On Friday, July 10, 56 second-year students from the Chef Department (2-year program), Health Cuisine Department (2-year program), and Café Department (2-year program) of the International Culinary & Confectionery School (hereinafter "the school"), operated by NSG Group's International Comprehensive Gakuen in Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture (School Director: Kazuyuki Shitaya), participated in the 17th Niigata Prefecture Vegetable Cooking Contest. The students formed 15 teams and created original dishes using Niigata-grown tomatoes and eggplants.

This year’s contest welcomed Setsuo Morimoto, Honorary Executive Chef of Bandai Silver Hotel, as Chief Judge. The judging panel also included Takakatsu Kawamura, President and CEO of Bandai Silver Hotel; Airi Takano, Captain of the Western Cuisine Division at the same hotel; and Toshifumi Yamazaki, Executive Director of Niigata City. The teams had 90 minutes to complete their dishes under strict evaluation criteria.

Prior to the event, each team finalized their dish name and recipe using the designated ingredients—tomatoes and eggplants. After multiple trial preparations, they executed their final dishes within the limited competition time.

Hygiene practices were closely monitored during the competition. Points were awarded for clean knife and cutting board usage, proper cleanup of used utensils, and efficient use of ingredients. Entries that failed to demonstrate alignment with SDGs principles, such as minimizing food waste, were penalized, ensuring the competition reflected modern culinary standards.

Following a tasting evaluation by the judges, four teams received awards. The Grand Prize was awarded to a team of four students from the Chef Department for their dish titled 'Nasu-tapuri Gratin' (Eggplant-Abundant Gratin). This winning dish will be sold for a limited time at the Dancing Doll restaurant in Bandai Silver Hotel from July 18 to 25.

Comment from Sora Sakaguchi, a second-year student in the Chef Department:

"We are truly honored and delighted to receive the Grand Prize award.

Through this contest, I realized how everyday ingredients like tomatoes and eggplants can be transformed into something incredibly delicious with the right preparation. It was especially rewarding to have our original dish recognized by Chef Morimoto, who has long led Western cuisine in Niigata, as well as by the staff of Bandai Silver Hotel and JA Niigata City. Moving forward, I hope to continue learning and grow into a chef who creates dishes that leave a lasting impression on those who eat them."

The school is a comprehensive culinary institution comprising 10 departments, centered around six core programs: the Chef Department (2-year), Health Cuisine Department (2-year), Café Department (2-year), and Chef Training Department (1-year), all of which qualify graduates for the national 'Cooking License'; the Pastry Chef Department (2-year), which leads to the national 'Confectionery Hygiene License'; and the Nutritionist Department (2-year), which qualifies students for the 'Nutritionist' license.

Since its founding, the school has promoted education based on four pillars: 'Practical Education,' 'Ingredient Education,' 'International Education,' and 'Humanity Education.' Among these, product development is considered a key component of practical training.

The school will continue to actively promote student-led product development initiatives and deepen exchanges with local communities, schools, and organizations to cultivate practical skills, guiding students toward successful careers in the industry.

International Culinary & Confectionery School

【Departments】

Cooking License Programs: Chef Department, Health Cuisine Department, Café Department, Chef Training Department

Confectionery Hygiene License Programs: Pastry Chef Department

Nutritionist License Programs: Nutritionist Department

Dual-degree Programs: Food & License College, Food Business & Information College

Others: Food Production Department, Health Food Business Department

Address: 953-1 Omotemachi 6-banchō, Chūō-ku, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture

Representative: School Director Kazuyuki Shitaya

URL: https://food-673.jp/

＜About the NSG Group＞

The NSG Group is a corporate group consisting of 101 organizations, with core operations in education, medical care, welfare, and nursing. It also operates in diverse fields such as health and sports, construction and real estate, food and agriculture, trading, advertising, ICT, hotels, apparel, beauty, human resources services, and entertainment. With the keywords 'People,' 'Peace of Mind,' 'Work,' and 'Charisma,' the group aims to create initiatives that revitalize local communities from a private-sector standpoint, striving to make each region 'the happiest and wealthiest town in the world.'

＜NSG Group Website＞ https://www.nsg.gr.jp/

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Event