Feb 28, 2025

Vegan Japan: Bringing the Flavors of Mori Café in Paris to Your Home

Written by Team MUSUBI

Japanese restaurants can be found all over the world, but when it comes to vegan-friendly Japanese cuisine, the options are unfortunately quite limited. Even dishes that seem plant-based, like tofu dishes, often contain animal-based ingredients such as ground meat or eggs, making it challenging to find fully vegan options.

This challenge inspired Julia Boucachard, the owner of the vegan Japanese restaurant Mori Café in Paris, to take action herself. In October 2024, she published a new cookbook titled Vegan Japan through NY Magazine. Filled with enticing photos and easy-to-follow recipes, the book is designed for those curious about vegan cuisine or eager to try Japanese home cooking.

How did Julia first discover vegan Japanese cooking? What path led her to open her café and publish her book? Let’s dive into her journey together. Plus, we’ll introduce one of the featured recipes from her book: vegan nikujaga.

Table of contents

A Scientific Turn to Culinary Creativity Launching Mori Café in Paris The Cookbook: Vegan Japan Recipe for Vegan Nikujaga Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 35 minutes Serves 3 to 4 (Ingredients) Instructions What’s Next?

A Scientific Turn to Culinary Creativity

Julia was born in a small French town, where she spent much of her childhood watching her mother cook. “My mom is a wonderful cook,” she says. “She passed on to me her love for good food.” Despite studying biology and ecology at the university level, Julia eventually realized that research wasn’t where her heart lay. Around the same time, she adopted a vegan diet after learning more about meat and dairy production.

“I learned about the conditions of farming and how dairy and meat are produced. That was a big turning point for me. I already loved cooking, but after becoming vegan, I found it really difficult to get Japanese food without meat or fish-based ingredients. I thought, “Why not address this problem myself?”

Following her passion, she started working in restaurants—first as a waitress—to learn the ins and outs of the industry. After experimenting with recipes at home, the concept for Mori Café began to take shape.

Launching Mori Café in Paris

Starting a restaurant from scratch proved to be a major undertaking, especially since Julia’s academic background didn’t include business or marketing. “It felt like climbing a mountain,” she admits. “There were so many things I didn’t know, from management to design to finances. But being creative really helped—I loved coming up with our logo and designing the menu.”

Today, Mori Café stands out in Paris as one of the few vegan Japanese eateries. According to Julia, French diners often associate Japanese cuisine with healthy, vegetable-rich dishes, but truly plant-based options remain a niche. “A lot of our customers are excited to discover Japanese recipes without fish, meat, or dashi made from bonito flakes,” she says. “I think they appreciate that they can enjoy classic Japanese flavors in a fully vegan context.”

The Cookbook: Vegan Japan

Not long after Mori Café opened, a French publisher approached Julia about turning her recipes into a book. She jumped at the opportunity—even while juggling the daily demands of restaurant life. “It was hectic, but seeing the finished book was worth it,” she says. “After the French edition, an English-language publisher reached out. It all happened so quickly, but I’m grateful for the chance to share my recipes with a wider audience.”

When you open the book, one side of the spread features vivid photographs of the dishes—beautifully styled with tableware, cutlery, and placemats, making you eager to try the recipes—while the opposite side provides clear, sectioned explanations of the ingredients and recipe steps. Adding charm to the pages are adorable illustrations of ingredients and colorful drawings depicting Japanese kitchens and vegetable markets. It’s a thoughtfully crafted book filled with details that make cooking an enjoyable experience.

“A friend of mine—who is also the architect of the restaurant—did the illustrations, and I love how warm and family-oriented the images feel.” Julia hopes to expand that aspect further in future editions.

One of her favorite recipes is a vegan spin on nikujaga, a classic meat-and-potatoes stew. “I use big chunks of soy protein instead of meat, and the key is making a rich kombu dashi,” Julia notes. “Caramelizing the onions, choosing sweet carrots, and finding the right balance between sugar and soy sauce all help capture that satisfying, home-cooked flavor.”

Recipe for Vegan Nikujaga

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Serves 3 to 4 (Ingredients)

1 ¼ cups (80 g/2.8 oz) textured vegetable protein (TVP)
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 large onions, sliced
2 pinches of salt
4 to 5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
One 7-ounce (200 g/7.1 oz) pack shirataki (konjac) noodles, rinsed
¼ cup (60 ml/2 fl oz) plus 2 tablespoons (90 ml/3 fl oz) soy sauce
¼ cup (60 ml/2 fl oz) mirin
¼ cup (60 ml/2 fl oz) sake
¼ cup (50 g/1.8 oz) sugar
1 tablespoon kombu dashi powder
12 snow peas

Step 1

Rehydrate the TVP in 3 ¾ cups (900ml/ 30.4 oz) of water. Once the protein has tripled in volume and most of the water is absorbed, drain and squeeze it to release excess liquid.

Step 2

Add the oil and onions to a large pot over high heat and cook until the onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the salt and reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot with a lid, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions caramelize, about 10 minutes.

Step 3

Add the potatoes, carrot, shirataki noodles, and vegetable protein to the pot. Saute for about 3 minutes, until just starting to turn golden, then add the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, kombu dashi powder, and 1 ¾ cups (420 ml/14.2 fl oz) of water.

Step 4

Turn up the heat to bring to a boil. Use a slotted spoon to skim the foam that will form on the surface. Reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil, add the snow peas, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until tender, then drain and cut the snow peas in half lengthwise.

Step 6

When the sauce has almost completely reduced and the potatoes are tender, turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for an additional 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste with extra water or soy sauce if necessary.

Step 7

Divide the nikujaga into shallow bowls, arrange the snow peas on top for garnish, and serve.

What’s Next?

Running Mori Café isn’t Julia’s only focus. She recently moved to Annecy, near the Swiss border, and is considering opening another restaurant there—perhaps a ramen shop or a matcha café. Meanwhile, she regularly revisits Paris to introduce new seasonal dishes and to collaborate with local businesses. “We’re thinking about hosting ikebana workshops with a local florist,” she says. “Combining the art of Japanese flower arrangement with plant-based food feels like a natural extension of Mori Café’s mission.”

Julia also travels to Japan whenever she can, searching for fresh inspiration and discovering more vegan restaurants in Tokyo’s rapidly evolving plant-based scene. “Every year or two, I try to visit,” she says. “Ramen is my favorite, and it’s exciting to see more vegan ramen shops popping up.”

For those curious about cooking vegan Japanese dishes at home, Julia recommends picking up Vegan Japan. “I’m proud of how approachable the recipes are,” she says. “It’s all about sharing how delicious—and beautiful—plant-based Japanese food can be.”