June 4, The Gohan Society marked its 10th Anniversary with a sold-out gala celebration at the Sony Tower in Midtown, Manhattan.

The “Washoku” Award presented by Ambassador Motohide Yoshikawa, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations

Chef David Bouley, owner of Bouley and Brushstroke, and Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, owner of Nobu were presented the Gohan Society’s “Washoku Ambassador Awards”. The honorees exemplify the spirit of Washoku in their cooking and their everyday lives. “Washoku” means the “harmony of food” in Japanese, and it is associated with an essential spirit of respect for nature that is closely related to the sustainable use of natural resources. Washoku was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013.

The Gohan Society, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to building an understanding and appreciation of Japan’s culinary heritage in the United States through outreach to chefs, culinary arts professionals and all who admire and enjoy Japanese culture.

Pictured below, Chef Bouley with Chef Nobu and the evening’s keynote speakers, Nina and Tim Zagat:

The money shot! chef Nobu and Chef Bouley. #gohansociety#nobu#bouley#sonyTower#nyc

A photo posted by Yū.R.Suzuki (@yuta.belltree) on Jun 4, 2015 at 8:58pm PDT

Tonight I had the pleasure to serve chef Nobu along with my boss chef Bouley at a Gohan Society private event.

A photo posted by Tahi (@tahi15) on Jun 4, 2015 at 6:24pm PDT