Whole Food Basics – Los Angeles Edition
A One-Day Intensive Course
Cooking for Life, Health, and the Future
This one-day intensive course is a condensed version of the Whole Food Basic Course,
which has been taught in Japan for nearly 20 years.
Skills That Stay With You for Life
Why this ingredient? Why this method? This one-day intensive is a condensed version of the Whole Food Basic Course, taught in Japan for nearly 20 years by Takako Nakamura. This is not a recipe class. Before "what to cook," this course asks "why we cook this way" — through hands-on practice and live demonstration. Whole Food is not a diet or a trend. It is a way of thinking about food, health, and how everyday cooking shapes the future. Once learned, these fundamentals stay with you — for life, and for any style of cooking.
What You'll Learn: The Basics of Whole Food
1. 50°C Wash & Kasane-ni（Layered Simmering）
2. Vegetable Broth（Vege Broth）
3. Waterless Cooking
These are not advanced techniques. They are the essentials every home cook should learn first.
Course Content
1. Tools, Heat, and Cooking Science (Demonstration)
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Why cookware matters
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Comparing different pots through a tea tasting experiment
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Understanding how tools affect taste, nutrition, and cooking efficiency
2. 50°C Washing (Essential Technique)
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The foundational Whole Food method
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How washing vegetables at 50°C (122°F) improves: Flavor / Texture / Freshness
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Why this simple technique dramatically changes home cooking
50°C washing is a core principle of Whole Food and will be demonstrated in detail.
3. Whole Vegetable Cutting – Using Food "As It Is"
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Cutting techniques based on Whole Food philosophy
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Why we do not peel vegetables unnecessarily
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Cooking with less waste and more nutrition
4. Vegetable Broth (Vegetable Broth / "Vege Broth")
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How to make vegetable broth from kitchen scraps
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How to use it in daily cooking
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Why vegetable broth represents the heart of Whole Food cooking
5. Waterless Cooking & Layered Cooking
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Cooking vegetables without adding water
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Layered cooking techniques to minimize seasoning
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How to bring out natural sweetness and umami
6. Braising (Braise Method)
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Steaming and sautéing with minimal oil
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Choosing and using oils properly
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Achieving deep flavor with simple methods
7. Japanese Dashi (Demonstration)
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Kombu and bonito dashi
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Maitake mushroom dashi
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How dashi supports a naturally low-sodium lifestyle
※Subject to change without notice.
Who This Course Is For
- Anyone who wants to learn authentic Japanese home cooking from its fundamentals
- Anyone who wants to cook properly, even with a busy schedule
- Anyone who wants a reliable foundation for choosing food, without being swayed by conflicting information
- Anyone who wants to cook in a way that supports their family's health
- Anyone who hopes to pass on cooking knowledge to others in the future
- Japanese residents in Los Angeles, and non-Japanese participants interested in authentic Japanese cooking
No prior cooking experience is required.
Course Details
- Course: Whole Food Basics 1-Day Intensive Course
- Content: Condensed version of the Whole Food Basic Course
- Capacity: Limited to 10 participants
- Format: Hands-on practice + demonstration + mini-lecture
- Fee: USD equivalent of ¥50,000 per day (subject to adjustment based on ingredients and venue)
- Venue: Kitchen studio or similar location
Instructor
Takako Nakamura
Whole Food Director & Representative, Takako Nakamura Whole Food School Representative Director, Whole Food Association (Japan)
With over 30 years of experience, Takako Nakamura has pioneered Whole Food cooking in Japan, introducing techniques such as 50°C washing, Vege Broth, Kasane-ni (layered simmering), and waterless / low-temperature cooking.
Her work focuses on preserving Japanese food culture while adapting it to modern life—connecting cooking, health, environment, and sustainability.