Grandma Junko’s Kitchen: Nagoya Specialties

Grandma Junko’s kitchen is filled with warmth, joy, love, and decades of culinary experience. Born and raised in Nagoya, Grandma Junko turned a passion for healthy Japanese cooking into her purpose. After fine-tuning her cooking skills and harnessing generational recipes, she went on to open a natural food store and teach healthy cooking classes. Today, Grandma Junko wants to share her kitchen-led passions with you! In this cooking class, you’ll learn how to make two Nagoya specialties: tebasaki-style chicken wings, kishimen flat udon noodles, and tenmusu-style onigiri. Tebasaki-style chicken wings are Nagoya's answer to the beloved buffalo wings. What sets them apart is their bold and flavorful seasoning. Marinated in a blend of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a hint of spice, the wings are then grilled to perfection. The locals love to pair these wings with a refreshing pint of beer or a glass of local sake, creating the perfect harmony of flavors. While udon noodles are popular throughout Japan, Nagoya has its own versio of this beloved dish with kishimen flat udon noodles. These wide, flat udon noodles are served in a savory soy-based broth, accompanied by an array of toppings like green onions, tempura bits, and slices of grilled pork. The noodles have a satisfying chewiness, and the broth is rich and comforting. Last but definitely not least are tenmusu-style onigiri: a perfectly seasoned ball of sushi rice, lovingly wrapped in a sheet of crispy tempura batter. Yes, you heard it right! Tenmusu combines the crispy goodness of tempura with the comforting simplicity of onigiri. Once you’ve created the three main events, you’ll also learn how to make classic Japanese side dishes like rolled omelets, and spinach or komatsuna in sesame sauce.