At the Chef’s Table: Coaxing flavor with Heat
People ask, “Why do you cook?” The answer is simple: I love it. It’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
When I was about 4 or 5 years old, growing up in Japan, my mom worked as a cook in a dorm. I loved going with her to work and watching her closely as she cooked.
I was her sous chef, so to speak. And though my mom didn’t want me to touch the knives at her work, she would let me at home. She was my earliest culinary influence.
I found inspiration in other experiences of my youth— working in a ramen noodle shop as a 16-year-old, and at a fish market at 19, where I became well-versed in seafood.
When I came to the United States to learn English at age 21, it seemed only natural that landing a job as a chef would be the thing that would keep me here.
In Japan, it’s common to cook on a robata grill at home. It’s second nature to me. The grill is unique because it creates very high heat and gives a special, more natural, flavor to the food.
In Japan, so much of the presentation is meant to evoke the kind of beauty that you see in nature. The robata doesn’t create a lot of grill marks. Americans like seeing grill marks on their steaks, but the Japanese don’t need that.
For the complete story, click here.
When I was about 4 or 5 years old, growing up in Japan, my mom worked as a cook in a dorm. I loved going with her to work and watching her closely as she cooked.
I was her sous chef, so to speak. And though my mom didn’t want me to touch the knives at her work, she would let me at home. She was my earliest culinary influence.
I found inspiration in other experiences of my youth— working in a ramen noodle shop as a 16-year-old, and at a fish market at 19, where I became well-versed in seafood.
When I came to the United States to learn English at age 21, it seemed only natural that landing a job as a chef would be the thing that would keep me here.
In Japan, it’s common to cook on a robata grill at home. It’s second nature to me. The grill is unique because it creates very high heat and gives a special, more natural, flavor to the food.
In Japan, so much of the presentation is meant to evoke the kind of beauty that you see in nature. The robata doesn’t create a lot of grill marks. Americans like seeing grill marks on their steaks, but the Japanese don’t need that.
For the complete story, click here.
Chicago Sun-Times (June 15, 2011)