Ema Koeda ‘05

Food Wine Bridges (Tokyo, Japan)

Born in Iran, raised in New York, and now based in Japan, Ema Koeda '05 is a restaurant consultant, recipe developer, author, and educator whose work bridges food, wine, and cultures. For more than two decades, she has collaborated across the restaurant, wine, and food industries, including over a decade as Japan Representative for Napa Valley Vintners. Working closely with vintners deepened her appreciation for the craftsmanship and passion behind every bottle of wine. Inspired by her culinary background and restaurant consulting experience, she developed an original wine pairing philosophy that reveals the fullest expression of both food and wine while honoring the dedication of the creators behind each. Through her book Food × Wine + Bridges, Ema invites others to see wine pairing not as a set of rules, but as a bridge that connects cultures, people, and the shared joy of gathering around the table. (Instagram: @ema_koeda)