Japanese visitors unhappy with N.Z. cookery

Press, 4 March 1982, Page 11

Japanese visitors unhappy with N.Z. cookery

Japanese tourists’ dissatisfaction with New Zealand cookery is why Mr Tadeo Sekiyama is in Christchurch. Mr Sekiyama, a chef from Shiba Park Hotel, Tokyo, is the first Japanese chef to visit New Zealand as part of a new exchange scheme. The Cookery and Food Association of New Zealand and Christchurch Polytechnic organised the scheme. Its aim is to show chefs and restaurant owners what Japanese like to eat. The association’s chairman, Mr Tony Kesseler, said at a function to welcome Mr Sekiyama last evening that Japanese tourists often preferred to eat Japanese food while on holiday, but they could not buy it here. “Some are bringing their own food here and cooking it in hotels,” said Mr Kesseler. “We want our chefs and hotel managers to accept Japanese food and put it on their menus.” He said Japanese would feel better about coming to New Zealand if .they knew their food was more widely available. Mr Sekiyama and Mr Kes-. seler, who returned recently from an.exchange visit to Mr •' Sekiyama’s hotel, will run seminars during the next five ' weeks. '■

The first will be held al Noahs Hotel tomorrow. Mr Sekiyama will demonstrate cookery and Mr Kesseler will explain Japanese tastes. . Mr Sekiyama will visit hotels at Mount Cook and Queenstown in two weeks. He will return to Christchurch for a week before visiting Rotorua and Auckland. Mr Kesseler, who is also a tutor in the food, and fashion department at Christchurch Polytechnic, said another exchange was planned for next year.