Japan Eats!

This week's guest is Christina Lecki, the executive chef of Reynard in Brooklyn's Wythe Hotel. Lecki was inspired to pursue cooking after a trip to Japan, and she and Akiko discuss this pivotal experience, and much more! Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

This week, Akiko is joined by Dan Tominaga, the chef/owner of the "modern" Japanese restaurant Another C in Kyoto. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

Akiko is joined by Chris Pearce, organizer of The Joy of Sake, the largest sake tasting in the world outside Japan, with a superb array of premium labels and the best in traditional and contemporary Asian cuisine. Chris talks about how the largest sake tasting event outside Japan was born and became sake lovers must-go destination!!! Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

Host Akiko Katayama is joined by Yuji Haraguchi of Yuji Ramen, Okonomi, Osakana, and the newly opened Kyoto-style sushi restaurant Okozushi, all in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He also has a restaurant in Kyoto called Lorimer Kyoto. In this episode, Yuji shares his philosophy of introducing the unique Japanese "sea to table" fish culture to a global audience through his unique restaurants and a shop. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

On this week's show, Akiko is joined by Chuck Malone, the second American to work in a shochu distillery. In the fall of 2017, he spent three months in Amami-o-shima, an island off the coast of Kagoshima, making kokuto (black sugar) shochu. He’s now returned to the U.S. and is plotting his next move. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

On today's show, we welcome Dave Broom, author of The Way of Whiskey: A Journey Around Japanese Whisky. Broom has visited Japan 30 times in the past 16 years, studying and learning about its whiskies. In this major new book he shares his personal journey around Japan's whisky distilleries and the unique whisky culture of the country. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

Machiko Chiba is a best-selling cookbook author and television personality in Japan. Her invention, the patented Cook-Zen microwave pot, was the top-selling item on QVC Japan for seven years. A proponent of "good food and good health," she teaches her microwave cooking techniques to aspiring chefs around the world. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

Today's guest is John McCarthy, a former attorney who gave up the practice of law to attend the French Culinary Institute. After graduating from FCI at the top of his class, he worked for Chef Wylie Dufresne at wd-50 for several years, ultimately becoming Chef Wylie’s research and development cook. In 2012, he opened The Crimson Sparrow restaurant in Hudson, New York, which served a tasting menu of cuisine that employs French and Japanese technique and incorporates flavors and ingredients primarily from Japan and local farms surrounding Hudson. We discuss John's idea of Japanese cuisine, the fascinating concept behind his new restaurant OKA in Murray Hill, Japanese sweets, and much more! Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

Josh Plunkett started cooking at Chapter One in Dublin before moving to New York where he worked at Momofuku, Luksus and Atera. Having spent the last year cooking in Kyoto, Japan he’s getting ready to make a move to San Francisco. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

This week, Akiko is joined by Jamie Graves, the Japanese portfolio manager at Skurnik Wines, a leading wine and spirits importer and distributer based in New York City. Jamie has an extensive knowledge of sake, and discusses the Kimoto Method of making sake, how long sake keeps after opening a bottle, and much more! Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

On this week's episode of Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined in the studio by Andrea Fazzari, a Tokyo based international photographer, author, and dining consultant with a background in fashion and film. Her book Tokyo New Wave: 31 Chefs Defining Japan's Next Generation will be released on March 13, 2018 worldwide. She has written, photographed, and styled this unique 304 page book, her love letter to Japan and its distinct philosophy and approach to food. It includes 435 of her photographs, her insights, interviews, and chef recipes. Andrea is an insider in the city’s food scene, working regularly with Tokyo’s many influential and respected chefs. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

This week's guest is Ryunosuke "Jesse" Matsuoka, a certified sake sommelier, whose father was a top-ranked sumo wrestler in Japan before making his reputation as a chef in America. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

Akiko is joined by Frank Cisneros, a Brooklyn-based bartender who lived and worked in Japan for a year, immersing himself in Japanese cocktail culture. Tune in to hear how learning the intricacies of Japanese bartending helped Cisneros to elevate his craft. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

Akiko is joined by fellow HRN host Michael Harlan Turkell, author of the book Acid Trip: Travels in the World of Vinegar: With Recipes from Leading Chefs, Insights from Top Producers, and Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Make Your Own. Tune in for a discussion of all things vinegar! Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

This week's guest is Stephen Lyman, one of the leading American experts on authentic Japanese shochu. He has visited approximately 70 shochu distilleries and has sampled around 2,000 different brands. In 2015, he was the first person to become a certified shochu adviser through the Sake School of America. He was also designated the first shochu ambassador through the Cool Japan initiative from the Japan National Tourism Organization. He now works closely with the Japanese government, importers and distributors, and shochu companies to educate and promote shochu in the United States. In 2013 he began working at a handmade shochu distillery in Kagoshima every fall. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

Akiko welcomes Elizabeth Andoh of A Taste of Culture back to the program to discuss quintessential Japanese condiments and seasonings. A Taste of Culture is a culinary arts program that combines spicy tidbits of food lore with practical tips and skill-building lessons on how to prepare Japanese food. Programs are conducted in Tokyo, Japan, and offer a unique opportunity for foreign residents and visitors from overseas to explore and enjoy Japan's culture through its food. Instruction, by Andoh, is in English. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

On this week's episode, Akiko welcomes Murray Carter of Carter Cutlery, makers of handcrafted high performance cutlery using time-honored, traditional Japanese blade-smithing techniques. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

On the season premiere of Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined by Alexis Agliano Sanborn, an independent researcher, community organizer, and artist. Her research interests include food education, environmentalism, and sustainability. She received her Bachelor's degree in East Asian Studies and Japanese from UC Santa Barbara in 2008. In 2013, she received her A.M. from Harvard University in Regional Studies of East Asia. Currently, she is a Program Coordinator at New York University's U.S.-Asia Law Institute, as well as Table for Two's "Wa-Shokuiku Project." She is also hard at work producing her second documentary, "Nourishing Japan," which explores those who support the food education and Japanese school lunch system. You can support Alexis to finalize Nourishing Japan here. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

On this week's episode of Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined in studio by Brian Polen & Brandon Doughan, co-owners of Brooklyn Kura, the very first Japanese sake brewery in NYC. Now that sushi and ramen are part of the American diet people are becoming more familiar with sake and opening sake breweries across the country. Brian and Brandon share a bit about their experience brewing sake outside of Japan and mixing tradition with innovation. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast

This week on Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined by Mina Newman, the executive chef of Sen Sakana. There, she collaborates with Osaka native Taku Nagai, a well-respected chef in his own right, to blend Japanese and Peruvian flavors and dishes, showcasing the cuisine that was created with the migration of Japanese people to Peru. Japan Eats is powered by Simplecast