TOKYO COOKING LESSONS: JAPANESE HOME COOKING CLASSES FROM TV SHOW COOK, MIYOKO ISOMURA.
Is La Carmina in Tokyo solely to attend Gackt concerts and Goth parties and make avantgarde bondage videos (you’ll see…)? Nope. Here’s the surprise – I’ve been going to a Japanese cooking school!
About every other day, I’ve been taking cooking lessons in Japanese from Miyoko Isomura, a cookbook author and TV show host. Her classes are geared towards home cooks, but we make all sorts of dishes: traditional Japanese, Chinese, Italian, French, you name it. Miyoko is a kind and encouraging sensei, especially when you’re facing complicated tasks such as peeling a daikon or filleting mackerel!
Each class costs about 5500 yen ($55); you must bring an apron, pen/paper, and a box to carry food home. Miyoko sets out the ingredients for you (left), and you make six to eight dishes per class (such as this yummy range of fish and tofu on the right). There are usually two to four students cooking alongside you. Classes usually begin at 11am or 6:30pm; you cook for about two hours, then sit down and share the meal with Miyoko and the students. You leave with plenty of leftovers, full-color print-outs of the recipes, and a giant smile on your face.
In this “party cooking” class, we made delicious and healthy Chinese food. The fresh mango pudding beat anything I’ve had at a dim sum restaurant. And the egg rolls had a Japanese twist; half of them contained harusame (spring noodles), soy sauce and shiitake mushrooms; the other half had prawn, shiso leaves and cheese.
Two cute guests often popped in their heads: Miyoko’s shy granddaughter and her cat, Tomo-kun. (This outdoor kitty is like a bodybuilder next to my soft teddy bear, Basil Farrow!)
If you are in Tokyo, even for a brief visit, I highly recommend taking cooking classes with Miyoko Isomura. You’ll learn new skills while working with ingredients not found outside Japan – and she’ll make newbies feel right at home!
You should have at least a basic grasp of Japanese, although Miyoko knows some English. Take a look at her website and send her an email (English is ok).
Tokyo home cooking lessons taught by Miyoko Isomura
Joy Cook and Culture Studio
3-25-19 Meguro (Station: Gakugei-Daigaku on the Tokyo Toyoko line. It’s 15 minutes from Shibuya plus short walk.)
Phone: 3712 7750
Email: miyo-cook@nifty.com
URL: http://www.miyo-cook.com
Curious? Got questions? Leave me a comment; I’m happy to tell you more about my experiences!
Song of the Day #155: Neophyte – Skullfuck (DJ Chihiro played this last night at Alamode Night in Shibuya and the floor went gabber-gabber! Video and photos coming…)
SHARE & COMMENT
LA CARMINA
19 Comments
yummy!
yummy!
This is awesome! Thank you sharing this with us!~ Rennais
cooking classes are something I've long fancied a go at but to take them in Japan…bonus!!!
My pleasure! I had such a good time taking lessons!
This is awesome! Thank you sharing this with us!~ Rennais
My pleasure! I had such a good time taking lessons!
cooking classes are something I’ve long fancied a go at but to take them in Japan…bonus!!!
Wow, that looks like so much fun! And the food you guys cooked *__* looks so yummy!
おいしそうですね～ 猫もすっごく可愛いです! <3
Wow, that looks like so much fun! And the food you guys cooked *__* looks so yummy!
おいしそうですね～ 猫もすっごく可愛いです! <3
I feel hungry now, that looks delicious!
That sounds like so much fun! And cooking all that food in one class?! @___@
That kitty is so cute too!
I feel hungry now, that looks delicious!
That sounds like so much fun! And cooking all that food in one class?! @___@
That kitty is so cute too!
Hi La Carmina,
I just found this movie 'The Ramen Girl'
This is the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GYSwiaNz2o
It looks like a good movie ^.^
Hi La Carmina,
I just found this movie ‘The Ramen Girl’
This is the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GYSwiaNz2o
It looks like a good movie ^.^
Oh interesting! Have you seen the Japanese film Tampopo, about a woman who is taught the art of making ramen? Also a great film.
Oh interesting! Have you seen the Japanese film Tampopo, about a woman who is taught the art of making ramen? Also a great film.
Oh interesting! Have you seen the Japanese film Tampopo, about a woman who is taught the art of making ramen? Also a great film.