About the Washoku World Challenge

“The "Washoku World Challenge" is a Japanese cuisine competition organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan for non-Japanese chefs who are deeply interested in Japanese cuisine and who are eager to improve their knowledge and skills.
This year, the Washoku World Challenge celebrates its landmark 10th year.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the competition has been held online for the past two years, but this year the Regional Qualifying Tournaments will be held in three cities (Paris, New York, and Singapore), as well as online.
The three winners of the Regional Qualifying Tournaments, plus two Online Qualifying Tournament winners, plus one runner-up from the Regional Qualifying Tournament (total of six contestants), will be invited to advance to the Final Tournament.

This year, the competition will be a hybrid event featuring Regional Qualifying Tournaments where contestants demonstrate their skills directly, and the Online Qualifying Tournament, in which contestants can participate from around the world.
The theme of the commemorable 10th Washoku World Challenge is “DASHI”, Japanese soup stock. The applicants are expected to demonstrate refined Japanese cuisine by fully utilizing "dashi", its key component, to the whole world.
We look forward to receiving many entries from around the globe!

Participation benefits

For Contestants Advancing to the Regional Qualifying Tournaments

A Japanese cuisine workshop by top Japanese cuisine chefs will be offered.
It will be a great opportunity to learn practical techniques directly from top Japanese chefs!

Six finalists will be invited to the Final Tournament in Tokyo.

• A special class on Japanese cuisine by top Japanese chefs will be offered. It will be an excellent opportunity to learn even more detailed Japanese cuisine technique and knowledge from Japan’s top chefs.

• A tour of Japanese ingredient producers will be organized. The finalists will observe how traditional Japanese ingredients are grown or produced.

10th Anniversary Special Benefits

To commemorate the WWC’s 10th anniversary, we are pleased to offer additional special benefits that will certainly become a very valuable experience.

If selected as one of the six finalists

you will be invited to a three-day training at the top chefs' restaurants in Kyoto, starting the day after the WWC Final Tournament.

In addition, the top winners in the Final Tournament

will be granted to participate in the “Japanese Culinary Art Award” * It will be an opportunity for contestants to learn the advanced knowledge and techniques of Japanese cuisine in close contact with those who take pride in Japanese cuisine!

* The “Japanese Culinary Art Award” is a Japanese cooking contest sponsored by the Japanese Culinary Academy for licensed chefs with at least five years of cooking experience.

Judges

A Message from the Head Judge

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Washoku World Challenge.
In order to further promote Japanese cuisine as a culture throughout the world, it is important not only to serve delicious food to customers with refined techniques, but also to have a deep understanding of the background of Japanese cuisine and the culture of Japan.
The Washoku World Challenge is an opportunity for you to express your appreciation of the culture, history, and spirit of Japan as well as the techniques of Japanese cuisine.
If you are a chef with some experience in Japanese cuisine, please do not think that you are not yet ready to participate in the Washoku World Challenge. By challenging, you will learn and gain experience and confidence.
We hope that you will participate in the competition and that you would convey the charm of Japanese cuisine to the world.
We look forward to meeting the finalists in Tokyo.

Head Judge

MURATA Yoshihiro

Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador
Owner & Chef of Kikunoi
Chairman of Japanese Culinary Academy

Video Message

Advices from the Deputy Head Judge

This year, the Washoku World Challenge marks its 10th year.
This time, we will hold not only Online Qualifying Tournament, but also Regional Qualifying Tournaments in three cities: Paris, New York, and Singapore.
We believe that the Regional Qualifying Tournaments, and the Japanese cuisine workshops to be organized along with them, will provide you with valuable opportunities to communicate directly with other contestants and judges from Japan.

The theme of this year is "DASHI".
Dashi is an indispensable element of Japanese cuisine. For the 10th anniversary of the WWC, we have chosen this theme with the hope that contestants will return to the basic technique of making dashi.
We will screen your assignments focusing on how you utilized dashi in your dish. We will expect you to make your dish by making the best use of umami made from dashi.

Deputy Head Judge

NAKATA Masahiro

Director of Taiwa Gakuen Inc.
Director of Taiwa Gakuen Hospitality Industry Development Center

Video Message

News

March 10th, 2023: The winner is Jakub HORÁK!
December 21, 2022: The finalists from the Online Qualifying Tournament have been selected!
November 30, 2022: The finalist from the Regional Qualifying Tournament has been selected!
November 22, 2022: The Asian Regional Qualifying Tournament was held!
November 9, 2022: The North American Regional Qualifying Tournament was held!
October 26, 2022: The European Regional Qualifying Tournament was held!
September 14, 2022: 10th anniversary special participation benefits updated!
September 8, 2022: New comments released on 10th Anniversary page
August 19, 2022: Open for applications