Dining with the Chef

Learn how to cook tempura at home. Chef Saito demonstrates the techniques needed to make crispy tempura using mountain vegetables of spring.

Learn how to cook kabayaki, a savory grilled dish. Chef Saito introduces a recipe with mackerel, helping us to enjoy kabayaki and rice at home.

Chef Saito was born and raised in Osaka. He guides us around its restaurants, cookware stores, and kombu kelp specialty stores, in an introduction to the prefecture's traditional food culture.

In a country renowned for its food, Osaka is particularly noted for its culinary offerings. Join chef Saito Tatsuo as he explores flavors that originated in his hometown.

Learn how to prepare wagyu beef steak, Japanese style! Chef Rika teaches us which cuts are best, and how to cook them. She also shares recipes for two sauces with Japanese flavors.

Cook miso soup with Chef Saito! Follow his instructions to master three styles of miso soup, featuring three different kinds of miso: inaka miso, red miso and white miso.

Make takoyaki at home! Osaka-born Chef Saito shares his recipe for these golden bites—crispy outside, creamy inside, and full of flavor. Our featured recipe is takoyaki with two different toppings.

Chef Rika makes oyakodon, a Japanese dish of chicken and eggs simmered in a sweet and savory sauce, served over rice. She demonstrates a clever technique for making the eggs soft and golden.

Cool down with a perfect summer rice bowl: chilled tuna ochazuke infused with cold, fragrant green tea, topped with refreshing herbs and condiments. Enjoy traditional Japanese cuisine with Chef Saito.

In a Japanese home cooking class, Chef Saito makes pan-fried eggplant with a savory miso and sesame glaze. Paired with fine white somen noodles, this tasty summer dish is sure to whet your appetite!

Soft bread, fluffy eggs, and a touch of Japanese flavor—Chef Rika demonstrates how to make Japanese egg sandwiches. Complete the experience with a comforting egg drop soup, perfect with any meal.

Wasabi isn't just for sushi! Add its spicy kick and fresh aroma to everyday dishes. Chef Rika introduces two recipes: salad with wasabi dressing, and pasta with wasabi butter soy sauce.

In the city of Akashi, octopus shapes tradition. Chef Hayashi meets local guardians, and unveils a rice dish with an inventive combination of flavors: octopus and umeboshi—the soul of Japan.

We travel to Rebun, a remote Hokkaido island renowned for its kombu—the seaweed vital for Japanese dashi. We meet a passionate harvester, whose kombu is utilized by Chef Kuwakino in superb cuisine.

Salmon can be enjoyed raw for sushi, grilled, or even stewed. Chef Rika introduces a colorful, nutritious Salmon and Rice plate, beautifully paired with a light, refreshing ginger and celery soup.