As a cook and lifestyle guru, Harumi Kurihara has often been dubbed Japan's answer to America's Martha Stewart or Britain's Delia Smith. But in February this year, she scaled new heights when the English-language edition of her book "Harumi no Japanese Cooking" -- titled "Harumi's Japanese Cooking" -- was judged Best Cookbook of 2004 -- the highest honor bestowed at the 10th Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Orebro, Sweden. In scooping what's known in the culinary world as the "Cookbook Oscar," Kurihara not only outshone 5,000 entries from 67 countries, but she also became the first Asian to be awarded the honor.