SHIZUO TSUJI was the president of Japan's largest cooking school, the École Technique Hoteliére Tsuji. He wrote more than thirty books in Japanese on gastronomie, music, and travel, including the best-selling classic Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art. He was named Meilleur Ouvrier de France (M.O.F.) by the French government for his diligent efforts in promoting French food and culture in Japan. In 1993, Tsuji passed away. KOICHIRO HATA, the head of École Technique Hoteliére Tsuji's Japanese cuisine facilities, is a frequent guest on national television programs and the coauthor of various Japanese cooking publications.

He teaches and lectures on Japanese cuisine not only in Japan, but also in other countries, most notably the United States and Thailand. The low-key head chef, a discerning diner by profession, is routinely recognized by former students whenever he visits any of Japan's best restaurants.