The Japanese Cuisine and Dietary Culture Development Committee (JCDC) (Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Yoshihiro Murata; Website: https://en.jcdc.tokyo/), which supports and promotes the spread of Japanese food overseas, held a certification exam for foreign chefs in Kyoto. This certification exam is based on the “Guidelines for Certification of Cooking Skills for Japanese Cuisine in Foreign Countries” (enacted on April 1, 2016 / revised on April 1, 2024) established by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan. In this examination, two people from Vietnam, Le Minh Tien and Pham Duc Duy, successfully obtained Gold certification. In addition, the two foreign chefs who came to Japan to participate in the Kyoto final of the “Road to Japanese Culinary Arts Award 2024-2025” hosted by the Japanese Culinary Academy were also certified as Silver.

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Certification Badges

Of the three types of certification (bronze, silver and gold), the gold certification, which has the most stringent requirements and highest level, has only been obtained by 23 people worldwide as of September 2024. The two new gold certification holders (who have graduated from a training school for Licensed Cooks in Japan and have at least five years of work experience at a Japanese restaurant in Japan) are the first gold certification holders since the guidelines were revised. It is hoped that the certified holders under this system will continue to play an active role in the promotion and development of Japanese cuisine.

Date and time:
Wednesday, March 12, 10:15 - 13:15
Venue:
Taiwa Gakuen Kyoto Culinary Art College (4-5 Uzumasa Yasui Nishizawa-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City)
Judges:
Masahiro Nakata (Director of the Taiwa Gakuen Hospitality Industry Promotion Center, Director of the Japanese Culinary Academy)
Motoi Kurisu (Owner/Chef of “Arashiyama Kumahiko”, Director of the Japanese Culinary Academy)
Exam content:
A: Cooking a "Shokado bento" and soup which condenses the essence of kaiseki cuisine (Gold)
B: Cooking “Ichu-jyu, Go-sai" (one soup and five dishes) using the five basic techniques of Japanese cuisine (Silver)

[About the Certification of Cooking Skills for Japanese Cuisine in Foreign Countries]
In order to appropriately and effectively convey the appeal of Japanese food and food culture, as well as Japanese agricultural, forestry and marine products and foods, to people overseas, private organizations, etc. certify foreign chefs of Japanese cuisine who have reached a certain level of knowledge and cooking skills related to Japanese cuisine as Gold, Silver or Bronze, based on the guidelines set by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF).

- Certification of Cooking Skills for Japanese Cuisine in Foreign Countries (MAFF HP)
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/shokusan/syokubun/tyori.html
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/shokusan/syokubun/pdf/chori_s_e.pdf

- Introduction of previous certification holders (Gold and Silver) ("Taste of Japan" website)
https://japan-food.jetro.go.jp/en/supporter/certification/

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