Join us for a special afternoon celebrating Washoku—the traditional Japanese cuisine—with a focus on Shokuiku, the Japanese concept of food and nutrition education. This family-friendly program, Shokuiku: Family Day of Food Education – Celebrate Washoku, is presented in collaboration with Japan Fair (www.japanfairus.org) and Bellevue Children’s Academy (bcacademy.com).
This event marks the first time we’re bringing the concept of Shokuiku to our community. Shokuiku goes beyond simply teaching what to eat; it’s about nurturing a healthy relationship with food, understanding its origins, and recognizing its connection to our physical and mental well-being, as well as our culture and community.
Date & Time: Saturday, October 18, 2025 · 2:00–3:30 pm (Doors open at 1:45 pm)
Venue: Bellevue Children’s Academy North Campus- 14719 NE 29th Pl, Bellevue, WA 98007 | Map
Ticket: $15 Members | $25 Non-Members | Free Under 18 years old
About Bellevue Children's Academy
Bellevue Children’s Academy (BCA) is a private educational institution in Bellevue, Washington, providing a distinctive academic and holistic experience for students from Preschool through 4th grade. As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, BCA is dedicated to a curriculum that fosters intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, preparing students for success in a rapidly changing world. The school’s approach is centered on the student, combining rigorous academics with social-emotional development.
BCA’s curriculum for its Early Years (Preschool and Pre-K) and Elementary (Kindergarten through 4th grade) programs is based on the IB Primary Years Programme. This framework goes beyond traditional learning, encouraging students to actively participate in their education through an inquiry-based model. The school’s commitment to excellence is reflected in its small class sizes and diverse programs, which include specialties like art, music, drama, computer science, and physical education.
Bellevue Children’s Academy
14600 NE 24th St, Bellevue, WA 98007
14719 NE 29th Pl, Bellevue, WA 98007
425-649-0791
Featured Presenters
JASSW’s Celebrate Washoku is known for bringing together top-level chefs and cultural experts, and at our special spin-off session “Family Day of Food Education” we are thrilled to feature two distinguished presenters. We welcome Alissa Rutkowski, a strategic communicator from the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), who will speak on “Shokuiku in America,” highlighting how lessons from Japan’s school meal program can foster better nutrition for children in the U.S. We are also honored to host Reiko Yamada, a cooking adviser and author from Tokyo. Her presentation on the “Power of Food” will draw from her popular cookbooks, Everyday Onigiri: 101 Healthy, Easy Japanese Riceball Recipes and Miso Love, to demonstrate how food serves as a powerful tool for community connection and lifelong family learning.
Alissa Rutkowski – GCNF
Theme: “Shokuiku in America”
Alissa Rutkowski is a strategic communicator with expertise in branding, storytelling, and digital marketing. As the Communications Coordinator for the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), she develops messaging and outreach for key initiatives like the Global Child Nutrition Forum and the Global Survey of School Meal Programs. Her career highlights include serving as Director of Strategic Initiatives and Membership at the Joint National Committee for Languages and the National Council for Languages and International Studies (JNCL-NCLIS), where she reimagined events and lobbied for policies supporting multilingualism. Alissa is passionate about helping mission-driven teams optimize resources to foster innovation and global partnerships. She holds a BA in Psychology and Communications and is currently pursuing her Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential.
The Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF) is a Seattle-based nonprofit that supports governments and their partners in building high-quality school meal programs around the world. In 2024, GCNF hosted its signature Global Child Nutrition Forum in Osaka, Japan, where leaders from over 80 countries gathered to learn from Japan’s world-renowned school meal program. Forum participants experienced firsthand how Japan’s approach to Shokuiku—a “living textbook” for lifelong healthy eating—can inspire global action.
GCNF’s remarks will highlight those lessons and celebrate the opportunity to bring Japan’s example of school nutrition excellence to Seattle families, children, and community partners.
Global Child Nutrition Foundation
P.O. Box 99435, Seattle, WA 98139
206-485-0405
info@gcnf.org
Reiko Yamada – “Onigiri Recipe 101” and “Miso Love”
Theme: “Power of Food”
Reiko Yamada is a cooking adviser and author based in Tokyo, Japan. A graduate of Ferris University, she began teaching cooking in 1995 by hosting “Salon de R,” a private cooking workshop in her home. With 30 years of experience as a food coordinator at a children’s international summer camp, she believes that food is the “most basic form of diplomacy.” To further this mission, she now holds cooking workshops in Japan and internationally in locations such as Singapore, Korea, New York City, and Houston. She also launched the “Onigiri Diplomacy Club” on Facebook to expand the “onigiri circle” worldwide.
She is the author of cookbooks that celebrate Japanese comfort food. “Everyday Onigiri: 101 Healthy, Easy Japanese Riceball Recipes” is a bilingual cookbook that features a variety of simple and healthy onigiri recipes. Her latest book, “Miso Love” is a guide to cooking with miso, showcasing the versatility and health benefits of this traditional Japanese ingredient.
