This week on  Japan Eats , host Akiko Katayama is in studio with Sebastian Beckwith, owner at In the Pursuit of Tea. In Pursuit of Tea is a company with the mission to explore remote, traditional areas of tea production and find the finest teas available. In this episode, Sebastian talks about his experience working with and distributing tea to restaurants, the history of tea and the fascinating process of how different teas are made, how to differentiate different varieties and where they come from.

“You can have many steeps of tea from the same leaf [loose leaf] and get different flavors coming from each steep.”  [15:45]

“People think of matcha as just powdered green tea,[…] it certainly is not.” [32:45]

The Sencha, we thought always paired well with dark chocolate… [41:00]

–Sebastian Beckwith on Japan Eats

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This week on _ Japan Eats _, host Akiko Katayama is in studio with author, cook, and farmer, Nancy Singleton Hachisu.  Leaving California for Japan in the late 1980’s, fully intending to learn Japanese in one year and return to the States for graduate school, Nancy shares how she instead fell in love with a Japanese organic farmer.  Now living with her husband and three sons in their eighty-five-year-old traditional farmhouse, Nancy has taught home cooking to Japanese housewives for over two decades and is the leader of a local Slow Food convivium.  Her newest book, “Preserving the Japanese Way: Traditions of Salting, Fermenting, and Pickling for the Modern Kitchen,” introduces Japanese methods of salting, pickling, and fermenting that are approachable and easy to integrate into a Western cooking repertoire. Tune in for a thorough discussion on Japanese farm life and what is next For Nancy!

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Born and raised in New York, though has called Japan home for more than four decades, writer and Japanese Food Culture Specialist Elizabeth Andoh joins host Akiko Katayama for another informative episode of Japan Eats.  Explaining that her formal culinary training was taken at the Yanagihara School of Traditional Japanese Cuisine, in Tokyo, it was in 1972 that she began her own culinary arts program, A Taste of Culture. Combining spicy tidbits of food lore with practical tips and skill-building lessons on how to prepare Japanese food, Elizabeth’s programs are conducted in Tokyo and offer a unique opportunity for foreign residents and visitors from overseas to explore and enjoy Japan’s culture through its food.  Tune in to hear more about Elizabeth’s fascinating path through the Japanese culinary world.

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Chef Michael Romano is in studio for Japan Eats this week with host Akiko Katayama.  Talking his impressive background beginning at the iconic Serendipity in New York in 1971, it was upon impressing a young Danny Meyer that propelled Michael to eventually joining staff at the Union Square Cafe while it earned numerous accolades from The New York Times and Zagat.  Today Michael can be found, wearing the hats of both Chef and explorer, at Union Square Tokyo, the Japanese outpost of the New York restaurant. He shares details behind marrying the American restaurant to the Japanese culture plus more on this in-depth chat!

–Chef Michael Romano

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Ivan Orkin is in studio with host Akiko Katayama this week for Japan Eats!  Talking how this self described “Jewish kid from Long Island” fell in love with the cuisine and culture of Japan to becoming a renowned and respected chef, Ivan shares what specifically attracted him to refining his own style of ramen.  Discussing the evolution of ramen’s popularity in the Japan and the United States, Ivan also relays the importance of observing Japanese customs and traditions, details from his cookbook “Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession, and Recipes from Tokyo’s Most Unlikely Noodle Joint,” and what’s trending in ramen today.

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Meet Kenta Goto, guest on this week’s episode of Japan Eats, hosted by Akiko Katayama.  Kenta is the mastermind behind the newly opened Japanese-American bar, Bar Goto, located in the Lower East Side of New York City. Talking the differences between the American and Japanese bar scenes, and what makes the fusion of the two a unique experience at Bar Goto, Kenta shares his own brand of creativity when it comes to serving the best some of the cocktails in the city.  Does freshly chipped ice make for a better martini? What’s on the menu at Bar Goto? Tune in for the delectable answers!

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Japan Eats is back!  Host Akiko Katayama welcomes Shuho Yagi, owner of TIC Group, to the studio for a talk about his life and times, building a successful business, helping to define Japanese cuisine in New York City, plus establishing “Japantown” located in the East Village.  He shares that he fatefully missed his Japanese college entrance exam by ten minutes which prompted him to take his tuition money on an adventure to the United States.  Working his way as a short order cook, he quickly realized the untapped potential of introducing Japanese food to the American palate.  Priding himself by implementing traditional Japanese cooking techniques, it is no surprise that his T.I.C. Group is comprised of multiple, thriving restaurants that allow patrons to “Enjoy Japan without Airfare!”

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What do Japanese udon and jazz music have in common? Tune in to Japan Eats as Akiko Katayama is in studio with musician Kyoko Oyobe who hails from an udon and soba noodle family! Her father is well known in Japan for his quality, homemade udon and has served it in his restaurants for years. Kyoko shares her experiences growing up as a pianist in a food household and that while she may have studied music since she age four, she still knows a great deal about this delicious and versatile noodle. Interlaced with udon talk and musical selections from her upcoming jazz album, “Happy Silence,” this show is not to be missed! This program was brought to you by Edwards VA Ham.

“I grew up with udon and in the restaurant there are so many memories. My parents… are making people happy by serving a bowl of udon… I want to put out my good spirit and make people happy with my music. ” [32:30]

—Kyoko Oyobe on Japan Eats

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Japan is a land of long traditions including the intricate art of crafting Japanese knives, and today on Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is sitting down with Saori Kawano, founder and president of Korin Japanese Trading Corp. Sharing how she moved from Japan to New York in 1978 to pursue her lifelong dream of bringing Japanese knives and tableware into American restaurants and homes, Saori highlights the history, styles, and uses for these knives. Curious what distinguishes a western blade from a traditional Japanese knife or why your sashimi is cut so precisely? Tune in to this informative episode! This program was brought to you by Edwards VA Ham.

“The most popular traditional Japanese knives for western chefs are usuba knives.” [26:39]

“Sharpening knives is very good meditation time; don’t think about anything else just focus on sharpening the knife. It’s a very peaceful moment.” [29:47]

—Saori Kawano on Japan Eats

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This week on Japan Eats host Akiko Katayama interviews Kenshiro Uki of Sun Noodles for a discussion all about the production of ramen. Kenshiro talks about how the popularity of ramen has risen, particularly in New York. Ramen has become a breeding ground for creativity and expression in the food world and its popularity is growing everyday. Join Akiko and Kenshiro to learn just why ramen is such a great business to be in. This program was brought to you by the International Culinary Center.

“When you’re younger you like the rich broth, and then when you’re older you tend to like the lighter broths…one common thing is spicy, people are always requesting spicy.” [30:00]

— Kenshiro Uki on Japan Eats

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