In 2017, I published my first book about Japanese food and traveling tips, “Adventure Japan”. I work as a freelance translator, interpreter, and writer since 2009. My passion in cooking and food is second to none. We are proud to support API small business in the Greater Boston area.I have been living and traveling around Japan for almost a decade. Also, you can follow Youji on instagram at /youjijs. Sorry Jimmy, it’s all down hill from here LOL.įor more information, please visit Washoku Renaissance.
#Washoku beyond sushi how to
The only problem now is that I’m not really sure how to top this event for next year.
It was almost hard to believe that these masterpieces came out of our own kitchen. And most importantly, Jimmy loved the experience.Īs for clean up, Youji and his equally amazing assistant left our kitchen spotless. He clearly takes great pride in his work and everything was done with passion and enthusiasm. As complex and labor-intensive (for the chef) the event was, Youji made the experience so easy for us. We felt privileged to learn about our chef’s influences and the impact this had on his culinary journey.Īs for the whole process, I can summarize with the word seamless. This idiom is very personal to Youji as he honored his father’s favorite saying. It’s an ode to innovation that incorporates tradition and this innovative energy was undoubtedly reflected in our dinner experience. The idiom (written in Traditional Chinese characters) means gaining new knowledge by reviewing the old.
Youji even did spoon calligraphy with nori emulsion on each plate using the following Chengyu (idiom expression): 温故知新 (each plate had a respective character). But really, they were all beyond amazing and we will remember it all for a long time. Some of the dishes that really stood out were the Wagyu A5 with Japanese mushrooms on hot stone, the lobster miso-bouillabaisse, and the duck tataki from the Shogun Feast appetizers. Every bite from start to finish was so satisfying. We are still having a hard time deciding our favorites, as the entire menu was delicious. Of course, I had to include our adorable cat Ollie in the menu design. I was also happy to contribute some small illustrations for the menu. As an artist, I really appreciated his meticulous attention to detail from the food to the table setting-especially his ikebana (flower arrangement) skills. Each bite was delicious and well balanced. Youji spent a lot of time crafting the menu to create an unbelievable experience. We felt like we had our very own private 3 Michelin Star-rated dinner experience at home. The event turned out to be more magical than I could have imagined. And the weather was beautiful which allowed fresh air to flow through our home. Luckily for us, by the time May arrived, all of us had been vaccinated. Youji had also made a visit to our home to check out the kitchen space so he knew what he was working with-and to assess any safety concerns. Of course, safety protocols were top priority. Youji was kind and great to work with throughout the whole process. I was so happy he agreed to create this special event! He was equally as excited for this creative endeavor. After all, Jimmy’s favorite cuisine is Japanese. I asked if he would be willing to do a private omakase-style meal in our home. I remembered our good friends at Crane & Turtle (this shop is curated with the most wonderful selection of Japanese home goods, by the way) had collaborated with him previously and I decided to reach out. The first name that came up was Chef Youji. Not to mention, any sense of work-life balance has been thrown out the door during the pandemic and I wanted us to have a fun experience to get our minds off of work-Jimmy especially. Trying to plan things to look forward to (and to maintain some sanity), I was wondering how to safely create a special event given our circumstances. March 2021 was still in the midst of the pandemic and we were unsure of when vaccines would be available to the general public. Back in March of 2021, I started planning a celebration for my partner’s birthday that is in May.
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