Host offerings
Akiko's love and excitement for cooking began as a child growing up in a suburb of Nagoya. By the time she was in high school she could prepare her own bento box. She still has fond memories of takoyaki, the crispy octopus dumplings, a quintessential Japanese snack that was cooked in her home sometimes. She has been cooking for almost 40 years now and has her own restaurant in Kasugai. After graduating from high school she studied abroad in a college in California. Later she moved to L.A, where she met her husband who was a chef at a Japanese restaurant in Little Tokyo. Both her husband and mother-in-law are excellent cooks and thanks to them, she has inherited several family recipes. Akiko’s mother-in-law has jars of homemade pickles that are 50+ years old that Akiko hopes to adopt when her MIL retires. Akiko is thrilled about the opportunity to share specialties from Nagoya as a lot of people don’t know how to cook Nagoya-style food. Because of this, many Nagoyans themselves eat at local specialty at restaurants.
Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.
In-home meal (1 - 8 guests) Akiko lives in a modern Japanese home in Kasugai that includes pieces of traditional Japanese décor. After she welcomes you to her simple home with the classic welcome tea and Japanese sweets, she will give you an understanding of Japanese food especially from the Nagoya region. Later you will join Akiko for a meal that may include dishes such as, tebasaki (fried chicken Nagoya style), misokatsu (miso pork cutlet sandwich) and tenmusu (shrimp tempura in a rice ball).
Cooking experience (1 - 8 guests) After Akiko picks you up from JR Kasugai station, 20 minutes from Nagoya. You will join her in her homer kitchen to make classic Nagoya dishes. In your hands-on cooking class in Nagoya learn to make shrimp tempura in a rice ball or fried chicken Nagoya style and miso pork cutlet sandwich. You will also learn how to make dashi stock from scratch for the miso soup. Your cooking class will last about an hour before you sit down to share the Nagoyan style Japanese meal you helped prepare.
Market visit (1 - 8 guests) This market tour involves a tour of the local supermarket where locals generally shop. Akiko will accompany you to a local supermarket located near the JR station. After you meet Akiko at the station she will take you the local supermarket, where she will show and describe the different ingredients used in Japanese cooking and seasoning. If you like, Akiko can help you purchase local ingredients that you can take back home from Japan.
Notes: If you have specific food preferences such as Halal or Vegan, please let Akiko know when making your reservation. Also, if you would like to try sushi or any other Japanese food please let Akiko know in advance, as she is happy to customize the menu for each guest. Please note Akiko will pick you up from JR Kasugai station.
Languages spoken: #<HostLanguage::ActiveRecord_Associations_CollectionProxy:0x00007ffaa43e5c00>
This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.
Overall, I had a very good time, the experience with Aki-san was fun! I was quite surprised when Aki-san put the udon dough in a plastic bag, set it on the floor, and proceeded to knead it with her feet! Genius! And it was neat to see solid katsuo-bushi grated the old-fashioned way for dashi; I’d heard about that, but never seen it before. The presentation of all the food was good, and Aki-san has a whole cupboard crammed with dishes and bowls to choose from (typically Japanese, and fun). I did learn about Nagoya-style food, which was very tasty. Aki-san thoughtfully provides a printed copy of the recipes, which I appreciate.
Misch, Traveling Spoon Ambassador
Pricing (per person)*
| 1 person | 4 people | 5+ people | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-Home Meal | $6,000 | $5,000 | $4,000 |
| Cooking Experience + Meal | $7,000 | $6,000 | $5,000 |
| Market Tour + Cooking Experience + Meal | $8,000 | $7,000 | $6,000 |
| Alcohol | $1,000 per person | ||
| *Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout. | |||
| Lunch | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|
| In-Home Meal | 12:00pm - 02:00pm | 7:00pm - 09:00pm |
| Cooking Experience + Meal | 10:30am - 01:30pm | 5:30pm - 08:30pm |
| Market Tour + Cooking Experience + Meal | 10:00am - 02:00pm | 5:00pm - 09:00pm |
Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.
