CHEF
![](http://futuremasters-jp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/tuka4-1-scaled.jpg)
Chinese chef
Mitsuru Tsukayama
His creative cuisine based on Chinese and Szechuan dishes and his friendly personality will surely bring joy to many diners
–Beginning–
Mitsuru Tsukayama was 9 years old when he decided to work as a chef. As a young boy, he thought the sight of Chinese chef chen kenichi cooking and performing on the then very popular TV show “The Chef on Fire” was very cool.
It was a spectacular TV show where top chefs competed with their ideas and skills based on a theme that changed each time. Chefs cooking in the spotlight, and lots of praise for the winners. He wished one day to be one of those chefs.
I wanted to be recognized in something, to stand out from the crowd,” he says.
It is a natural desire for anyone to have. It was a legitimate desire, and one that was powerful enough to make he decide on his own future path.
![](http://futuremasters-jp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/tuka1-2-scaled.jpg)
–Starting Career–
After graduating from culinary school, He began working under chef chen kenichi, whom he had admired for many years.
Master chen was a really professional person. There was a time when I was his assistant, and I was always with him, but he always had a furrowed brow and was very strict about everything. But when the TV camera was filming him, or when he was cooking in front of customers, he had a very soft expression on his face.
I still base my cooking on Chinese and Sichuan cuisine, which I learned from him. Szechuan cuisine is characterized by a numbingly spicy flavor using pepper and other ingredients called mala. I mix the base jian sauce to express the ideal flavor.
![](http://futuremasters-jp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/tuka3-scaled.jpg)
–Future–
He describes what kind of chef he would like to become in the future.
I want to think about how I can make my food more enjoyable for my customers.
There are many great chefs in the world. Among them, He is pursuing a career as an onsite chef. His friendly personality will be a big advantage.
I want people to think that the food I cook is delicious and that it is fun because I cook for them,” he said.
His creative cuisine based on Chinese and Szechuan dishes and his friendly personality will surely bring joy to many diners in the future.
![](http://futuremasters-jp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/1699508024534.jpg)