Japanese Alumni Profiles

“You cannot get an influence from the cuisine of a country if you don’t understand it. You’ve got to study it.” – Chef Ferran Adrià

New York City has often been described as the epicenter of the food world. The energy of the people and the desire by some of the greatest chefs from around the globe to delight palates is what makes New York a top culinary destination. On the West Coast, California is home to beautiful beaches, world class vineyards and some wonderful farms that have become the center of the sustainable food movement. To us, these locations are our home. We invite you to train with the best of the food world at The International Culinary Center and explore what our students are creating every day.

For nearly 30 years, The International Culinary Center has taken pride in developing great talent. These days, more international students are coming to us from every corner of the globe, knowing that they want to represent the future of the culinary industry in their home country. We provide a focused environment for all of our students to follow their ambitions, offering guidance from some of the top chefs and resources in the industry.

With International students from over 75 countries studying at both of our campuses, it’s no wonder we are recognized around the world as the premiere international culinary school. Lucky for us, The International Culinary Center is our home. We hope it will be yours too.

Please scroll through to read about a few of our outstanding Japanese alumni:

Yoshiko Michinaga

Hometown: Osaka, Japan
Current city: New York, NY
Course of study: Classic Pastry Arts
Graduation year: 2008

I was not planning on going into pastry. I love art and anything to do with design, so I started out pursuing my interest in painting. But I also realized that I love eating and food, so I started to think about culinary school. I had been living in New York, and a friend recommended The International Culinary Center. As I talked with one of the advisers at the school and we discussed my love of art, he recommended taking pastry classes. I enrolled in the Classic Pastry Arts program. At first it was very difficult for me. It was a new experience and I was still learning English. But I worked hard and the chefs helped me so much; I ended up graduating with the highest total score on projects in my class. It can be challenging to start something new. It's easy to be scared and nervous, but asking people for help makes all the difference. I really felt like the chef-instructors I had were the best and really helped me to succeed. Both Chef Kir and Chef Toni would say hello to me in Japanese. It made me feel comfortable, and I really appreciated it. I also learned a lot and felt support from my classmates. I learned to ask questions when I didn't understand something, and there was always someone willing to help me. I want to own my own business some day. I would also like to design more cakes. I have found that pastry is the perfect medium for expressing my artistic sensibility.

Riho Nakatani

Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
Current city: New York, NY
Course of study: Classic Culinary Arts
Graduation year: 2008

My interest in cooking was all started by helping my mother in the kitchen as a child. When deciding what to do for a career, I wanted to find out more about cooking professionally. I did not have any experience but knew I wanted to learn the basic cooking techniques. I felt going to school would help me do this and find career opportunities. I have always been intrigued by New York City and decided to contact schools there. The International Culinary Center was the first school to reply back to my inquiries. It ended up being a great experience. The program is very organized, and all the staff at the school were eager to help me at all times. However, in my opinion, the chef-instructors are the most valuable part of the school. They taught me not only the technical depths of cooking, but the sheer joy of being in the kitchen. It is such a short program that I think the best thing you can do is be aggressive toward school, making the most of all the opportunities provided, and passionate about cooking. The more you do these things, the more you will learn. Learn as much as you can and enjoy every minute! I enjoyed the chef demos at the school, too. I was amazed by the work of one particular chef and decided to talk to him after the event. I was able to get an internship at his restaurant in SoHo, which led to the job I have now. The school really opened up the opportunities I needed to get me started in my career.

Keiko Wakasugi

Hometown: Aichi, Japan
Current city: Aichi, Japan
Course of study: Classic Culinary Arts
Graduation year: 2007

I knew I wanted to broaden my horizons in food—learn different techniques and flavors and how to apply them to my Japanese food culture. I was looking to get a good base for a great career in food and I knew The International Culinary Center was right in the heart of New York City. It was the right place for me. The deans at the school are some of the best chefs in the world and to be able to learn from them directly is an amazing experience that I knew I would not get anywhere else. Having chef-instructors who know the technical side of cooking in and out, but who also shared many of their cultural experiences from when they were young chefs in France, gave me the whole package I was looking for. Their passion for food and for teaching came through every day. It ended up being the perfect foundation. The International Culinary Center offers job placement, and I felt that everyone went out of their way to help me find work after I finished the program. The staff is so friendly, and the chef-instructors helped me by truly believing in my abilities to achieve excellence. Chef Henri, my Level 1 and 2 instructor, put me in contact with chef Craig Koketsu at Quality Meats and Park Avenue Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring. That one thing became the stepping stone for my career. After working with Chef Koketsu, I returned to Japan and am now working at the La Table de Joël Robuchon. I met some of the coolest people and greatest teachers and mentors at The International Culinary Center. I loved my experience there.