In celebration of the new exhibition, “WASHOKU | Nature and Culture in Japanese Cuisine,” explore how Los Angeles has helped shape Japanese cuisine’s rise as a global culinary phenomenon.

Washoku, Japan’s traditional food culture, is rooted in seasonality, balance, and respect for nature. Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, it reflects both culinary practice and cultural identity while continuing to evolve through global exchange.

Los Angeles has played a central role in that evolution since the 1960s, when the California Roll helped introduce Japanese cuisine to a broader American audience. Today, California is home to roughly 20% of all Japanese restaurants in the United States, and Los Angeles remains a hub for culinary innovation. Japanese food culture is woven into the region’s dining landscape, from pioneering institutions like Katsu-ya to Studio City’s famed “Sushi Row” along Ventura Boulevard, home to more than 100 sushi restaurants. The city’s influence continues to shape contemporary food trends, from sustainable sourcing and plant-based cuisine to the mainstream popularity of matcha and Japanese-style sandos (sandwiches), once everyday staples of Japan’s konbini (convenience stores).

The Experience

The program begins with a screening of Beyond Sushi, a documentary tracing the global journey of Japanese cuisine and California’s role in its evolution.

Following the screening, chefs Shinji Kugita and Derek Wilcox will discuss modern Japanese cuisine in Los Angeles, emerging food trends, and the future of washoku as it continues to evolve across cultures and generations. Kugita represents Katsu-ya Group, a defining force in the Los Angeles dining scene since 1997, while Wilcox brings his expertise from Miura in Beverly Hills, a Michelin-listed restaurant known for its precision-driven, contemporary approach to Japanese cuisine.

During the conversation, guests will enjoy a curated lunch box featuring popular Japanese food trends, including egg sandos, katsu (pork cutlet) sandos, and matcha lattes. Together, these dishes offer a taste of how Japanese cuisine has been adapted, reimagined, and embraced throughout California.

Lunch Box:

• Katsu Sando | Dairy, eggs, pork, soy, sesame, wheat, mustard

• Egg Salad Sando | Dairy, eggs, soy, sesame, wheat, mustard

• Matcha Latte | Milk, matcha green tea