In celebration of Washoku joining the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, Kyoto will be hosting a breakfast on 21 May, 2014 at IMEX.
During the breakfast, Jon Bradshaw CEO of The Meetology® Group will discuss the importance of diet and nutrition to the learning experience, including the benefits of breakfast and its impact on the rest of the day.
A Washoku expert will also speak, describing Washoku, its place in Japanese history and its links to Kyoto.
According to UNESCO, Washoku, which is believed to have originated in Kyoto is: a social practice based on a set of skills, knowledge, practice and traditions related to the production, processing, preparation and consumption of food. It is associated with an essential spirit of respect for nature that is closely related to the sustainable use of natural resources. The dishes are served on special tableware and shared by family members or collectively among communities. The practice favours the consumption of various natural, locally sourced ingredients such as rice, fish, vegetables and edible wild plants. Grassroots groups, schoolteachers and cooking instructors also play a role in transmitting the knowledge and skills by means of formal and non-formal education or through practice.
James Widgren, international marketing co-ordinator, Kyoto Convention Bureau said: “Washoku joining the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list is a major coup for Japanese cuisine as a whole and Kyoto specifically, as the Kyoto city and prefectural governments worked hard in conjunction with the Japanese Culinary Academy (a non-profit organization with a core membership of Kyoto chefs) to lobby for its recognition. Kyoto is known the world over for its remarkable cuisine – the city boasts the world’s second highest density Michelin Stars and is renowned for Kyoyasai – 42 different vegetables unique to the region. This amazing cuisine is just one of the many reasons organisers are booking more and more meetings here in Kyoto.”
The event is organised by Kyoto Convention bureau and The J Team, in partnership with Osaka Convention Bureau, Tokyo Convention Bureau and Hilton Worldwide Japan.
Widgren continues: “Japanese food is so well known globally that all groups demand exposure to the “real thing” during their event here. It is very popular at receptions and dinners to do festival-style “stalls” including fresh sushi, tempura, noodles and the like. Furthermore, a shoujin Zen Buddhist cuisine experience at a private temple to really learn about the culture and fundamentals of Japanese cuisine is ever more popular.”