Koo's Kitchen
About Koo's Kitchen
Please note that this workshop is available in French only.
Koo's Kitchen is a small, intimate cooking school nestled in a quiet residential area of Karatsu, Saga.
We introduce home-style Japanese cooking that brings out the natural flavors of each ingredient, using seasonal produce and embracing traditional techniques such as dashi and fermentation—without relying on artificial seasonings.
Our lessons are designed to help you slow down and truly enjoy each step of the cooking process.
More than simply “getting better at cooking,”
we hope you'll grow to love cooking itself,
and find a little more richness in your everyday life.
With this in mind, Koo's Kitchen offers every lesson with care and heart.
About Instructor
Koo Nakazato
Message
When I was a child, I used to go on morning walks with my father. We would climb the hill behind the temple, and from the top, we could look down and see my mother in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
In the gentle morning light, I could hear the sound of her chopping green onions, and steam would rise gently from the pot.
That small scene of my mother standing in the kitchen remains vividly etched in my memory.
When we returned from our walk, steaming white rice, miso soup, and—depending on the season—bowls filled with pickled cucumbers and eggplants in summer, or daikon radish and turnips in winter, would be set on the table.
Many years have passed since then, and I've seen many kitchens.
In quiet moments, fragments of those kitchen memories softly resurface.
One is the image of my grandmother busily frying small horse mackerels. She would fry them until even the bones were crispy, then coat them in a sweet and savory sauce.
Since my father didn't care for sweet flavors, my mother never made this dish. That's why I was always so happy when my grandmother prepared it.
Another memory is of my aunt making pocket sandwiches and fresh strawberry juice. The sandwiches were stuffed with omelets and other delightful surprises that thrilled me as a child.
My aunt, who had no children of her own, would often prepare rare and exciting treats just to surprise me.
And then there was Denise, the grandmother at my homestay in France, who made the most delicious homemade French fries.
On fry days, she would ask me again and again what time I'd be coming home. She timed it perfectly so the potatoes were just out of the pan when I walked in. Those fries were a true feast, in every sense of the word.
Of course, I know that choosing quality ingredients, mastering cooking techniques, and using creativity are all important in making delicious food.
But I wonder—can those things alone create true flavor?
Perhaps what matters most is cooking with a heartfelt desire to bring joy to those who eat.
I believe that when this feeling is truly present, it naturally comes through and becomes the essence of deliciousness.
That's why I treasure everyday home cooking—not something special, but deeply meaningful.
And I want to keep standing in the kitchen, hoping that the dishes I create will become cherished memories for both the cook and the one who eats.
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My Profile
-1993–2006 : Studied home cooking while living in southern France.
-1999 : Began introducing Château Virant olive oil from southern France.
-2009 : Started selling Takashi Nakazato's pottery online.
-2017 : Hosted cooking events using French olive oil.
-2017 : Obtained Olive Oil Sommelier certification.
-2000 : Studied Japanese cuisine under Eiji Tsuchiya at Robata.
Class Fee
|
Single-Session Class |
Join at your convenience |
¥ 27,500 per person |
Online ticket purchase |
Single-Session Classes
In this cooking class designed for international guests, you will experience Japanese home-style cooking using seasonal ingredients.
The lesson includes:
＊ How to make traditional dashi (Japanese soup stock)
＊ Seasoning to bring out the natural flavors of ingredients
＊ Presentation techniques using Japanese tableware such as Karatsu pottery
＊ Cooking methods using Japanese fermented foods
＊ Pairing dishes with Japanese sake
This class is intended for international visitors.
It can be held with a minimum of 2 participants (up to 5 people maximum).
We will provide available dates upon request, so please contact us first through the contact form.
The participation fee is ¥22,000 per person and must be paid at least 15 days before the class date.
For cancellations, please notify us at least 7 days in advance.
We regret that we cannot offer refunds for cancellations made within 7 days of the class date.
Location
Address : 504-137 Kanda, Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture 847-0824, Japan.
Access : 7-minute taxi ride from JR Karatsu Station.
Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes by car from Fukuoka Airport.
Reservations
All reservations are made through online ticket purchases on our website. Before purchasing, please contact us via the inquiry form to confirm available dates.
Whether you're joining alone or with friends, we warmly welcome you to Koo's Kitchen. We look forward to cooking with you!