La Semaine du Goût (The Week of Taste) is an annual event, which starts the third week of October, and was initiated more than 20 years ago in France to educate elementary school children about the 4 basic tastes and to enjoy the wide range of French cuisine heritage.

In Japan the event has been held annually since 2011 during the fourth week of October. It brings together chefs (including Michelin starred chefs), pâtissiers (pastry chefs), and farm producers who visit numerous schools and voluntarily give the children a "Leçon de Goût" (lesson of taste).

The chefs teach the children how to use their five senses to discover the 5 tastes (sweetness, sourness, bitterness, saltiness and umami) and at the same time explain the importance of producers. They also try to instill in the children an appreciation of the people who prepare meals every day and, above all, teach them to always fully enjoy a meal.

La Semaine du Goût also involves two other programs, the "Table du Goût" (The Table of Taste) and the "Atelier du Goût" (The Taste Workshops) whose activities are all related to food education.

La Semaine du Goût 2014:

Schedule :
20th October (Mon)~26th (Sun), 2014 in Japan
13th October (Mon)~19th (Sun), 2014 in France

Theme : Seasonal food


La Semaine du Goût 2013 Activity Summary 21st October ~ 27th October, 2013

La Leçon de Goût

Schedule :

21st October (Monday) ~ 27th October (Sunday), 2013

Locations :

22 prefectures nationwide (Hokkaido, Iwate, Miyagi, Nagano, Gunma, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Aichi,Mie, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Okayama, Shimane, Kagawa, Ishikawa, Kochi, Fukuoka, Nagasaki)

Number of participants :

187 classes in 76 schools / 5,803 students of which 24 schools (57 classes) held cooking experience classes.

Cooperating professionals :

(chefs, pâtissiers, farm producers) : 197 (Includes 57 coordinators who assist the classes)

Contents :

Professionals carry out voluntary lessons at schools to 3rd & 4th grade students, teaching the 5 tastes including Umami. For 5th & 6th grade students, cooking experience classes are also carried out.

La Table du Goût

Schedule :

21st October (Monday) ~ 27th October (Sunday), 2013

Locations :

Miyagi, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Aichi

Number of participants :

8 restaurants

Contents :

Restaurants make recipes that include the 5 tastes (including umami) available as leaflets.

L'Atelier du Goût

Schedule :

21st October (Monday) ~ 27th October (Sunday), 2013

Locations :

Tokyo, Kanagawa

Number of events :

35 (including ateliers by Tokyo Gas Co.,Ltd.)

Contents :

Participants experience various taste-related activities, executed mainly by sponsoring companies

La Leçon de Goût 2013

La Leçon de Goût

Takaban Elementary SchoolMr. Guillaume Gomez (Elysee palace Executive Chef )(Invited from France)

Tokyo International French SchoolMr. Dominique Corby

Gotenyama Elementary School Ms. Makiko Fujino

Schedule :

21st October (Mon) ~ 27th October (Sun) 3rd period
(3rd & 4th periods for classes with cooking demonstrations)

Locations :

22 prefectures nationwide(Hokkaido, Iwate, Miyagi, Nagano, Gunma, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Aichi, Mie, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Okayama, Shimane, Kagawa, Ishikawa, Kochi, Fukuoka, Nagasaki)

participants :

187 classes in 76 schools / 5,803 students
* 24 schools (57 classes) held cooking demonstration classes

Cooperating chefs :

197 (includes 57 coordinators who assist the classes)

La Leçon de Goût curriculum :

1.Mastering the four fundamental tastes, using the five senses

Explain the 4 basic tastes (saltiness, acidity, bitterness, sweetness) as well as the 5th taste familiar in Japan, the "Umami". Hand out the prepared tasting samples (salt, rice vinegar, chocolate, sugar), encourage children to smell, feel and taste each one, while inviting conversation around the subject. Impress upon them that by paying close attention to their senses, they can experience the joy of tasting.

2.Widening the joy of eating and tasting

Once students have learnt the 5 tastes and the importance of savoring, they sample foods brought in by the chefs, pâtissiers or farm producers. The children are then encouraged to exchange opinions on food and discuss the importance of eating and savoring, while also getting a chance to ask the guest teachers about their professional experiences and opinions.
This exchange is greatly stressed as their ability to express themselves is crucial in developing their enjoyment of food.

3.Experiencing the joy of cooking (only for 5th and 6th grade students)

After the above two steps, the students cook "colorful sushi" incorporating the 5 tastes, under the guidance of the chefs. They then taste what they have created.

