Philosophy

Oversharing

This book is written to include absolute beginners to both cooking and living in Japan.

As such, there are times when perhaps you, the reader and new head chef, won’t need all the details about a topic. Feel free to use tools you already have and only the information you’re missing. However, the skills learned and components used in each module build on one another, so please err on the side of doing the work even if it’s just to refresh your memory.

Creativity and improvisation

You shouldn’t feel like a robot in the kitchen, executing your program (recipe) to produce a soulless dish that will assuage your hunger for one more day. One reason we try to ease the burden of shopping is so that we can challenge you in the kitchen.

The low-key aim of this book is to teach you to cook without relying on classic step-by-step recipes. We teach fundamental cooking and shopping skills that can be applied in myriad situations. We teach seasonings and foodstuffs only a few at a time so that you can build intuition about how each one alters a dish, and therefore use them to solve problems and cook creatively. Even when you’re at your laziest, pay attention to cause and effect!¹

The lower-key aim of this book is to teach you to cook without needing exact measurements. This will take some getting used to, but it’s easiest to start with this mindset rather than try to break the habit later. In this way:

• You’ll learn how to use your sense of taste during cooking.
• You’ll learn how to use classic recipes as inspiration.
• You’ll save time and cleanup.
• You’ll learn to embrace failure and how to learn from your mistakes.

Definitions

• Module: The main unit of learning in this book that groups related tools, seasonings, templates, etc. together.
• Tools: Inorganic objects used to facilitate the cooking process. They require regular cleaning, but generally last on the order of several years.
  • Examples: pan, knife, strainer, peeler, fork
• Seasonings: Edible liquids or solids used to add flavor to the overall dish or facilitate the cooking process. These often stay fresh longer than foodstuffs, and only need to be replaced occasionally, usually when you run out.
  • Examples: salt, chili powder, olive oil
• Foodstuffs: Edible liquids or solids that provide the main caloric portion of a dish. These generally need to be cooked soon after acquiring them to ensure the best flavor.
  • Examples: tomato, carrot, beef, tofu, eggs
• Ingredients: Either a seasoning or foodstuff.
• Template: This book’s equivalent of a standard recipe (with ingredients, quantities, and a step-by-step procedure). The key differences are:
  • We usually won’t give exact measurements for ingredients.
  • We’ll often give a reliable ratio of seasonings to start you on your journey.
  • We’ll give a few options for foodstuffs and encourage you to use your favorites outside these options.
  • We’ll include a mix of text, photos, and videos to illustrate the procedure.
• Idea: A hint about how to alter a template to cook your own new variant of a dish.

Interactivity

• This book is lightly interactive.
• Check off tasks you’ve completed in a module.²
• Attach a photo to a module to memorialize your cooking results and see your progress over time.
• Your progress is saved in this browser on this device (no data is sent to any server).

Structure

• The main unit of learning in this book is called a Module.
• This book has multiple modules.
• Each module has three main sections: Tools, Shopping, Cooking.
• We recommend starting a new module by reading or skimming it top to bottom casually before you’re ready to cook.
• You’ll buy tools once per module. Links to both online stores and physical stores in Japan are provided.
• You’ll go shopping at the supermarket one or more times per module to buy seasonings and foodstuffs.
• You’ll cook according to a primary template once per module.³
• You’ll cook several more times per module, optionally referencing our provided ideas, substituting foodstuffs and seasonings in the template.
• This process will strengthen your understanding of the components of the module, build confidence, build intuition, and build improvisational skills.

Pacing

• Try to cook twice per week.⁴
• At the bare minimum cook once per week.⁵
• Cooking more often is okay too, but make sure your pace is sustainable (we trust you).
• Don’t change your current eating habits. Use meals from this book as supplementary side-dishes for the first several modules.
• Cook within the same module until the moment you start getting tired of it, then move on to the next one.⁶
• As a very loose guideline, you should expect to start a new module every three weeks (but try to use the above heuristics instead).⁷
• Return to past modules regularly to re-cook your favorites.⁸

Module ordering

• This book tries its best to balance freedom and choice paralysis.⁹
• The ordering is strict in the early modules and gradually becomes more free.
• The ordering is based on dependencies between tools, seasonings, and cooking skills.
• Module 01 is required and has more inline tips about how to use this book.
• Subsequent modules unlock as you complete their dependencies.
• Modules are sized and ordered to minimize the amount of money you need to spend up front. Tools and seasonings will be acquired just-in-time, right before they are used.
  • If you’re both committed to the book and prefer to reduce shopping trips, buying the tools and seasonings for several modules at once is okay.
  • If you already have the required tools, just mark them as complete and carry on.
• Each module has required and optional challenges, designed to help you determine when you’re ready to move to the next module.¹⁰