Tokyo New Wave: 31 Chefs Defining Japan’s Next Generation, with Recipes

Fazzari employs all of her skills as a writer, photographer, and dining consultant living in Japan in this insightful look at the current Tokyo food scene. The author profiles 31 up-and-coming chefs—each get the star treatment with atmospheric full-page-portrait shots, as well as a few pages of smaller pictures that reflect the vibe of their restaurants. She also includes a q&a section in which she asks, “What is your earliest food memory?” and “For you, what does it mean to be Japanese?” A typical entry is one with Yoshiaki Takazawa at his namesake eatery. He is pictured staring intently at a spoon over a steaming pot. Fazzari explains how the dining experience at Takazawa’s restaurant is based on the Japanese tea ceremony, and Takazawa reflects that Japan is “convenient, comfortable and peaceful.” His recipe for sashimi calls for a large serving platter where, instead of a small bowl of soy sauce, 96 individual droplets of thickened leek oil are lined up in a dozen rows, providing a geometric juxtaposition to the foundation of thinly sliced rectangles of wagyu beef or sushi-grade fish. From Kan Morieda’s Salmon & Trout restaurant comes a nectarine and burrata salad with fermented tomato jelly. This is a unique cookbook, and in Fazzari’s hands, Tokyo’s culinary culture comes to life. [em](Mar.) [/em]