Honmura Elementary School
Mr. Shinobu Namae

Takaban Elementary School
Mr. Yves-Marie Le Bourdonnec
(Invited from France)

Honmura Elementary School
Mr. Yoshinaru Kikuchi

【Supported by: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology; Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Embassy of France in Japan】

La Table du Goût 2013

Schedule :

21st Oct. (Mon.) ~ 27th Oct. (Sun.), 2013

Locations :

Miyagi, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Aichi

Participants :

8 restaurants

Contents :

Restaurants which don't usually accept children, open their doors to them during the week and make recipes that include the 5 tastes (including Umami) inviting children and their parents to discover and enjoy well balanced dishes specially created for La Semaine du Goût.

Example of messages from participating restaurants (L'effervescence)
Taste is important, but at the same time it is not everything to fully enjoy a meal.
Through taste, people can enjoy a pleasant conversation and sympathy can easily spread around making everybody share and feel the delights of being alive.

Les Ateliers du Goût 2013 (By La Semaine du Goût)

Encounter with World's Masters

This event was held for the first time in order to transmit and convey to the future generation the importance of taste education and the purposes of doing the Leçon de Goût.
Internationally renown and famous chefs talked about their different experiences during a symposium and showed their talents and techniques during workshops in front cooking enthusiasts and students of cooking schools from all around Japan.

Event date & time :

22nd October (Tue.), 2013

Locations :

Hattori Nutrition College (5-25-4 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)

Sponsorship :

Tefal (Groupe SEB Japan Co.,Ltd.) / Tokyo Gas Co.,Ltd.
Japan Salt Meister Association / Tsuno Food Industrial Co., Ltd

Cooperation :

Hattori Nutrition College, Nestlé Nespresso K.K


Schedule:

Conference about "Taste Education" from 11:00 am to 12:00pm

Participants: (Please see the pictures below from left to right)

・Mr. Yukio Hattori (President of Hattori Nutrition College)
・Mr. Guillaume Gomez (French cuisine / Executive Chef of the Elysée Palace in Paris〈MOF〉)
・Mr. Dominique Corby (French cuisine / Executive Chef of Le Cordon Bleu Japan)
・Mr. Yuji Wakiya (Chinese cuisine / Restaurant Wakiya Ichiemicharo)
・Mr. Hiroyuki Kanda (Japanese cuisine / Restaurant Kanda)
・Mr. Gontran Cherrier (Baker/Pâtissier "Gontran Cherrier Tokyo")
・Mr. Yves-Marie Le Bourdonnec (Butcher and specialist of matured meat)
・Ms. Yoshimi Uchisaka (President of the Japanese Association for Taste Education)
・Mr. Cyrille Schwartz (President of La Semaine du Goût in France)

Lunch time from 12:00 pm to 13:00 pm

Workshops

1st Session: 13:15-14:00

French cuisine :

Guillaume Gomez: Three types of sauces (Bechamel, Beurre blance, Gribiche). 
Dominique Corby: White fish "Quenelles".
Dominique Bouchet: Boiling and cutting techniques of many sorts of vegetables.

Japanese cuisine :

Hiroyuki Kanda: Preparation of "Dashi" (Japanese Stock).

Bakery / Pâtisserie :

Gontran Cherrier: Bread with Japanese pepper oil

Butchery / Meat maturation specialist :

Yves-Marie Le Bourdonnec: Explanation of meat maturation process . Cutting and preparation for tasting of 2 months-matured Tajima beef ribs.

2nd Session: 14:30-15:15

French cuisine :

Guillaume Gomez: Three types of sauces (Bechamel, Beurre blanc, Gribiche). 
Dominique Corby: White fish "Quenelles".
Kiyomi Mikuni: Preparation of a "Dashi" jelly (with seaweed and dried salmon)

Bakery / Pâtisserie :

Gontran Cherrier: Bread with Japanese pepper oil.

Butchery / Meat maturation specialist :

Yves-Marie Le Bourdonnec: Explanation of meat maturation process. Cutting and preparation for tasting of 2 months-matured Tajima beef ribs.

Sponsor's booths

Tsuno Food Industrial Co., Ltd.


