In sleepless Tokyo where people are always on the go, gathering around a table to share a meal and reflect on the day may seem like a dying tradition.
But it's time to slow down and make the dining table the hub of family life again, says Shima Tassin, a woman dubbed the "housekeeping legend" for her famous exploits as an in-demand, in-home personal chef. Her advice: start eating like the French.
"It's the French who taught me the importance of family meals," says Tassin, a Yamaguchi Prefecture native who lives with her French husband and 14-month-old son in Tokyo.