Emiko is an accomplished Australian-Japanese food writer, photographer, and cookbook author who has been based in Italy for the past 20 years. After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Emiko relocated to Florence, Italy, to pursue studies in art restoration. There, she met her husband, Marco, a Tuscan sommelier.

In 2023, Emiko and her husband opened Enoteca Marilu in San Miniato, a venue hosting cooking classes, culinary workshops, and other food and natural wine experiences.

Emiko is the author of six cookbooks, showcasing her deep knowledge and passion for regional cuisine: Florentine: The True Cuisine of Florence, Acquacotta, Tortellini at Midnight, Torta della Nonna, Cinnamon & Salt and Gohan: Everyday Japanese Cooking. This book, which explores the Japanese cuisine of her upbringing, received the prestigious Fortnum & Mason’s Cookery Book of the Year award and the Andre Simon Special Commendation. It is slated for an Italian release in September 2024 by Slow Food Editore.

Emiko has been writing about regional Italian cuisine and travel for over a decade. She contributes a monthly recipe column to Corriere della Sera’s “Cook” liftout and her extensive work includes a four-year column for Food52, where 200 articles on regional Italian food are still available. She has also served as a judge for the Guild of Fine Food World Cheese Awards and has been a consultant for Sarah Winman’s best-selling novel, *Still Life*, set in Florence. Her articles and contributions appear in numerous esteemed publications such as the Financial Times, The New York Times, Corriere della Sera, The Canberra Times, Saveur, Food and Wine, Conde Nast Traveler, Gourmet Traveller, The Kitchen, and more.

Emiko has made television appearances on Adam Liaw’s The Cook Up (SBS Australia) and Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip (BBC). Recently, she was honoured as one of the 50 powerful women in food by Italy’s leading newspaper, Corriere della Sera. Emiko continues to inspire and educate through her culinary expertise, enriching the food culture with every endeavour.