About | COOKERY SCHOOL

Chef & Lecturer's Story

What’s Hideko's unique carrier background?

1. Professional Chef! ..... Heston Blumenthal, Gordon Ramsay

Hideko is a former Head Pastry Chef of the Fat Duck Experimental Kitchen and The Fat Duck.

Hideko has developed extraordinary sweets for Heston Blumenthal, including The Fat Duck, Dinner

by Heston, Crown, Hinds Head, Perfectionists Café, “Heston’s Great British Food” TV series,

Observer Food Monthly Award. Praised by everyone for her innate talent with pastry and academic

back ground, Hideko went on to work in some of the capital’s best restaurants, including 6 years at

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road. From joining , Le Cordon Bleu, in 2003 as a trainee

chef, she worked her way up to become Head Pastry Chef. In 2009 wanting a new challenge, she

took a position at The Connaught as Sous Pastry Chef where she was also in charge of Pastry at

Restaurant Hélène Darroze at The Connaught. In November 2010 she joined the team at the three

Michelin star The Fat Duck as Head Pastry Chef. Her unique skills and love of experimentation with

desserts made it a great fit. Responsible for the running of the pastry department, she also worked

closely with the Development Team on new desserts and chocolate work. Her responsibility expanded to the Fat Duck Group Pastry Development as a Head Pastry Chef of the Fat Duck Experimental kitchen. Throughout her career, Hideko has won numerous awards, including “Winner of the Roussillon wine and dessert trophy” in 2007. She participated as a juror for the “World Chocolate Masters - UK Selection” in 2012 and 2015.

2. Professional Educator! ..... Home economics teacher of a leading technical high school for 7 years in Kobe, Japan.
Hideko embarked on a career in teaching in Kobe, Japan. It was whilst teaching home economics - cooking, nutrition and food science – that she truly fell in love with the world of gastronomy and made the decision to pursue her passion in professional cooking. In 2003 Hideko left Kobe for London, to attend the famous culinary school Le Cordon Bleu where she graduated with distinction in 2005.

3. Academic Student & Researcher! .....National university's student and researcher of Education/Human Environment for 7 years in Japan.
Loving to cook and learn, Hideko dreamed to teach cooking to others. She attended Toyama University earning a Bachelor’s degree in education in home economics, including studies in cooking, nutrition and food science. Her appetite to learn and study further led Hideko to earn her Master’s Degree in Human environment at the Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences at Nara Women’s University in Nara, Japan. After graduating from a master course of Nara women's university in Japan in 1996 and staying at the graduate school as a researcher and as a teaching assistant,

4. Home Cooking Lover! ..... Training and cooking with mother for family in my 12 years-. Childhood
Hideko's culinary passion started from a very early age in the beautiful and traditional gastronomic city of Kanazawa, Japan. Hideko was born in Kanazawa where she was surrounded by the sea and mountains, both full of nature and fresh ingredients. Here, Hideko, at an early age, began to develop a sensitive palate and a desire for gastronomic challenges. Hideko has always loved food and cooking for her family, spending many hours cooking and learning skills alongside her mother in the kitchen. When she was 10 years old, Hideko attended a Christmas cake course with her mother. At the cake course, Hideko fell in love with the pastry side of the menu with all its artful designs and creations allowing Hideko to use her natural artistic talents.