LET ME INTRODUCE….

Thank you for trusting and supporting Atelier Giri project!

Let me introduce myself, dear readers, my name is Megumi, I have non Japanese family name on my passport but I was born and purely grew up in Japan.

I come from south region of Hokkaido, where there is beautiful Mt. Komagatake and Lake Onuma (Quasi national park). Many Higuma ( brown bears ) live. In winter we enjoy skiing, snow boarding etc.

I started baking at age of 9, as my grandma was learning at patisserie class, and she bought me a kid's baking book. She travelled abroad a lot, and she was very knowledgeable, even practicing yoga back then. I still use now some of baking utensils from her, inherited, like aluminum cercles, loaf tins, cornetto corn etc.

In 2001 first time I wholesaled my bakings to a friend couple who started a small cafe in Tokyo. Quickly I found there are much more demands for dairy and egg free bakery. So I started own brand bakery at a stall, and later developed into a cafe, in year 2005. It was first vegan burgers with home made buns, paties, pickles and even mayo, and the first vegan crispy pizza we were selling. Also the first vegan modern parfait dessert, while only macrobiotic desserts were available in the market.

in 2015 I sold the business to a friend of mine, I started freelance retreat chef and catering in Netherlands. Among yoga group, I cook Ayurveda. I learn and practice Vedic cooking since 1996. By the way I adopted vegetarian diet in 1993 in UK. And not using onion and garlic in my cooking since 1996.

Today I continue consultation service for restaurants to develop plant based menu, improving taste and hygiene management.

Just after pandemic I started working at Studio Konijenenvoer for a new opening as a pastry chef. Here comes connection to Chef Damien. The other day Atelier Giri received gifts of two beautiful cookbooks by him. Maybe you would like to add them to your cookbook collection. So I had a wonderful experience working with him and due to my parents health issue I took a break.

Landgoed Klingelbeek offered me an opportunity to start own coffee place, at the end of 2022. I thought about it over the year. It is a commitment to the local region, the neighbors and environment, to the government that I pay tax, and it is a responsibility to the earth planet and beyond, contributing cultural value, further, leaning of personal character development.

Today, I realise that work is fun. Together with team, brilliand people has come around Atelier Giri in this one year. I am very fortunate to have met good people. I would love to spend more time creating another outlet in Netherlands, retail goods development, B2B network etc.