IFT organised Nikkei Cuisine Workshop by Mitsuharu Tsumura, the consultant chef of Aji at MGM COTAI. Chef Tsumura was invited all the way from Peru to IFT to showcase his superb culinary skills, and also to introduce the concept of Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei cuisine and its culinary techniques with IFT Culinary Arts Management Degree Programme students. The workshop aims to nurture local culinary talents for Macau, inspiring their creativity and enhancing their skills, with the aim to solidify Macau’s designation as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

Chef Tsumura, widely known as “Chef Micha”, is a Peruvian born Japanese chef. He is the owner of Nikkei restaurant Maido at Peru, which ranked first place in Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018 for two consecutive years, and No. 7 in the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2018. Chef Tsumura also edited the Nikkei food bible, "Nikkei es Peru", with his extensive Japanese-Peruvian culinary experience.

At the workshop held in IFT’s demo kitchen, Chef Tsumura shared his experience with students from Culinary Arts Management program. He started with an in-depth introduction to Nikkei cuisine, including the background, the use of Peruvian ingredients and cooking methods, then offered the students an eye-opening cooking demonstration. The two demonstration dishes, Ceviche Conchas Negras, which translates to “marinated Japanese clams”, and Rocoto Relleno, as “spicy Wagyu and mashed potato roll”, reflected Nikkei cuisine’s distinct characteristics, which is pairing local Peruvian ingredients with meticulous Japanese culinary art.

After the workshop, Chef Tsumura said: “Macau is a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy and the origin of Macanese cuisine, celebrating an over 400 years of culinary legacy.  Macanese cuisine is similar to Nikkei cuisine, which is evolved from a rich historical background, with fundamental influences from two cultures. With Nikkei cuisine has now emerged as the latest global gastronomic sensation, I would like to share my vision and philosophy to inspire and encourage students, so that they can help contribute to the development of Macanese cuisine with their pride and creativity.”