The real deal – and it’s not sushi

"Traditional Japanese cuisine is not sushi," says Fiona Uyema, who studied international marketing and Japanese and lived there for three years. She met her husband Gilmar, who was born in Brazil to Japanese parents, while she was studying and they now live in Naas, Co Kildare. According to Uyema, the type of traditional Japanese cuisine that saw it added to Unesco's "Intangible Cultural Heritage" list in December would be a meal composed of rice, miso soup, followed by a selection of small dishes shared between diners that might include pickles and a stew of pork or beef. That's the approach she is taking for her series of "Easy Japanese Cooking" classes at the Miele Gallery, CityWest, Dublin 24, the next of which takes place on February 13th (6.30pm, €25). "It's home cooking like I experienced when I lived in Japan, as a homestay guest," she says. Classes can be booked online at mielegallery.ie or by telephoning Uyema on 086-0704052.