We’re delighted to have Mizkan on board as a proud partner for Japan Week 2025 in Manchester.

As part of their commitment, Mizkan recently teamed up with the Tokyo College of Sushi and Washoku London for an inspiring day at The Manchester College, giving the next generation of culinary talent a true taste of Japanese food culture.

Earlier this month, a group of talented catering and hospitality students spent the day immersed in the heritage, ingredients, and techniques that shape Japan’s rich culinary traditions.

The day began with an introduction to Washoku – the traditional art of Japanese cuisine – followed by a hands-on sushi masterclass. The Tokyo College team demonstrated the precise knife skills, structure, and care that go into authentic sushi-making, before guiding students through preparing their own sushi platters and sampling dishes like Nattō and Nigiri.

To round things off, Mizkan’s own Kensuke Shigetomi led a tasting session, showcasing Mizkan’s 220 years of vinegar-brewing expertise and highlighting the unique flavour profiles that make Japanese vinegar so distinctive.

Mark Richards-Cooper, Course Lead for Catering and Hospitality at The Manchester College, shared:

“This was a wonderful experience for students and staff. Learning about other cultures is always great and this gave everyone the knowledge of cooking in a very different way. You could see immediately that the students gained a lot from the day, and they were able to start implementing some of the new cooking styles.”

As part of their support for Japan Week, Mizkan are also working closely with the chefs at The Midland Hotel to help design the menu for our special reception event — using Mizkan’s ingredients to craft traditional British and Manchester dishes with a subtle Japanese twist.

We’re thrilled to see partners like Mizkan going beyond sponsorship — investing in people, skills, innovation, and cultural connections that will make Japan Week 2025 an unforgettable celebration of our deepening ties with Japan.

Arigatou gozaimasu, Mizkan!