Sonoko Sakai Title: Contributing Writer Education: University of California, Davis Location: Los Angeles, California Expertise: Japanese cuisine and culture, culinary education, soba, film Sonoko Sanai is a culinary educator and food writer specializing in Japanese cuisine. Sonoko contributed to the Los Angeles Times food section during her career in film imports and exports, then apprenticed with the soba master Takashi Hosokawa and now teaches soba-making and other cooking classes. Sonoko is the author of the cookbooks The Poetical Pursuit of Food, Rice Craft and Japanese Home Cooking, and her work has been featured in EatingWell, Saveur, the San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times and others. She is the founder of Common Grains, an organization dedicated to promoting Japanese food and culture. Sonoko believes that from ingredients to scraps, every meal should begin and end in the garden. Education B.A. in International Relations, University of California, Davis About EatingWell EatingWell, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, has been publishing award-winning journalism about food, nutrition and sustainability since 1990. Our mission is to share flavor-packed recipes from around the world, celebrating fresh ingredients and the farmers, artisans and chefs who bring them to our table. Through science-backed nutrition advice and smart stories about sustainability, we help readers live their best lives. Learn more about us and our editorial process.