Teachers
Our Kikisake-shi Course teachers combine solid knowledge, practical experience, and a true passion for sake and Japanese culture.
Through Their Classes, They not Only Transmit Theory, but also Experiences, Anecdotes, and a Unique Way of Understanding this Ancient Beverage. Meet Them and Discover Everything You Can Learn from Them. Check out the Testimonials of those who Have Already Learned with Them Here.
Roger Ortuño Flamerich
Teacher of the Kikisake-shi course in Barcelona
Recognized sake sommelier with three decorations from the Japanese government. His career combines the field of communication with the training and dissemination of Japanese gastronomy. He is the founder and director of ComerJapones, the leading website on Japanese gastronomy in Spain and Latin America, where he collaborates with various institutions and brands.
Author of OISHII, Illustrated Dictionary of Japanese Gastronomy (Satori Ediciones, 2019), now in its third edition, and The Book of Sake, awarded the Roca Awards prize for best unpublished work.
He is a sake teacher in the Higher University Diploma in Sommelier at CETT-UB, the Sommelier Course at the University of Girona, the Culinary Institute of Barcelona, JOVIAT Hospitality, and Hofmann Culinary School. In addition, he has lectured at Japanese embassies in a dozen countries and has collaborated with various Japanese government institutions.
Featured qualifications:
- Sake Sommelier / Kikisake-shi (SSI)
- Level 3 Award in Sake – Pass with distinction (WSET)
- Certified Sake Professional – The Sake Education Council
Become a Professional Sake Sommelier
Sake is a drink with a fascinating history and a great diversity to discover. My goal is to transmit this passion and make it easy for everyone to enjoy and understand it in a simple and approachable way.
Ángel Manuel Díaz
Teacher of the Kikisake-shi course in Madrid
A passionate disseminator of sake and Japanese culture, Ángel Manuel Díaz was certified as Kikisake-shi (no. 318060) in 2022 by the Sake Service Institute International (SSI). Since then, he has dedicated his career to the training, advice and dissemination of sake in various professional and educational contexts.
He currently works at Shuwa Shuwa- Izakaya – Japanese Tavern, where he leads tastings, courses, and personalized pairing experiences. His approach combines technical rigor with closeness, making sake an accessible drink for all audiences.
He has collaborated with the MOM Culinary Institute and other training centers in seminars and courses on sake, and has worked as a trainer for dining room teams in restaurants in Madrid. He has also taught official Kikisake-shi courses in collaboration with SSI and advises locals on the creation of sake menus and specialized training.
