RR

Eiko Takahashi is a Japanese Chef, Tea Sommelier and Calligrapher. Her quest for natural flavors, gut health and sustainable food consumption stems from thousands of years of Japanese culinary traditions as well as those of other Asian food cultures.

Ten years of brief, but stellar corporate career steered her into the world of gastronomy, making her dream of becoming a chef within the reach. She graduated from Wandee Culinary School of Thailand, founded by the former chef to the Royal Thai family in 2009.

In her nine years in Shanghai, through her cooking workshops, Eiko took hundreds of students on the profound culinary journeys into the worlds of Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, and other Asian cuisines. Her innate curiosity and passion for flavors led her to number collaborations with Shanghai based Michelin restaurants, such as East Eatery (closed now). It was in China, Eiko first discovered tea as a food ingredient that led her on the journey of acquiring a Tea Sommelier qualification as an occupation by Ministry of Labor of China. Calligraphy, a skill acquired in the childhood, has found the way into Eiko’s life in China too. She has a certified calligrapher with the highest, level 10, qualification from Art Grade Examination Center of China Art Science Tech Research Institute.

​

In 2018, she brought all accumulated knowledge and expertise to Cologne and since, has been teaching an authentic Asian cooking with umami taste. The focus of Eiko’s cooking is on abundance of natural ingredients that not only satisfy our taste buds, but promote gut health, all while contributing to sustainable food consumption. In conjunction with ARCHE, Bio Fine Food Company, she has created dishes to showcase Japanese koji mold fermented food like miso, mirin, shoyu and sake that were cooked and presented on a number of culinary events, such as BIO at AMEI FOOD CULTURE both in Lindenthal and Südstadt as well as Community College (VHS).

As an Asian food culture consultant, she streamlined Asian bistro & shop’s (Cologne) menu, as well as provided product knowledge training to their employees.  

Eiko is a firm believer that life’s many flavors and ingredients are as enriching to the body as they are to the mind. Thousands of years of traditional culinary wisdom of Japan is finally finding its appreciation in the West. Koji fermentation is long believed to nurture our gut, and hence lead to happier lives

Let Eiko take you on a deliciously benevolent journey into the world of goodness and taste!