Our guest is Megumi Hwang, the co-founder of KANKITSU LABO based in New York. She started KANKITSU LABO with the goal to revive the declining citrus farming industry in Japan and spread unique flavors of Japanese citrus to the world. You may have heard of yuzu, or tasted it at a Japanese restaurant and enjoyed its distinctively refreshing flavor. Citrus fruits are very popular in Japan, and there are numerous original varieties in the country other than yuzu. On this episode, we will...

Our guest today is Robby Cook, who is the chef at Coral. Coral opened in October 2023 and is located next to Grand Central Station in Manhattan. Robby’s path to becoming a successful sushi chef is unique and impressive. He joined us on Episode 37 in 2016, when he was the executive chef at Morimoto, and talked about his intriguing journey to becomimg a successful sushi chef. Inspired by the world of sushi and its tradition, Robby studied at the California Sushi Academy. After graduation, he...

Our guest is Tashi Gyamtso, the chef at Enowa. Enowa is a beautiful new restaurant and hotel in Yufuin, a remote town in the southern part of Japan. Enowa represents Tashi’s unique culinary philosophy, which he has developed through his diverse experiences in the U.S. and abroad, including his career as a sous chef at the Michelin-starred Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York. On this episode, we will discuss how Tashi, who is originally from Tibet, got into cooking, his idea of the desirable...

Our guest is Yuki Ueki, the assistant vice president of Zen-Noh America. Zen-Noh America is a subsidiary of the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations of Japan. As you may know, Wagyu beef is known for its extreme marbling and delicateness, as well as its unique, pleasant flavor. Behind its deliciousness, there is so much to discover such as its breeds, how it is raised, and the healthy unsaturated fat it contains. In this episode, we will discuss what wagyu is by...

Our guest is Mike Satinover, the chef/owner of Akahoshi Ramen in Chicago, which opened in November 2023. Mike joined us on Episode 280 in November 2022 and shared his fascinating story of how a young man who grew up in Chicago got into Japanese culture, ended up living in Japan, and discovered the profound world of ramen. Among ramen connoisseurs and aficionados, Mike has been known as Ramen Lord on Reddit and Instagram. He has been generously sharing valuable knowledge and educating...

Our guest is Kazuhiro Sakurai, the 4th generation and CEO of Asahi Shuzo, the maker of Dassai sake. Dassai is the biggest export brand of Japanese sake. Kazuhiro joined us on Episode 233 in July 2021 and shared the unique sake-making philosophy of the company, as well as why Dassai became so popular globally. In September 2023, Asahi Shuzo opened its first overseas brewery Dassai Blue in upstate New York. But it is not another brewery producing the same sake as in Japan to save costs. Dassai...

Our guest today is David Yoshitomo Utterback, the chef/owner of Yoshitomo in Omaha, Nebraska. Japanese sushi has become a big part of American food culture. The presence of many great non-Japanese sushi chefs in the U.S. proves that sushi does not belong only to Japan. These chefs serve to inspire the tradition and help push it further. David is a classic example of one of these chefs. He was nominated for Best Chef: Midwest by the James Beard Foundation in 2023, and this year, his...

Our guests are Jeff Miller, the chef/owner of Rosella and Bar Miller in the East Village in NYC, and James Dumapit, the executive chef at Bar Miller. They both worked at Uchiko in Austin, Texas, which is one of the most influential sushi restaurants in America. In 2017, Jeff opened Mayanoki, the first sustainable sushi restaurant in New York, with his business partner TJ Provenzano. They joined us on Episode 129 to discuss their unique philosophy. Since then, their business evolved into...

Our guest today is Isao Yoshimura, a private chef based in New York. Isao grew up in the countryside of Japan and came to New York in 1996 where he jumped into the restaurant industry, when authentic Japanese restaurants were still few and far between. His approach to Japanese cuisine is traditional, but his work reflects his free, creative adaptive mindset. For example, he fishes and grows produce by himself to achieve the best taste and flavors he wants to offer to his clients. In this...

Our guest is Victor Rivera who is the Head Chef at The Bazaar by Jose Andres in New York City. Before Victor became the Head Chef at The Bazaar, he cooked Japanese food in notable restaurants, including Masa in New York City, which has 3 Michelin stars. Also, he has a very strong culinary background in French with his experiences at top restaurants such as Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Edition and Le Bernardin. At the Bazaar in New York City, Victor uniquely incorporates traditional Spanish...

Our guest is Yohan Ourliac, the chef/owner of the Neapolitan pizza food truck “Pizza Bella'' located in Iizuka City, Fukuoka Prefecture in the southern part of Japan. Yohan is originally from France and worked in Australia, Canada, Korea, eventually arriving in Japan eight years ago, where he found his calling of making great pizza for his customers, many of whom became his friends. In this episode, we will discuss why a young Frenchman decided to move to Japan and become a pizzaiolo, how...

Our guest is Yoshiki Yukimachi, the 6th generation brewmaster of Takeno Brewery in Kyoto. Founded in 1947, Takeno Brewery is known for its high-quality sake as well as its innovative mindset. Yoshiki’s father, Yoshihei Yukimachi, initiated the transformation of the brewery’s strategy and introduced unique products under the Kurabu brand, which features ancient sake rice. Also, Yoshiki has produced creative products and put Takeno Brewery’s name on the map in the global market. Recently, the...

