Otemae Confectionery Academy
Graduate Interviews
![[Otemae Confectionery Academy]<br>[Graduate Interview] Image](/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/caf84a6ceff7b22a47ed3a20c9fbe674.jpg)
Continue the challenge with perseverance.
Creative skills were honed.
Nobuyuki Hirayama
Owner Chef of "dessert place SHIKISAI"
Otemae Confectionery College (※Closed in 2022)
Graduated from the Confectionery Skills Research Department/Confectionery Course in 2010.
After building his career as a pastry chef at Michelin-starred restaurants in Japan, he moved to France in 2016. He gained experience as a head pastry chef at two-Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris and opened his own dessert shop in 2020.
The experience gained from participating in the school's skills competition boosted my confidence.
Skills honed through competition directly translate into practical work.
Ayanae Hirayama
Pastry chef at "dessert place SHIKISAI"
Otemae Confectionery College (※Closed in 2022)
Graduated from the 2-year Confectionery Department course in 2011.
She won first place in the "cake decorating" category at a skills competition held within her university. After graduation, she gained experience as a pastry chef at Western-style confectionery shops and hotels. Currently, she runs the shop together with her husband, Nobuyuki.
Dessert Place SHIKISAI, a dessert specialty shop in Asashiobashi, Osaka, is run by a couple who graduated from Otemae Confectionery College. It's a popular shop that constantly receives media attention and attracts many visitors from far and wide. We delved into the Otemae spirit that nurtured their challenging creativity.
From intricate craftsmanship to store management, everything is a strength.
Nobuyuki Hirayama (hereinafter, Nobuyuki): I aspired to become a pastry chef while working a regular job. After completing two years of correspondence courses at Otemae, I wanted to receive more hands-on training, so I enrolled in a vocational school. The close relationship with Lecturer and the environment that made it easy to improve my practical skills were the deciding factors in choosing Otemae.
Ayana Hirayama (hereinafter, Ayana): Hearing about the realities of store management, such as cost accounting and sales strategies, from a renowned Lecturer runs his own store was very educational for me, as I've always wanted to own my own store.
Nobuyuki: I've found it very helpful that I was able to learn about a wide range of things, from cakes to Japanese sweets and bread. For example, the names and motifs of Japanese sweets are derived from seasons and seasonal words, and I've been able to get ideas for crafting techniques and product names from that knowledge. The library also had many specialized magazines, which were very helpful. I still refer back to the contents of cocktail magazines when I'm putting together flavors and aromas.
Ayana: I won first place in the "frosting" category at an in-school technical competition, where we had to spread cream evenly on cakes. This led to me being assigned to assist at a booth during the open campus where visitors could try their hand at making sweets. The experience of preparing ingredients and tools to ensure that Lecturer and participants didn't get bogged down proved invaluable as "foresight" in my work as a confectioner after graduation.
An environment that fosters creativity and encourages challenges.
Nobuyuki: Otemae was a school that supported and encouraged students' adventurous spirit. I have fond memories of the teachers tasting the dessert sauces I made as prototypes and giving me thoughtful advice. Also, during the training in France, I was able to experience cooking processes and techniques I had never seen before, due to the difference in climate from Japan.
Ayana: When I was creating a confectionery art piece called a "piece" made of assembled chocolate for the exhibition, my teacher worked with me through trial and error to realize my vision of making the roof of the merry-go-round slightly curved instead of straight.
Nobuyuki: When developing new products, I adjust the ratio of ingredients and the temperature to get closer to the ideal taste. The knowledge my teacher taught me, who theoretically explained the causes of failure, is still ingrained in me. The perseverance and creativity I cultivated here are what "STUDY FOR LIFE" means to me.
Ayana: I developed a strong work ethic by competing with my peers in skills competitions and exhibitions. I made a lot of mistakes at first. I believe that the "Otemae spirit" helped me develop the mental fortitude to overcome those obstacles.
*All information is based on interviews conducted at the time. (June 2026)
(Store data)
Dessert Place SHIKISAI
Phone number: 06-4394-7240
Address: 3-6-2 Tanaka, Minato-ku, Osaka City
Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays (open on public holidays) & irregular days
Instagram @dessert_place_shikisai
