KARACHI: Professional chefs, home chefs, culinary enthusiasts, hospitality professionals and food industry stakeholders benefited from a culinary discovery session about the ‘Taste of Japan’ with chef, spice expert and photographer Naoki Naito from Osaka on Saturday.

The event was organised by Biz Today International at Cafe D’ Art.

The chef shared insights into the fascinating world of Japanese cuisine, in particular their spices, seasonings, culinary traditions and innovative cooking techniques. He also shared how much he enjoyed learning about Pakistani cuisine during his month-long stay here. “I have been to Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Hunza and Karachi and enjoyed trying out so many dishes such as Yakhni Pulao, Chapli Kabab and Biryani and even learned how to prepare these,” he said.

“Pakistan is a country that’s rich in diversity and culture. Each region has its own tastes,” the Japanese chef shared his observation.

“I want to introduce South Asian cuisine to Japanese people. I have already written about Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan cuisine. Now I want to also research and write about Pakistani cuisine,” he said before talking about various dishes that were created by mixing several cooking traditions such as Shashlik, which is a combination of Japanese curry and Japanese Kebab Yakitori, which incidentally is also akin to the Pakistani barbecue boti.

Professor of Ikenobo Ikebana and member of Lean in Pakistan Trade Circle, Asifa Ataka, said that food is a part of culture that can tell you a lot about a country. She said that Chef Naoki Naito approached her to teach him how to make pulao. “I said to him that I was in the habit of making ‘Chalao’ [make do] without the broth. But he wanted me to teach him how to make the authentic Yakhni Pulao,” she said, adding that in him she found a very attentive and hardworking student in the kitchen.

The Consul-General of Japan in Karachi, Hattori Masaru, also said that many cultures connect on the basis of their food. “Japanese cuisine focuses on fresh ingredients like sushi made with fresh seafood,” he said.

“The spices used in Japanese cooking are also quite unique and Pakistan is also famous worldwide for its bold use of spices,” he pointed out.

“Japanese and Pakistani flavours are different but our love for food and spices brings us together,” he concluded.

Shaikh Imtiaz Hussain of Imtiaz Enterprises, Biz Today International’s Executive Editor Rafiq Vayani and Shazleen Vahidy Iqbal also spoke.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2026