Yūto Tsukuda is a Japanese manga writer, born on March 13, 1986, in Fukuoka Prefecture. He is best known as the original creator and writer for the popular series Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma. Before this breakthrough work, Tsukuda authored two minor sports manga series: Shōnen Shikku, a soccer-themed story, and Ao no Rettou, which focused on ski jumping.

The creation of Food Wars! had an unusual origin. The initial concept was proposed by illustrator Shun Saeki, who envisioned a story featuring characters experiencing ecstasy from eating delicious food. Saeki, who was acquainted with Tsukuda from university where he was a senior, wanted to focus on the artwork and needed a writer to develop the narrative. At the time, Tsukuda had just experienced the cancellation of his previous work and was considering his next project. Despite having no background knowledge of cooking, he was brought into the collaboration by their editor and took on the role of writer, with celebrity chef Yuki Morisaki later joining the team as a food consultant to handle the recipes.

As the writer, Tsukuda was responsible for the story and narrative structure of the Food Wars! manga, which was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from November 26, 2012, to June 17, 2019. The series was collected into 36 tankōbon volumes. Tsukuda has described his motivation throughout the project as stemming from a desire to showcase the strength of Shun Saeki's artwork. The creative process involved collaboration between Tsukuda, Saeki, and their editor, with Tsukuda often suggesting ideas for the characters' exaggerated food reactions, which Saeki would then refine and illustrate in unexpected ways.

In addition to the main series, Tsukuda is credited as an author for the spin-off manga Shokugeki no Soma: L'étoile. This series focuses on the character Shinomiya Kojiro and his efforts to open a restaurant in Paris after graduating from Totsuki Academy.

The Food Wars! franchise has seen extensive adaptation into anime. The first season aired from April to September 2015, produced by J.C.Staff. The second season, titled Food Wars! The Second Plate, followed from July to September 2016. The third season was split into two parts, with the first cour of Food Wars! The Third Plate airing from October to December 2017 and the second half from April to June 2018. The fourth season, Food Wars! The Fourth Plate, aired from October to December 2019, and the fifth and final season, Food Wars! The Fifth Plate, concluded the story from April to September 2020.

In his interviews, Tsukuda has shared insights into his creative identity and preferences. He has stated that Soma Yukihira, the protagonist of Food Wars!, is his favorite character because Soma embodies traits he strives for, such as flexibility and resilience in the face of challenges. Regarding food, Tsukuda has expressed a particular fondness for writing about Japanese cuisine, as his familiarity with it allows him to write with confidence and better connect with readers. He has also noted that a background plot element from the beginning was Soma finding a girlfriend or future wife, which influenced the development of the series' diverse female characters.

Tsukuda has made appearances at international events, including his first North American convention appearance at Anime Expo in 2017, where he participated in panels and autograph sessions. During such appearances, he has spoken about the impact of international fan engagement, noting that seeing fan reactions online, such as YouTube reviews, helped motivate him to continue working on the demanding weekly serialization schedule.