Yumi was born and raised in a beautiful, historical town by the ocean, Kamakura, Japan. She began her training in the kitchen at a very young age— she would help her mother prepare food for six family members of three generations. She remembers the feeling of joy and passion while exploring her mother’s cook books and creating her own creations to share. Fresh food markets helped develop discernment for the best ingredients and inspiration to create her own recipes.

Her previous occupation as a ski and snowboard instructor and a heli-ski guide led Yumi to reside in Queenstown, New Zealand and Whistler, BC, Canada. Through rehabilitation from two surgeries due to sports injuries, she became a certified Yoga instructor in Canada while she studied and practiced Ayurveda. She began to recognize that anything we consume and are exposed to has certain effects on our body, mind and spirit. She started exploring the way to activate the healing power with in all of us. Studying and practicing the power of healing food everyday became her passion and life work.

After she landed on Kaua’i in 2005, she experimented with being 100% raw vegan and also studied many different modalities of cleansing and detoxing. Now she enjoys a healthy island diet based on the theory drawn from a macrobiotic concept: “Eating the abundance within four miles of your home gives us the best immune system.” After practicing this concept for years, she is convinced it creates harmony and balance with the island she lives on while contributing to her well-being. Our everyday choice of practicing ecological and sustainable living contributes to the beloved Mother Earth. Now she is ready to share her skills, knowledge and experiences with the world!