Born and raised in Japan, Aya’s cooking style has been heavily inspired by her mother and grandmother’s homemade Japanese comfort food. After graduating from college, Aya moved to New York City where she lived for more than 10 years. While working in finance, she really enjoyed being exposed to the variety of food cultures the city had to offer. She was always an adventurous eater and trying new foods that were simple yet delicious. She then realized what her grandmother and mother had been quietly teaching her throughout her childhood. No matter who you are, or where you come from; good, nourishing food brings people together. After having her first child, Aya moved to Connecticut, and decided to focus on raising her children while still remaining interested in cooking nutritious meals for her family. She further continued with her interest in food by earned her health coaching certificate at Institute for Integrative Nutrition, taking many courses at Le Cordon Bleu in Tokyo and several other courses in Tokyo, Kyoto, and NYC polishing her culinary skills. Today, she still continues to learn every aspect of cooking from fellow chefs at restaurant kitchens, cookbooks, and even from students who take her cooking class. She believes cooking is always evolving and there's always a new discovery awaiting. She believes Asian food should be approachable and wants to show others that they, too, can learn how to make everything from dumplings to noodles to sushi. Her aim is to remove the intimidation factor and show you that with the right ingredients and a little practice, these dishes can become part of your regular dinner rotation.