Yes, Chef

Let’s talk about your experience with cooking. How did it begin?

“I was born in Tokyo, Japan, my dad was military. At an early age I was exposed to Asian cuisine. Even when we moved back to the states (Amarillo, Texas), my mother continued to cook Japanese inspired food.”

Did your mother teach you a lot about cooking?

“She inspired me, I guess. I also have an older brother and younger brother and my parents worked a lot. Often, I took over the role of home and house chores and that included cooking. …I watched a lot of the cooking shows on public television. Growing up, we only had a few channels, so I watched chefs like Emeril (Lagasse) and Julia Child almost daily.”

As a teen, were you inspired by these celebrity chefs?

“Sure, but I grew up modestly. I had to work with what we had in the pantry. I believe it’s those kinds of challenges that make me better, that, and the awesome support from my family. …It’s actually how I came up with the Wicked BLT at Oz Coffee Bar. I needed a signature sandwich on the fly, so I worked with what we had in the kitchen, and that day, it was some amazing bacon, so I made it the star ingredient.”

Did you attend culinary school?

“I was a student at the Art Institute of Dallas and completed my French basics, however, I prefer hands on learning and moved back home to Amarillo to dive straight into the restaurant industry. I was trained professionally by 3 Michelin Star Chinese Chef Richard Chen who I really admire. Today, I continue my growth by challenging myself to new international dishes weekly. Other chefs I’m inspired by are Dominique Crenn and Gordon Ramsay.”

Related Articles

Related