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 discover the world of Japanese citrus fruits and how you can use them, and Megumi’s mission and activities to s ..read more

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 proved his talent at notable restaurants in New York, including BondST and Morimoto. There used to be a b ..read more

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 food supply system and how he practices it at Enowa, the joy and the challenges of running a restaurant ..read more

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 definition, the difference between wagyu, washu, and Kobe beef, the grading program to guarantee wagyu’s qual ..read more

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 Blue aims to exceed its parent brewery in Japan. On this episode, we will discuss why the company decid ..read more

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 Rosella, which earned many accolades and was named one of the Best New Restaurants in America by Esquire Mag ..read more

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 episode, we will discuss how a young man from Japan became a private sushi chef in New York, his unique phi ..read more

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 cuisine and Japanese cuisine in the style of Spanish tapas. He marries the seemingly opposite food c ..read more

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 domestic Japanese sake market has been shrinking due to a number of reasons, including the ..read more

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 you may have seen its sake labels at Japanese and non-Japanese restaurants and local retailers. Brian an ..read more