Beyond Sushi | The Story of Washoku in LA
About this Event
In celebration of the new exhibition, “WASHOKU | Nature and Culture in Japanese Cuisine,” explore how Los Angeles has helped shape Japanese cuisine’s rise as a global culinary phenomenon.
Washoku, Japan’s traditional food culture, is rooted in seasonality, balance, and respect for nature. Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, it reflects both culinary practice and cultural identity while continuing to evolve through global exchange.
Los Angeles has played a central role in that evolution since the 1960s, when the California Roll helped introduce Japanese cuisine to a broader American audience. Today, California is home to roughly 20% of all Japanese restaurants in the United States, and Los Angeles remains a hub for culinary innovation. Japanese food culture is woven into the region’s dining landscape, from pioneering institutions like Katsu-ya to Studio City’s famed “Sushi Row” along Ventura Boulevard, home to more than 100 sushi restaurants. The city’s influence continues to shape contemporary food trends, from sustainable sourcing and plant-based cuisine to the mainstream popularity of matcha and Japanese-style sandos (sandwiches), once everyday staples of Japan’s konbini (convenience stores).
The Experience
The program begins with a screening of Beyond Sushi, a documentary tracing the global journey of Japanese cuisine and California’s role in its evolution.
Following the screening, chefs Shinji Kugita and Derek Wilcox will discuss modern Japanese cuisine in Los Angeles, emerging food trends, and the future of washoku as it continues to evolve across cultures and generations. Kugita represents Katsu-ya Group, a defining force in the Los Angeles dining scene since 1997, while Wilcox brings his expertise from Miura in Beverly Hills, a Michelin-listed restaurant known for its precision-driven, contemporary approach to Japanese cuisine.
During the conversation, guests will enjoy a curated lunch box featuring popular Japanese food trends, including egg sandos, katsu (pork cutlet) sandos, and matcha lattes. Together, these dishes offer a taste of how Japanese cuisine has been adapted, reimagined, and embraced throughout California.
Lunch Box:
- Katsu Sando | Dairy, eggs, pork, soy, sesame, wheat, mustard
- Egg Salad Sando | Dairy, eggs, soy, sesame, wheat, mustard
- Matcha Latte | Milk, matcha green tea
Program Schedule
*Subject to change
- 10:30 AM | Remarks
- 10:40 AM | Screening (107 min)
- 12:30 PM | Talk & Lunch (30 min)
Synopsis | “Wa-shoku: Beyond Sushi” (2015)
Directed by Junichi Suzuki
Beginning with sushi, Japanese cuisine has become a global cultural touchstone, bringing together people of diverse backgrounds through a shared appreciation of its refined traditions.
Underlying this international prominence are the visionary individuals who have devoted their lives to championing Japan’s culinary heritage and advancing the recognition of washoku on the world stage.
This documentary features Noritoshi Kanai, former chairman of Mutual Trading Co., Inc.; Nobu Matsuhisa, chef and proprietor of Nobu; Katsuya Uechi, chef and founder of the Katsu-ya Group; Tyson Cole, chef and owner of Uchi; and the esteemed French chef Joël Robuchon, among others.
Through their experiences, the film offers a compelling exploration of washoku’s evolution—illuminating both its enduring traditions and its dynamic transformation—as these culinary pioneers preserve its essence while introducing it to an ever-expanding global audience.
Note: Film in Japanese and English with English subtitles.
About the Speakers
Shinji Kugita
Corporate Executive Chef, Katsu-ya Group; President, JRA
Born and raised in Kyoto, Japan, he graduated from the Kyoto Culinary Institute in 1992 and began his culinary career at Mokubei, a renowned traditional kappo restaurant in Kyoto’s historic Gion district.
In 1996, he relocated to Miyazaki Prefecture, where he spent four years at Shusen no Mori, working as both a Western cuisine chef and a Japanese cuisine chef for two years each. In 2000, he joined Yoshiki, a restaurant specializing in spiny lobster cuisine, where he served as Assistant Executive Chef.
In 2004, he moved to the United States and joined the izakaya restaurant Kan in Torrance, California, serving as Executive Chef for five and a half years.
In February 2010, he joined the Katsu-ya Group. After serving as a chef within the organization and as Head Chef of the Manhattan Beach location, he was appointed Executive Chef in August of the same year. He currently serves as Corporate Executive Chef, overseeing culinary operations, menu development, and chef training across the organization.
In 2024, he was appointed President of the Japanese Restaurant Association of America. Through his leadership roles in both the restaurant industry and culinary community, he is dedicated to promoting the growth of Japanese cuisine, supporting culinary professionals, and preserving the traditions of Japanese food culture throughout the United States.
Derek Wilcox
Executive Chef, Miura
Derek Wilcox is the first, and still the only Westerner to complete a full apprenticeship at a traditional Japanese Kaiseki restaurant (the 3-Michelin-star Kikunoi in Kyoto). He then moved on to train at Ginza Sushi Aoki, at the time one of the last beacons of traditional Edomae sushi. After 10 years in Japan, he moved to NYC to launch Shoji at 69 Leonard Street in Tribeca, earning 3 stars and #3 best new restaurant 2018 from the New York Times. Shoji was also included in OAD’s list of the 100 best restaurants of North America. Derek moved to Los Angeles in 2021 to help with traditional Japanese concepts, and in 2026 opened Miura, a traditional omakase sushi counter in the former Masa/Urasawa space in Beverly Hills.
Agenda
🕑: 10:30 AM
Remarks
🕑: 10:40 AM
Screening (107 min)
🕑: 12:30 PM
Talk & Lunch
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 35.00
