Sayuri's early experience with an unconventional way of eating fueled her enthusiasm towards healthy food from an early age, and naturally prompted her into the field of preparing natural foods.

She worked as a chef at Pure Cafe in Tokyo, the world wide delicatessen style cafe in Tokyo, and developed her passion for the art of vegan cuisine. Having studied the macrobiotic approach at Lima Cooking School in Tokyo and independently studied natural hygiene and plant base nutrition, Sayuri found herself in the raw food lifestyle, even before her formal training in this field.

For the last four years, Sayuri has prepared a range of cuisines - both raw and cooked vegan - at the Purple Valley Yoga Retreat Centre in Goa, India, for six months out of the year. During the off season, she caters for yoga retreats and teacher trainings, and teaches vegan/raw classes internationally.

Sayuri also worked at Samudra, the raw food restaurant, in Australia. In 2009 and 2010, Sayuri directly assisted raw food chefs Simone Power and Matt Samuelson at Radiantly Alive's Vibrant Living Yoga Teacher Training in Bali, and was the head chef for the two week Level II Module in May 2010. She returns to us as head chef again this year.

Having moved around the world over five years, her pursuit for love and integrity through food and yoga, body, mind, spirit and nature derives from a personal connection to a source within herself and commitment to reach and inspire others.

Her creativity and passion for food and life is limitless!

Sayuri says:
"Cooking/uncooking is a magic in the name of love!"
"It's got to be an excitement. I am on the mission to give 'wow!' on every single meal!"
"My intention is to guide people gradually toward the healthier, more conscious, sustainable way of eating/ living by feeling good experience through my food."
"As yoga transforms you, I guarantee you, so does good food!"