Our guests are Brandon Doughan and Brian Polen, co-owners of Brooklyn Kura, the very first sake brewery in New York, which opened in 2017 at Industry City in Brooklyn, New York. Brandon and Brian joined us on episode #105 in December 2017 and episode #178 in November 2018, where they discussed the unique concept of Brooklyn Kura and how they naturally incorporated the spirit of traditional sake-making into their craft-style sake. Since then, Brooklyn Kura has been growing exponentially, and...

Our guest is Kentaro Tsurushima, the President of Canvas Creative Group based in New York. He consults for Japanese food businesses with 20 years of experience in the field under his belt. Today’s topic is B Kyu Gourmet, or B-Class Gourmet. B Kyu Gourmet means B-rank dining experience, but it does not mean second-class food at all. Japanese people fondly use the term to celebrate less fancy but delicious food that you can casually enjoy on a daily basis. In this episode, we will discuss...

Our guest today is Yuu Shimano who is the chef/owner of Restaurant Yuu in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, which opened in May 2023. Yuu joined us in Episode #197 way back in 2020 when he was the executive chef at Mifune, a creative Japanese restaurant in Midtown, Manhattan, to discuss his unique culinary career. For instance, Yuu worked as the saucier at Guy Savoy in Paris, which had 3 Michelin stars. During the pandemic, Yuu actively supported essential workers by raising funds and making delicious...

Our guest is Shuichi Kotani, a New York-based master soba chef with over 25 years of experience. After working at prestigious restaurants in Tokyo, including Gonpachi and the Michelin-starred Edo Soba Hosokawa, he came to New York in 2008 and successfully served as the executive chef at Soba Totto in Manhattan. In 2012, he founded Worldwide Soba to introduce the profound culture of soba to the world. Since then, he has been crafting soba at events and consulting for restaurants in New York...

Our guest is Michael Magers, a documentary photographer and journalist who splits his time between New York City and Austin, Texas. He joined us in episode #307 and discussed his affection for Japanese culture and how he captures it through his lens, including works of Japanese “shokunin” artisans. Mike is a frequent collaborator with the highly acclaimed publisher Roads & Kingdoms, and served as the lead photographer on their award-winning books "Rice Noodle Fish” and "Grape Olive...

Our guest is Masami Asao who is a temple chef and registered dietitian based in Japan. She is also the Director of Akasaka Teran, a vegetarian cooking school located within Jokokuji, a 350-year-old temple in Tokyo. The Japanese diet is known for being healthy with lots of vegetables incorporated in daily meals. Also, there is a fully plant-based traditional cuisine called shojin ryori. Shojin ryori was originally developed as a part of Buddhist practices, but its healthfulness is gaining...

Our guest is Shinobu Kato who is the owner and brewer of New York’s own craft sake brewery Kato Sake Works in Brooklyn, which opened in 2020, right before the pandemic. He joined us in Episode 189 to discuss his new brewery and the fascinating story of how his well-established corporate career transformed into entrepreneurial sake brewing in New York. COVID-19 hit his burgeoning business extremely hard, but Shinobu turned the challenges into opportunities to carefully solidify his customer...

Our guest today is Erina Yoshida, the owner of Angel’s Share in New York. She joined us in Episode 165 and shared her unique life story as a daughter of Tony Yoshida, the powerful figure behind New York’s thriving Japanese food culture. Now, four years later, she herself is a successful business owner and the leader of the amazing team at Angel’s Share in Manhattan. If you are a cocktail fan in New York, you must have heard of Angel’s Share. Founded in the East Village, Manhattan, in...

Our guest today is Frédéric Panaïotis who is the Chef de Cave or Cellar Master of Ruinart. Ruinart is the oldest Champagne producer that was founded in 1729. You may wonder why Japan Eats! has a Champagne master as a guest, but Champagne goes well with many different types of cuisines, including Japanese food. But it is not the only reason why Frédéric is here. He has a deep understanding of Japanese culture and is fluent in Japanese, including the Osaka dialect. In this episode, we...

Our guest is Daisuke Nakazawa who is the owner and executive chef of the Michelin-starred Sushi Nakazawa. He opened Sushi Nakazawa in New York in 2013 and its success led to the opening of the second location in Washington, D.C., in 2017. He is also planning to open the third location in Los Angeles later this year. He is also the owner of Saito, an izakaya and sake bar in Manhattan’s Nolita, which he opened in 2022. You may have seen Chef Nakazawa in the legendary documentary film “Jiro...

Our guest is Michael Magers, who is a documentary photographer and journalist who splits his time between New York City and Austin, Texas. He is a frequent collaborator with the highly acclaimed publisher Roads & Kingdoms (legendary author and television host Anthony Bourdain was a partner and investor in Roads & Kingdoms), and served as the lead photographer on their award-winning books "Rice Noodle Fish” and "Grape Olive Pig." Michael’s images are exhibited both internationally and...

Our guest today is Mitsunori Isoda, the executive chef at Omakase Room by Mitsu in New York. The Omakase Room serves authentic Japanese Edomae-style sushi at his beautiful 8-seat hinoki wood bar counter in Manhattan’s West Village. These days you can find great sushi restaurants in New York and other global cities around the world, but we don’t often get to understand the philosophy of each sushi chef. In this show, we get an exclusive look at how a sushi chef strives to create the guests’...