Debra Samuels

Debra Samuels was the recipient of the Japan Society of Boston’s 2020, “John E. Thayer III Award,” for outstanding contributions to the progress of the understanding and friendship between the people of the United States and Japan. She leads the program content and curriculum development of TABLE FOR TWO USA’s Japanese inspired food education program, “Wa-Shokuiku -Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese!”. 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.” Samuels 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). Many of the objects for both exhibits were from Debra’s extensive personal collection. Debra worked as a program coordinator in the Japan department and an exhibition developer at the Children's Museum, Boston (1992-2000). Debra lived in Japan with her family, 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. She has taught American cooking classes to Japanese and Japanese cooking classes to Americans for over 35 years. During Covid 19 she began teaching live online cooking programs to youth and adults which continue today.