Japan Salt Meister Association


Nestlé Nespresso K.K


Cooking demonstration with Guillaume Gomez

Event date & time :

21st October (Mon) from 13:00 to 17:00

Location :

French Food Culture Center (FFCC)
(NBF Comodio Shiodome 2F, 2-14-1 Higashi Shimbashi, Minato-ku

Participants :

General public (55 people)

Contents :

Cooking demonstration by Guillaume Gomez, Executive Chef of the Elysée Palace

Cooperation :

French Food Culture Center

Supported by :

Tokyo Gas Co.,Ltd

* Guillaume Gomez
Born in Paris, he started his carrier to become chef in a Michelin star awarded restaurant and integrated in 1997 by the time of President Chirac the kitchens of the Elysée palace. In 2004 at the age of 25, he became the youngest candidate ever to become MOF (Best Craftsman of France). The same year he was appointed as the Sous-Chef of the Elysée Palace.
On the 1st November 2013, he became the Executive Chef of the Elysée Palace in Paris.

Demonstration by Yves-Marie le Bourdonnec: Renown butcher and specialist of meat maturation


Event date & time :

21st October (Mon) from 13:00 to 17:30

Location :

Le Cordon Bleu Daikanyama (ROOB-1, 28-13 Sarugaku-cho, Shibuya-ku

Participants :

General public and students of Le Cordon Bleu

Contents :

Presentation on meat maturation process followed by a demonstration on cutting and proper handling of the meat.

Cooperation :

Le Cordon Bleu Daikanyama

Co-sponsorship :

The secretariat of La Semaine du Goût in Japan

* Yves-Marie Le Bourdonnec
Born in Montreuil, France. He opened at the age of 18 in the suburbs of Paris his first meat shop called "The Silver Knife".
In 2003, and out of 125 shops, his shop was chosen as the best meat shop in Paris in a contest organized by the magazine l'Express. He is famous worldwide for his 60 days matured beef ribs.

L'Atelier du Goût @ Komaba : A workshop about food and taste


Event date & time :

23rd October (Wed) from 18:00 to 19:30

Location :

Komaba Faculty House, Seminar Room (Tokyo University)
(3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku Inside of Tokyo University)

Participants :

Students and affiliates of the University of Tokyo

Contents :

Mr. Fumiaki Ito, owner & chef of "Lever son verre" and Mr. Takashi Osawa, food culture researcher, hosted the workshop under the theme of "Terroir / Relation between food and climate ".

Lecture :

"Terroir / Relation between food and climate" (By Mr. Osawa)

Cooking demonstration :

Cooking session using mussels from Mont Saint-Michel,France,and Japanese chestnuts from Tamba, Hyogo-ken, Japan (By Mr.Ito)

Cooperation :

Komaba tomo no Kai

Co-sponsorship :

Lever son verre Komaba, the secretariat of La Semaine du Goût in Japan

Support :

Tefal (Groupe SEB Japan Co.,Ltd.) / Tokyo Gas Co.,Ltd.

Bonpoint: Special Leçon de Goût


Event date & time :

26th October (Sat) from 15:00 to 17:00

Location :

Le Cordon Bleu Daikanyama (ROOB-1,28-13 Sarugaku-cho, Shibuya-ku)

Participants :

Family and customers of the French clothing company for kids "Bonpoint"

Lesson given by :

Mr. Dominique Corby (Executive chef of Le Cordon Bleu Japan)

Contents :

Leçon de Goût and cooking demonstration

Cooperation :

Bonpoint Japon K.K

Co-sponsorship :

The secretariat of La Semaine du Goût in Japan

L'Atelier du Goût ~Tsunagatte Meal~

Event date & time :

26th and 27th October (Sun) from 11:30 am to 13:30 pm (Session on the 26th (Sat) was canceled due to the typhoon

Location :

GOSHIKI ROPPONGI (6-1-6 Roppongi Minato-ku, Tokyo)

Participants :

General public

Contents :

: Tsunagatte meal is a project emphasizing and trying to raise the interest of the public for food culture and agriculture by showing the strong links between those two elements. This year, and accordingly with the theme of La Semaine du Goût 2013, "Terroir / Local specialties", the theme this time was "Chef and farmers tsunagatte meal~Seasonal vegetables fun tasting!" having talks between chefs and farmers from two regions and tasting events such as "Hear Meal" and "Eat meal"

Cooperation :

Food and Agriculture Project "Tsunagatte Meal"

Co-sponsorship :

The secretariat of La Semaine du Goût in Japan

Support :

Hakuhodo Koso Labo "Japanese vegetables project", Patis Gastronomy Association

Les Ateliers du Goût 2013 (By Tokyo Gas)

Atelier du Goût at the science museum

Event date & time :

23rd September (Mon) from 14:00 to 16:00

Locations :

Science museum 4F experiment hall
(Japanese Science Foundation, 2-1 Kitanomarukoen, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)

participants :

3rd to 6th grade elementary school students (18 students)

