DESTINATION RESTAURANTS
Headmaster of Tsuji Culinary Institute and president of Tsujicho Group
Yoshiki Tsuji heads schools in Osaka, Tokyo and France that groom would-be food professionals, sending over 140,000 graduates into the food service industry in Japan as well as abroad. At the G20 Osaka summit in 2019, he served as executive producer of a dinner for heads of state. He has contributed to the development of food culture, serving on a committee screening nominees for the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ Ryori Masters (Masters of Cooking) award program. He has also lectured in various places in Japan and overseas. Tsuji was awarded France’s National Order of Merit in 2018.
President CEO, Leverage Consulting Inc.
Based in Hawaii and Tokyo, Naoyuki Honda leads a life under the motto of mixing business with pleasure, traveling around regions across Japan and Europe, as well as other parts of the world. He has written over 75 books, which sold over 3 million copies. Notable titles include “Naze Nihonjin Shefu wa Sekai de Shobu Dekita noka” (“Why These Japanese Chefs Have Been Globally Successful”). He daily pursues food, whether it is from street stalls, local cuisine or dinner at three-star restaurants. Honda has produced events such as Dream Dusk, featuring multiple leading chefs, and Inspire by Relux, an event in which participants stay at a luxurious ryokan Japanese-style hotel.
CEO, Access All Areas Inc.
Takefumi Hamada is the No.1 ranked restaurant reviewer for three consecutive years as determined by the OAD (Opinionated About Dining) Top Restaurants, having dined at the best restaurants in 120 countries and regions around the world. He is an advisor to businesses in entertainment, food and hospitality, as well as an investor in food technology startups. Takefumi has a background in finance, starting his career as an investment banker before moving on to private equity. He holds a B.A. magna cum laude, with distinction in Political Science, from Yale University.
