinkei-jime, and an aesthetic philosophy of seasonality rooted in the ancient calendar of 24 solar terms and 72 micro-seasons. The lecture concludes by examining Japanese cuisine’s profound influence on Western haute cuisine and the questions facing its future evolution.
Brief Biography
Yoshiki Tsuji was born in Osaka, Japan, and studied in the United Kingdom and the United
States. Since 1993, he has led the Tsuji Culinary Institute, focusing on culinary education and research, and incorporating international food trends into training programs.
Mr. Tsuji has coordinated official dinners for events including the 2000 Kyushu-Okinawa G8
Summit and the 2019 G20 Osaka Summit. Tsuji has presented at international conferences such as the Worlds of Flavor International Conference (2010), the Gourmet Taiwan Summit (2014), and the Nobel Prize Dialogue Tokyo (2018).
Mr. Tsuji participates in various initiatives related to Japanese culinary and food culture as a member of committees for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage and Japan’s “Ryouri (Cuisine) Masters” program. He also serves as Senior Advisor to the Cool Japan Public-Private Partnership Platform and, since 2025, as a member of the Council for the Promotion of Shokuiku (Food Education) under Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.
In 2018, Mr. Tsuji received the French National Order of Merit (Chevalier).
Publications include:
– Bishoku no Tekunorojī (The Technology of Gastronomy), Bungeishunju, 2018
– Ryōri no Shigoto ga Shitai (I Want to Work in Culinary Arts), Iwanami Junior Shinsho,
2015
– Washoku no Shirarezaru Sekai (The Hidden World of Washoku), Shinchosha, 2020
Lecture Date
Monday, April 20, 2026