Chef Koichi Izumi is well known in his home country Japan and presents the Japanese World Chocolate Master. He was awarded numerous prizes and accolades, including the Entremet Chocolat semi-Grand Prix at the 2004 Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, the third place at the 2005 World Chocolate Masters, and the World Pastry Team Championship in 2006.

He is a chef-owner of Asterisque in Tokyo and Callebaut Ambassador, thus sharing his savoir-faire and chocolate techniques with other pastry chefs worldwide.