Contents :

1st part: Leçon de Goût, 2nd part: Cooking demonstration. Menu: Colorful sushi

Performed by :

Mr. Naoyuki Yanagihara (Yanagihara School of Traditional Japanese Cuisine)

Leçon de Goût with Mr. Nicolas Cloiseau from "La Maison du Chocolat"


Event date & time :

21th October (Mon) from 14:00 am to 16:00

Locations :

Tokyo Gas Studio +G GINZA
(Ginza g Cube Bldg.5/6F, 7-9-15 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo)

participants :

Food and nutrition university or professional school students (24 students)

Contents :

- Experiencing various tastes using chocolate
- Truffles with Japanese pepper oil

Performed by :

Mr. Nicolas Cloiseau (Chef pâtissier and chocolate maker of La Maison du Chocolat, 〈MOF〉)

Chef in Campus with Mr. Gontran Cherrier

Event date & time :

23rd October (Wed) from 13:45 to 16:30

Locations :

Ochanomizu Women University (2-1-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo)

participants :

Students of Ochanomizu Women University (40 students)

Contents :

Famous baker/patissier with shops worldwide, Mr. Gontran Cherrier showed his skills of making bread and talked about the culture differences between France and Japan when it comes to bread consumption. During this event, Mr. Cherrier together with the students, made the famous French "baguette" with all the steps necessary to achieve good bread.
Moreover, he demonstrated that by using the same dough and by changing the shape and the baking time, how the taste changes as well.

Performed by :

Mr. Gontran Cherrier (Gontran Cherrier Tokyo)

La Semaine du Goût special +G seminar

Event date & time :

25th October (Fri) from 11:00 am to 14:00 pm

Locations :

Tokyo Gas Studio +G GINZA (Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Ginza-9-15 Ginza g Cube Bldg.5・6F)

participants :

Cooking experts (36 participants)

Contents :

The sense of the "Terroir" in the French cuisine
(1st part: Lecture about the "Terroir", 2nd part: Cooking demonstration using locally produced products)

Performed by :

Mr. Kazunori Otowa (Otowa Restaurant)

Seasonal tastes and cuisine explained by a chef: Talk show and cooking event

Event date & time :

23rd October (Wed) 1st part: from 11:00 am to 11:30 am 2nd part: from 13:00 to 13:30

Locations :

1st part: Mark IS Minatomirai 1F Minna no Atelier (kanagawa-ken, Yokohama-shi, Nishi-ku Minatomirai)
2nd part: Tokyo Gas Yokohama Showroom Cooking Studio (Same as above, Mark IS Minatomirai 4F)

participants :

General public

Contents :

1st part: Talk show about La Semaine du Goût 2013's theme "Terroir / Local specialties"
2nd part: Talk show about tasting using the five senses and cooking demonstration (tasting included)

Performed by :

Mr. Katsuo Omiya (Omiya restaurant, Owner chef)

L'atelier du Goût : Special lesson by the Imperial Hotel's Executive Chef Tanaka

Canceled due to the typhoon

Event date & time :

26th October (Sat) from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm

Locations :

Tokyo Gas Studio+G GINZA (Ginza g Cube Bldg.5/6F, 7-9-15 Ginza, Tokyo)

Participants (Planned) :

24 elementary students (3rd to 6th grade)

Contents (Planned) :

1st part: Leçon de Goût: Lecture about the five senses
2nd part: Cooking demonstration: authentic western dishes reinvented for children

Performed by :

Mr. Kenichiro Tanaka (Executive Chef of the Imperial Hotel)

Atelier du Goût with Mr. Hiromitsu Nozaki

Canceled due to the typhoon

Event date & time :

26th October (Sat) from 15:00 to 17:30

Locations :

Tokyo Gas Yokohama Showroom Cooking Studio (Yokohama-shi, Nishi-ku, Minatomirai Mark is 4F)

Participants (Planned) :

24 elementary students (3rd to 6th grade)

Contents :

Using the Leçon de Goût curriculum as a base, along with cooking classes to develop the children's enjoyment of food.
1st part: Leçon de Goût 2nd part: Cooking demonstration (Menu: Colorful sushi Bento)

Performed by :

Mr. Hiromitsu Nozaki (Executive Chef of Japanese cuisine restaurant Waketokuyama)

L'atelier du Goût by well-known chefs

Canceled due to the typhoon

Event date & time :

26th and 27th October from10:30 am to 13:00

Locations :

Tokyo Gas Kitchen Land, Showroom cooking class

Participants :

3rd to 6th grade elementary students

Contents :

Using the Leçon de Goût curriculum as a base, along with cooking classes to develop the children's enjoyment of food.
1st part: Leçon de Goût
2nd part: Cooking demonstration (Menu: Colorful sushi Bento)

Cooperation :

Tefal (Groupe SEB Japan Co.,Ltd.)

