Shirley Booth

I lived in Japan for several years. I have over twenty years experience writing about, demonstrating and consulting on Japanese food and culture. I founded the British Sake Association to further understanding of Japanese sake in the UK and to encourage people to drink it with non-Japanese cuisine. I have produced and directed numerous TV programmes on food and drink and traditonal food cultures. I am the author of the award-winning book Food of Japan (Grub Street), and have contributed to numerous books and publications, as well as appearing on TV and radio.

Special subjects

Japanese food and culture; Zen vegetarian cuisine; Japanese sake; traditional food cultures and food production (especially miso, kimchee etc)

Languages spoken

Some Japanese

Regular work

Events organising and sake selection for the British sake Association; monthly food and recipe column for my local magazine in Dorset (Eggardon and Colmers View); committee member of the Bridport Food Festival Group; I regularly interview well-known food writers as part of the Bridport Literary Festival, and I am an experienced speaker at events and symposia

Advisory boards / Awards

I was the first UK recipient of the Japanese Agriculture Minister's Award for Overseas' Promotion of Japanese Food (2006); Food of Japan awarded a Japan Festival Prize (2000) and short-listed for the Guild of Food Writers' Jeremy Round Award (2000); my feature length documentary, Japan:Food For The Spirit awarded a Jury Special Prize (1987 Asahi Films Competition)