Black Barley Risotto , Black Garlic, Savoy Spinach

Grilled Trumpet Mushroom, Green and Yellow Garlic chives.

Watermelon "Cooler" with local NY goat feta

Over  a year has gone by since the last posting on this blog......Where does the time go?  Many events, many dishes, many recipes , some hits ,some not, people places and things . Getting right to the point we are now a seven day operation here at the Met. Our Members Dining Room sous chef Matt Bernero came and went . He did a great job for us and we do wish him all the best in his new endeavor.Sous chef  Jason Huang who has been peppering the menu for the last year and a half  with  brilliant dishes remains and has stepped into leading role. I (we) are grateful and lucky to have such talent on our team.
Above is the first run through of a first course  for our  August  tasting menu " American Summer "
"Watermelon Cooler" sounds like a drink , looks like a soup , eats like a salad and a soup.

NRA Chicago May 5,6,7,8

JRO Umami Pantry with Yamato Noodle

Kristine, Ron,Chikako and Fred

Chicago NRA show .At the Japan Pavillion.

Ramen Fundementals

While in Tokyo I spent a week learning about Ramen at Yamato's ramen school.

This course was amazing! From making the noodles, soup stocks ,oils and tares to toppings and garnishes. A complete comprehensive course with all the infomation you need to know about the  ramen business.

Kikunoi Visits the Met

Smoking  salmon with cherry wood under a plastic tent was never so easy with Kikunoi's smoking device. Battery operated.

Tazmanian Salmon Cured and CherryWood Smoked

Kikunoi comes to the Met Museum. On April 14th Chef Murata with 3 chefs from Kyoto's acclaimed Ryotei restaurants and two chef from Kikunoi created a spectacular dinner for members of the Met

Dnner at Kajitsu

Now this is really Zen on a plate.

Dinning at Kajitsu and enjoying the Buddhist vegan cuisine (practiced by the monks for centuries) that gets an updated New York version is unforgettable. I can remember each dish , their sublime qualities beckoning mysterious nuances and umami. Do yourself a favor a go for dinner here immediately!

DASHI : cornerstone to Japanese cuisine

Here is a version of Japanese clear soup I made for a special one day in the Members Dining Room. Its made with dried bonita flakes, dried seaweed, (katsuo and kombu),

Yuzu peel ,Shitake, and Shrimp. Zen in a bowl. Not really but you get the idea.

This is a great soup to pour tableside!