La Semaine du Goût 2013  Selection of Exposures

La Semaine du Goût

Mainichi Shimbun, JIJI Press, ELLE à table, Hoteres, NHK Publishing

La Leçon de Goût

【Tokyo Shinagawa-ku, Gotenyama Elementary School】
Kyodo Tsushin, AFP BB News, Panaderia, Orange Page

【Tokyo Meguro-ku, Takaban Elementary School】
NHK World, Asahi Gakusei Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, School Lunch Journal

【Tokyo Shirayuri Gakuen Elementary School】
Tokyo Shimbun, Fuji TV, WOWOW

【Tokyo Tokyo International French School】
COURRIER Japon

【Hokkaido Kitami-shi Ainonai Elementary School】
Hokkaido Shimbun

【Aichi Toyohashi-shi Tagome Elementary School】
Chuo TV, Tonichi Shimbun

【Aichi Toyohashi-shi Fukuoka Elementary School 】
Higashi Aichi Shimbun

【Kyoto Kyoto-shi Rakuchu Elementary School】
Kyoto Shimbun

【Kyoto Kyoto-shi Hirosawa Elementary School】
NHK Kyoto

【Chiba Ichikawa-shi Yawata elementary School】
Chiba Nippo

【Nagano Suzaka-shi Koyama Elementary School】
Suzaka Shimbun

【Nagano Azumino-shi Toyoshinakita Elementary School】
Shinanomainichi Shimbun

【Gunma Maebashi-shi Minakami Elementary School】
Jomo Shimbun

【Kagawa Takamatsu-shi Yashimahigashi Elementary School】
Shikoku Shimbun

【Kagawa Takamatsu-shi Mure Elementary School】
Shikoku Shimbun

L'atelier du Goût

【International Bento Contest】
NHK BS, Nihon TV, TV Tokyo, Nikkei Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, Safari

【Encounter with World's Masters】
Ryori Tsushin, Patis Gastronomy Association, School Lunch Journal, Yomigaeri no Recipe

【Yves-Marie Le Bourdonnec Special demonstration】
NHK, Senmon Ryori, Bimi Sarai, Ryori Okoku

【Guillaume Gomez Cooking demonstration】
Nikkei Business Online

Number of exposures: 138
Total conversion: ¥ 224,849,155
as of 8th of January, 2014

Promoters of La Semaine du Goût in Japan

Hisanori Isomura :

Chairman of the French-Japanese Media Association, First Director of the Japanese Cultural Center in Paris, former Director of NHK news

Yukio Hattori :

Head of the Hattori Nutrition College, Doctor of Medicine

Kiyomi Mikuni :

Hôtel de Mikuni, Mikuni MARUNOUCHI – Owner Chef

Kazunari Yanagihara :

Expert in the Kinsa-ryu Culinary Discipline, Head of the Yanagihara School of Traditional Japanese Cuisine

Makiko Fujino :

Cooking Expert

Yoshimi Uchisaka :

Chairperson of the Japanese association for taste education, Cooking expert

Administration

Executive committee of La Semaine du Goût in Japan
Secretariat: Vision-A Inc.
Head of the secretariat: Atsuko Seko

Address: 2-7-9-301 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0051
Tel: 03-3402-5616 Fax: 03-3402-5452
E-mail: info@legout.jp    Website: http://vision-a.com/

Support

【La Leçon de Goût】
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology; Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Embassy of France in Japan

【International Bento Contest】
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

Sponsors

•Tefal (Groupe SEB Japan Co.,Ltd.)
•Tokyo Gas Co.,Ltd
•Japan Salt Meister Association
•Tsuno Food Industrial Co., Ltd

Cooperation

•The Japanese Association for Taste Education
•The French-Japanese Food Art Association
•Members of the National Order of Agricultural Merit in Japan (MOMAJ)
•Club Gastronomique Prosper Montagné
•French Food Culture Center (FFCC)
•Marunouchi Chef's Club
•Kyoto Prefecture Japanese Cuisine Skills Association
•Le Cordon Bleu Japan, Inc
•Hattori Nutrition College
•Taiwa Gakuen Education Inc
•Gontran Cherrier Tokyo
•Hakata Salt Co., Ltd
•Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd.
•Nestlé Nespresso K.K

(Random order)

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