Free Mini-Course
The Japanese-Italian Fusion Kitchen.
Five days. Five techniques. Everything you need to cook confidently at the intersection of Japanese and Italian cooking — dashi, miso, the umami pairing system, and five foundational fusion recipes. Delivered free to your inbox.
Free. No credit card. Unsubscribe any time.
Five days. One complete foundation.
Day 1
Dashi — The Invisible Foundation
Make ichiban dashi from scratch. Understand why kombu and katsuobushi together produce more umami than any other combination. Apply it to miso soup and as the base for Day 2.
Day 2
Miso — Where Fermented Depth Meets Italian Technique
Dissolve miso into pasta water. Make miso butter. Understand why white miso and Parmigiano are structurally equivalent and when to use each.
Day 3
The Umami Pairing System
Work through the Flavor Pairing Matrix. Learn the 24 Italian-Japanese swaps and why the synergy pairs (glutamate + inosinate) multiply umami 6-8x. Cook Ramen alla Carbonara.
Day 4
Mirin, Sake, and the Japanese Approach to Sweetness
Cook teriyaki from scratch. Understand why mirin is not the same as sugar and what fermented sweetness adds to a dish that refined sugar doesn't.
Day 5
Build Your Own Fusion Dish
Using the framework: identify the structure of an Italian or Japanese dish you love, find the equivalent components in the other tradition, and make it. The five-day course culminates in a dish you invented.
What's included.
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5 detailed technique guides — one per day, straight to your inbox
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5 full recipes (including the Ramen alla Carbonara foundation recipe)
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The Flavor Pairing Matrix — the full 24-pair chart
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The Umami Cheat Sheet (one-page quick reference)
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Shopping list: the 12 ingredients you need for all 5 days
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Permanent access — every email is yours to keep
Price
Free.
Five emails. Five techniques. Zero cost.
Already cooking from the course? The book Tokyo Meets Tuscany has 30 full fusion recipes using the same system.
Questions.
Do I need cooking experience?
No. The course assumes you can boil water and use a knife — nothing more. Every technique is explained from first principles. Designed for Italian home cooks who are new to Japanese ingredients, and vice versa.
What ingredients do I need?
The core ingredients for all 5 days cost about $40–60 at an Asian grocery store or Amazon: kombu, katsuobushi, white miso, mirin, sake, soy sauce, sesame oil. You likely already have the Italian pantry items.
How does it work?
Sign up and you'll receive Day 1 immediately. Days 2–5 arrive on consecutive days. Each email is a self-contained technique guide with a full recipe. Work at your own pace — they'll be in your inbox when you're ready.
I've already bought the book — is this different?
Yes. The mini-course goes deeper on technique than the book does. The book is recipes; the course is the system behind the recipes — why the flavors work together, not just how to execute them. They complement each other.
Five days. One foundation.
Everything you need to cook confidently at the intersection. Free.
Free download
Not ready for the course? Start with the free collection.
Nineteen fusion recipes and the Flavor Pairing Matrix — free, no account needed.