Meisters

“Meister” is a national qualification in Germany bestowed to masters of craftsmanship and other manual industries. Once certified as a Meister, this person is entitled to set up his or her own business.

In Germany, the status of Meister is awarded only to those who have passed the very difficult national examination. Needless to say, the examination checks whether the candidates have sufficient experience and first-class skills in their specialist fields, but candidates are also tested in all areas including social commonsense and pedagogy.

There are four Meisters at Juchheim today, dedicated to the pursuit of delicious flavors.

Meister Akira Andoh

Meister Akira Andoh

Talented and endowed with outstanding culinary sense, he produces fresh flavors in his unique free style, unconstrained from the conventional concepts of borders and cultures.

The cakes and sweets produced by Meister Andoh always deliver moments of delight and excitement.

1978 Qualified as Meister.

Profile

1950 Born in Hyogo Prefecture on July 1.
1969 Joined Juchheim upon graduating from senior high school.
Three years of training at the Kobe Factory.
Involved in the launch of Fukuoka Juchheim.
Studied German in between his busy work.
1976 Achieved his long-cherished dream of traveling to Germany to pursue his studies.
Honed his skills at Cafe Laumer.
1978 Enrolled at the Meisterschule in Wolfenbuttel.
Passed the Meister examination in December.
1979 Studied Viennese pastry at Cafe Riedermann, Austria.
Returned temporarily to Japan (for the opening of Akasaka Rosenheim).
1982 Awarded the Federation Chairman’s Prize at the 1st Japan Pastry Competition.
1983 Went to France to pursue his studies.
Trained at Patisserie Peltier.
1984 Returned to Japan, and opened the first Peltier store in Japan in Harajuku, Tokyo.
1985 Awarded the Gold Prize and the Federation Chairman’s Prize at the East Japan Confectionery Art Contest.
1986 Awarded the Excellent Prize at the International World Cake Fair 1986.
1987 Awarded the preliminary contest in Japan for the Charles Proust Cup (thus qualifying for the final round in France).
Awarded the Bronze Prize at the 2nd Japan Confectionery Art Contest. Awarded as a person of special talent and expertise (Yūshū-Ginōsha-shō), by Kobe City.
1988 Awarded the Silver Prize at the final contest of the Charles Proust Cup held in France.
Appointed as instructor at the vocational training school of the Hyogo Prefectural Confectionery Association.
1991 Awarded the 2nd Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie (the World Pastry Cup).
1992 Awarded the Bronze Prize at the 3rd Japan Confectionery Art Contest.
1997 Awarded the Special Prize at the 4th World Competition of Maitre de Patissiers.
2001 Served as judge at the 5th World Competition of Maitre de Patissiers.
2007 Certified as “Meister of Kobe”.
2008 Certified as “Takumi (Great Master) of Hyogo” (a title newly established by the Governor of Hyogo Prefecture).
2010 Granted the Ginō-Kenkō-shō, an award for his distinguished services in promoting technical artisanship by Hyogo Prefecture.
Awarded as a person of distinguished services and expertise (Yūshū-Ginōsha-shō) by Kobe City.
Meister Isao Iwatsuki

Meister Isao Iwatsuki

Meister Iwatsuki, who has spent many years in Germany and Paris, is highly knowledgeable and experienced in the production of cakes and bread.

2003 Qualified as Meister.

Profile

1977 Graduated from the Faculty of Business and Commerce at Keio University.
1978 Joined Juchheim. Assigned to work at the Kawasaki Factory of the Tokyo Office.
1987 Learned how to bake German breads in Gross-Umstadt, Germany.
1989 Went to Germany in September where he spent six months studying German.
1990 Worked at Juchheim’s German store inside the Goethehaus in Frankfurt, Germany.
1994 Worked at Patisserie Peltier, Paris.
2000 Returned to Japan after his stay in France. Worked at the Peltier store in Tokyo.
2001 Assigned to work at the Manufacturing Department of the Tokyo Office.
2003 Traveled to Germany in January to pursue his studies. Enrolled at the Meisterschule in Wolfenbuttel.
After passing the Meister examination in November, he returned to Japan and was put in charge of training and instructing confectioners at the Manufacturing Department of the Tokyo Office.
Currently, he is working at the Manufacturing Department of the Central Factory.
Meister Mikio Yoshika

Meister Mikio Yoshika

Meister Yoshika, who spent many years training in various parts of Germany, carefully selects the ingredients for producing cakes and sweets.

2007 Qualified as Meister.

Profile

1999 Completed his postgraduate course in the Faculty of Agriculture at Okayama University.
1999 Joined Juchheim. Assigned to work at the Kobe Factory of the Kansai Office.
2004 Studied German for three months from October to December in Bonn, Germany.
2005 From January 2005 to June 2006, he trained in Hanover, Germany.
2006 Enrolled at the Meisterschule in Kern in August.
2007 After passing the Meister examination in February, he returned to Japan.
Currently, he is working at the Manufacturing Department*of the Central Factory.
Meister Takamasa Wake

Meister Takamasa Wake

Meister Wake reproduces the authentic flavors of the original countries in his cake production, based upon his broad experience in Paris and Germany.

2010 Qualified as Meister.

Profile

1996 Graduated from the School of Agriculture of Meiji University.
1996 Joined Juchheim
1997 Assigned to work at the Kobe Factory of the Kansai Office.
1998 Assigned to work at the Nagoya Factory.
2000 Traveled to Paris, France where he trained at Patisserie Peltier.
2001 Returned from France in September, and was assigned to work in the Funabashi Factory of the Tokyo Office.
2007 Studied German in Schwabisch Hall, Germany for three months from October to December.
2008 From January, underwent training in Hanover and Munich.
2009 Enrolled at the Meisterschule in Kern in July.
2010 After passing the Meister examination in February, he returned to Japan.
Currently, he is working at the Funabashi Factory of the Tokyo Office.