10% discount for knowitall.ch readers (see conditions below)!
Did you know that there are over 50 Japanese restaurants in Geneva, and around 30 more in Lausanne? Clearly Japanese food is very popular in Switzerland, in spite of its reputation for being quite pricey. Indeed Japanese cuisine has such a mystique and exclusiveness to it that many people are prepared to pay over and above what they would normally pay for international cuisine. But what if we knew how to make these dishes ourselves at home? Would we dine out so much when we fancy a “Japanese”?
According to new business entrepreneur, Akiko Ames, Japanese home cooking is not that difficult if you are taught a few simple techniques. Born and raised in Japan, Akiko is passionate about all types of cooking, but has a particular talent for creating fusion Japanese dishes using locally sourced ingredients.
Akiko told knowitall.ch, “Japanese people like to import and mix many ideas from foreign countries, creating Japanese fusion dishes as well as traditional foods like sushi. The dishes are really not difficult to make and can become part of your everyday cooking at home.”
She added, “In 2015 I challenged myself by entering a cooking competition, called Le Championnat Romand des Cuisinniers Amateurs 2015, and I won! All the dishes I cooked at the competition were fusion, and in my eyes that meant they were “approved” by the judges. This gave me the confidence I needed to start "MatchaGreen” earlier this year, and offer workshops for people keen to learn Japanese home cooking for themselves.”
Based in the Morges and Lausanne area, MatchaGreen offers a wide range of workshops covering popular Japanese dishes that can be cooked at home using ingredients which are easy to source in Switzerland. With very small groups of about 4 to 6 people, the workshop teaches participants how to make their own Japanese meal from start to finish. Of course, the best part is when the class finishes and you get to sit around the table and enjoy the fruits of your labor!
At the time of writing, Akiko has 3 different courses advertised on her website, repeated at regular intervals throughout the month, in the evenings as well as at lunchtimes and in the mornings. As the months progress you can expect to see many more dishes added to her repertoire, but for the moment, you can sign up to make:
- Maguro with Avocado Don (Tuna and avocado rice bowl)
- BBQ with Japanese recipes
- Shougayaki (pork sautéd with ginger)
At each workshop, participants receive copies of all the recipes that they are following, as well as the ingredients they need to cook the meal. All cooking utensils are provided and everyone has the use of an apron.
Because of the small group sizes, everyone has a chance to learn all recipes, not just part of the menu, so that when they return home they have a much greater chance of being able to apply their newly learnt skills in the kitchen.
So who are the workshops targeted at? Akiko told us, “Everyone! People who have time during the day and want to do something different; people who work during the day, love Japanese food, and want to try making it for themselves at home; English or French speakers; anyone who wants to learn a new skill; people who simply like cooking and want to extend their knowledge and experience: and of course people who live in the cantons of Vaud or Geneva!”
One customer told us about her experience on a MatchaGreen workshop, “I recently went to one of their workshops and was impressed not only by the knowledge of Akiko who runs it but also her skill at demonstrating and instructing us on the various recipes for the day. I am not a great cook and she made me feel at ease and confident. I tried her recipes at home and my whole family loved them. I found it easy to replicate them at home – in fact my son ate green beans for the first time! During the workshop she gave us step-by-step instructions and we cooked and sat down and ate the beautiful and delicious meal.”
So where does the name MatchaGreen come from? Akiko told us, “Matcha is a special green tea leaves powder used in Japanese tea ceremonies. It is particularly thick and bitter, and is used in very small quantities to make not only delicious Japanese tea, but also cakes and desserts!”
You can find out more about Akiko’s Japanese cookery lessons on her website and view the current workshop schedule here. If you can't find a date that suits you, it is also possible to arrange your own class with a group of friends, providing you have a minimum of 4 people. Workshops cost in the region of Fr. 100.-, and are typically around 3 hours long. It also possible to buy a pass for 3 workshops, either for yourself or as a gift, where you can make significant savings on the total price.
To encourage more people to try out her classes, Akiko is offering knowitall.ch readers a 10% discount the first time they book a cooking class as a group of 4. Just mention this article when you make your booking. Thank you, Akiko!
MatchaGreen
Morges and Lausanne area
Akiko Ames
www.thematchagreen.com
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