A Visit from the Consul General of Japan Brings Culinary Wonder

The International House community was treated to a rare experience on January 24, 2022, when two sous chefs from the private residence of the Consul General of Japan in New York demonstrated “The Art of Japanese Cooking: A Virtual Evening of Culinary Wonder.” The event was streamed live from the I-House kitchen. Chefs Shima Yasugiro and Tsutsumi Shogo prepared two traditional dishes: Ohitashi with spinach and mushrooms (simmered vegetable with dashi) and traditional sukiyaki with wagyu beef, recipes for which were provided in advance for Zoom attendees. During opening remarks Consul General, Ambassador Kanji Yamanouchi, recalled the impetus for the event, which started during a luncheon at his residence with Trustee Peter M. O’Neill ’92 and others from I-House last fall. Introducing the ambassador, O’Neill recalled the “delicious and beautiful creations” served at the lunch, and the notion that the chefs’ talents could be shared with a wider audience at I-House. Originally planned to be a live demonstration, the event became virtual due to concerns arising from the pandemic. Ambassador Yamanouchi said he last visited I-House in the mid-1980s when, while pursuing a Masters in Political Science from Wesleyan University, he came to New York to see a friend, Shingo Yamagami ‘87, who is now Japan’s ambassador to Australia.