Preserving, developing Japan’s culinary heritage

In April 2024, the Tsuji Culinary Institute will inaugurate the Tsuji Culinary Institute Tokyo. In line with the opening, a partnership has been established with the Tokyo Gakugei University, a national university corporation. The two institutions share themes focusing on food and the environment, and will pool their knowledge and experience to undertake forward-looking educational and research initiatives.

On Aug. 21, the Shizuo Tsuji Food Gastronomy Foundation hosted the 14th Shizuo Tsuji Gastronomy Award ceremony at the Tsuji Culinary Institute in Tokyo. The prize was presented to the book “Furukute Atarashii Nihon no Dento Shokuhin” (“Old But New Japanese Traditional Foods”), authored by Yukie Mutsuda and published by Shibata Shoten. The Special Technical Award was bestowed upon Eiji Taniguchi, owner and chef of Cuisine régionale L’évo.

In the past, people relished their ingenuity in making seasonal ingredients safe and savory over extended periods of time. Mutsuda eloquently remarked: “Preserving those who uphold traditional methods and having individuals who truly comprehend their value is essential to bridging the gap to the future.”

Yoshiki Tsuji, the head of the board of directors of the Tsuji Culinary Institute Group, gave high praise to this work, noting that it serves as a reminder of the remarkable power of human creativity. Additionally, he highlighted photographer Hiroshi Ohashi’s skill in freezing fleeting moments of light and vibrant color combinations.

Taniguchi was honored with the Professional Engineer Award. Amid the worldwide trend of gourmet restaurants shifting from urban to rural settings, Taniguchi stands out for his remarkable achievement in enhancing his culinary style at Cuisine régionale L’évo, an inn nestled in a Toyama Prefecture village. He achieved this by immersing himself in the pristine natural surroundings, thereby expanding his culinary creativity and understanding of the local environment.

Taniguchi said: “I’ve learned so much from the local community, and the process of integrating their knowledge into my own cultivated cuisine has been immensely enjoyable and enlightening.” Taniguchi’s accomplishments have been highly acclaimed as a pioneering example of a rural restaurant whose superb cuisine creates new value for the area. Tsuji praised Taniguchi’s work, saying, “Amid the accelerating changes in the society and environment, it strongly resonates with the value of working with one’s own body and senses, engaging with people and nature, and weaving them together over time.”

The Shizuo Tsuji Gastronomy Award, established in 2010 to inherit the vision of its founder, Shizuo Tsuji, recognizes works, individuals and organizations that have pioneered new horizons through remarkable contributions to Japanese food culture.

学校法人辻料理学館は、2024年4月に「辻調理師専門学校　東京」を新たに開校する。開校に向け、隣接する国立大学法人東京学芸大学と連携協定が締結された。両校は「食と環境」をテーマに掲げ、時代を見据えた教育研究を展開する。

その辻調理師専門学校 東京で8月21日、第14回辻静雄食文化賞贈賞式が開催された。同賞は創立者である辻静雄の志を受け継ぎ2010年に創設。食文化の分野で目覚ましい活動を通じて新しい世界を築き上げた作品や個人、および団体に贈られる。

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