Saturday,October 30th, 2026
5:00–6:30 PM EST
Online via Zoom
Zoom link to be shared with attendees upon registering
$10 Members | $15 Non-Members
JASGP Members use discount code: PHILLY (code is case sensitive)
Only one registration per household needed
Onigiri Action is an annual global campaign that connects the simple Japanese tradition of making and sharing onigiri with the goal of supporting school meals for children around the world. During October, participants are encouraged to enjoy onigiri, share photos, and help turn a simple meal into an opportunity to make a difference.
For this month’s Ouchigohan, we’re putting a modern twist on the classic onigiri with two delicious Onigirazu—a sandwich-style version of onigiri that is easy to make, fun to customize, and perfect for lunch or a light meal.
Our first Onigirazu combines ham, cucumber, and egg for a colorful mix of savory, fresh, and satisfying flavors. Our second features shiitake mushrooms and spinach, bringing together the rich umami of mushrooms with fresh, earthy greens.
To round out our fall menu, we’ll prepare Kabocha no Nimono, a comforting Japanese home-style dish featuring tender kabocha squash simmered in a savory-sweet soy-based broth. Naturally sweet, beautifully golden, and wonderfully comforting, kabocha is a perfect taste of the season.
Come cook with us, discover new Japanese flavors, and celebrate the spirit of Onigiri Action—one delicious bite at a time!
Registered attendees will be sent a list of ingredients and recipe about a week before class. You can either cook with us or just watch us from the comfort of your own kitchen!
Meet Our Instructor:
This class will be taught by Debra Samuels, lead curriculum and recipe developer for Wa-Shokuiku, a program of TABLE FOR TWO USA. Debra is an author of two cookbooks and co-author of Japanese Cooking for Kids, TFT’s new cookbook, and the 2020 recipient of the John E. Thayer III Award for Outstanding Contributions to Cultural Exchange Between the United States and Japan.
She was a food writer and contributor to the Food Section of The Boston Globe and has authored two cookbooks: “My Japanese Table,” and “The Korean Table.” She curated the exhibit, “Obento and Built Space: Japanese Boxed Lunch and Architecture,” at the Boston Architectural College (2015) and co-curated “Objects of Use and Beauty: Design and Craft in Japanese Culinary Tools,” at the Fuller Craft Museum (2018).
Debra also worked as a program coordinator and an exhibition developer at the Japanese department of the Boston Children’s Museum (1992-2000).
Debra lived in Japan, all together, for 12 years and specializes in Japanese cuisine. She travels around the country and abroad teaching hands on workshops on obento, the Japanese lunchbox.
Your donation helps to support Japanese arts, business, and cultural programs in Philadelphia including the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival, lectures and workshops, preservation of Shofuso, and much more.
