Fumiko Kono

La soupe de Fumiko Kono from sooishi on Vimeo.

I came across Fumiko Kono through a documentary film I borrowed from the public library. But I found her story so interesting and inspiring that I thought I’d share it here.

Born and raised in Japan, she came to Paris in 1993 at the age of 37. There she didn’t only find a new home, but her life’s passion and calling too. She came to Paris without knowing a single word of French but through sheer will and diligence, she mastered the language. Neither did she have any background in culinary arts. Out of curiosity, she signed up at Le Cordon Bleu and worked her way up. She is now a celebrated chef a domicile who lives between Paris and Tokyo and travels the world to bring her talent to privileged kitchens and dining tables. She has come out with her own book of recipes:

What I take from her story is that it’s never too late to start a new career path. Doing so might just be the way to finding one’s  true calling. And being true to one’s roots and being open to another culture may just be the ticket to carving out a niche and to being successful. Finally, to have a food business, it’s not necessary to have a brick and mortar restaurant with all its overhead. One can ride the growing trend of “Private Chefs” where people, instead of going out, eat good food at home and entertain in the comforts of their own home.

Filed under: Ideas, Inspiration, chef a domicile, food business, France, Fumiko Kono, immigrant woman, private chef