Derek Wilcox, chef of Shoji at 69 Leonard in NYC, is one of very few non-Japanese sushi masters in the world to have reached a comparable level to the best in Japan. Originally from upstate New York, Derek trained at Kikunoi in Kyoto for 7 years and at Sushi Aoki…

Some highlights from my lunch at Kiro sushi last week, easily one of the best “Edo-mae” style sushi restaurants in Europe at the moment. It is located in Logroño, La Rioja, the place you will probably not travel to eat sushi, yet it’s definitely worth a special trip. Most of…

Shuji Niitome, currently Japan’s number one tempura master in action. Until only recently, tempura master from Nagoya Shuji Niitome refused to be listed in any restaurant guides. As soon as he got onto tabelog.com, he soared to number one in Japan for tempura. Niitome-san is a true shokunin (and despite…

Imagine a simple technique, all in the twist of a wire. A technique with the potential to revolutionise fishing in the Western world. Dubbed Ikejime in Japanese, this method for slaughtering fish more ethically could also lead to a change in expectations of how fish meat should taste and age.…

Fabulous artwork by young Japanese ceramic artist Hashimoto Tomonari @hashimoto_tomonari and an excerpt about shadows from Jun’ichirō Tanizaki’s book “In praise in shadows”, perfectly describing the importance of shadows in the Japanese aesthetics .”Whenever I see the alcove of tastefully built Japanese room, I marvel at our comprehension of the…

I had been curious to interview Mitsuhiro Araki ever since learning he had given up his 3 Michelin stars in Tokyo and moved to London, only to regain them all just three years later. What does it take to give up all and start all over again from scratch on…

If you have ever witnessed a Japanese tea ceremony, then you know that it is a very special event. Unfortunately, many Westerners think the ceremony is just a fancy way to drink tea. As Fuyuko Kobori, a 17th-generation tea master and one of the rare women to attain this position…

“As fresh as it can be” is one of the most common pre-conceptions about sushi. Sushi masters in Tokyo have the world’s greatest seafood market to buy their fish, but often, depending on the fish or seafood they would mature it before serving to their guests. Yet few of the…

Pictures from introduction only Kawamura steakhouse, which is known for one of the most difficult reservations in Tokyo. It was the season of Alba truffles in October, but we decided to go for the “student” menu, which still cost us around ¥100 000 per head without wine. Full review here.

Images from my visit to Sushi Sugita last October. Some older articles I’ve written about Takaaki Sugita can be found here, here and here. He is a sushi master with a soul, who never ceases to evolve and is definitely my favourite.