Mission & Project
Mission & Project
Established: November 2005/Organization exempt under section 501 (c) (3)
Founder: Shigeko Fuke
Mission:
Our mission is to promote Japanese culture through the introduction of its foods and culinary arts to Americans, in order to foster a healthier American lifestyle influenced by Japanese cuisine and help resolve the current health issues facing Americans.
Projects:
1. Fundraising Events: (USA/Japan)
- We bring U.S. based chefs to a specifically chosen prefecture in Japan, where they will become immersed in the food products of that
region by meeting local farmers and fishermen. They will then artistically create a modern Japanese dish using the locally grown food for a fundraising event. This promotes the possible introduction of these ‘new’ Japanese food products to America, as these renowned chefs experiment with them, and supports locally grown produce.
- We gather American celebrity chefs and renowned Japanese chefs together in a creative setting to cook together and craft modern Japanese dishes using Japanese ingredients. Here, the main goal is to showcase the fusion of Japanese ingredients with Western cuisine, and to demonstrate the potential of new Japanese products in the U.S.
2. Chefs Bank (USA):
-Chefs Bank is a U.S. based association for chefs who are working in Japanese Restaurant in America. JCCA plans to bring well renowned chefs and Japanese cuisine scholars from Japan to America to give seminars on Japanese cuisine techniques and new Japanese ingredients to the members of Chefs Bank. A lot of Japanese restaurants in America are still poor quality and this would help improve the caliber of Japanese cuisine here in the U.S. The chefs attending these seminars would learn new techniques and update their skills.
3. Community Service (USA):
-It is well known that the size of America’s waistline is rapidly increasing, and one way to solve this problem is to expose Americans to the healthy yet delicious ways of Japanese cuisine. At local community service centers in the New York City, JCCA would like to promote the wholesome benefits of Japanese cuisine. We would offer classes taught by chefs that will teach local Americans how to cook with Japanese ingredients and style of cuisine. We would use products which are accessible to Americans, and teach the students how to cook healthy Japanese food that fits the American taste.
4. Japanese Festival-“Shoku-Kan”
-Similar to a food trade show, “Shoku-Kan” translated literally means “food & sight.” We would like to organize a Japanese Festival, the first of its kind ever in the U.S., which will have many vendors with Japanese food products, ingredients, and dishes. Also, pottery and other items which relate to food. Japanese food has gained enormous popularity in the U.S. and has never been more accepted by the American public or given more attention. However, the knowledge of Japanese cuisine continues to remain poor, and at the Japanese Festival, we will strive to introduce more of a variety and encourage an understanding of Japanese food. This event is not only aimed for those involved in the culinary world, but also for the public because we want to provoke further interest of Japanese culture through the cuisine. Ultimately, we hope that this will spark a desire for local Americans to travel to Japan to expose themselves to the true culture and cuisine, leading to an increase of exposure and American tourists to Japan.
5. Kome Comer
-We plan to establish the publication “Kome Comer,” translated litereally “kome” means ‘rice’ in Japanese, and “comer” means ‘eat’ in Spanish. It will be a free English magazine that highlights and introduces Japanese food and culture. Interest in Japanese cuisine and culture has never been trendier, and we want to catch this wave of interest and take it further, by continuing to feed the American public’s interest.