I won MasterChef Junior and Worked at a 3 Michelin Star Restaurant in Japan. AmA!

How is Gordon Ramsey behind the cameras? Is he actually nice and helpful?

He's a teddy bear. He likes to sneak up on contestants and their parents and scare them sometimes between taping. I never really saw him lose his temper.

What’s your go to meal for cooking comfort food?

Beef stew is probably my favorite comfort food. I usually add leeks and mushrooms instead of those little pearl onions some people use. I can never find them at the store.

Is it possible to share the recipe?

I don't have it written down but I pinkie swear I'll reply to this comment with it later!

Sorry for the wait!

Beef Mushroom Stew: Serves 8-10

2 Pounds Beef Stew Meat

3 tbsp. Flour

3 tbsp. Butter

Salt and Pepper TT

4 Yukon Potatoes, chopped

2 Carrots, chopped

2 Leeks, sliced into ¼ inch rounds

2 Yellow Onions, diced

½ cup Soy Sauce

1 cup Water

1 10.5oz can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1-2 pints Assorted Mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp. Lemon Juice

Slice stew meat into bite-sized cubes, place in a large freezer bag and coat with flour, salt, and pepper. In a large dutch oven, melt the butter at medium-high heat and sear the beef on all sides. Add vegetables and mushrooms and sautee briefly until browned and flavorful. Add the water, soy sauce, and simmer with the lid covered on low heat for 1 hour, adding a few tablespoons more water if necessary to prevent burning. Finally, pour in the cream of mushroom soup and lemon juice, and simmer for 15-20 more minutes. Adjust seasoning and enjoy! This stew tastes better as leftovers.

Respect you delivering!! Sounds super good

It's my great grandmother Thelma's recipe, I think she would've wanted me to share it with as many people as possible :)

That's very kind of you and great grams. I know of some grandmas that would hunt you down Liam Neeson-style if their recipe ever left the family haha

My Nonie would probably do that. She will find you. And she will kill you.

How valuable of a "resume add" is winning Master Chef (Jr.)? Like, is that something that a potential hirer would look at and say "ooh this guy is a real good chef let's hire him," or is it seen as more of a irrelevant/"publicity stunt" thing (or in the specific case of MC Jr, a "kid" thing and irrelevant in the same way that someone who won a national spelling bee isn't going to get any big ins with book publishers) and they'd rather have someone who went to culinary school, or what?

At first I only put it down because I didn't have any job experience, but now that I've been in the industry for years and have worked at like 7 restaurants I usually put those first. I don't expect anybody to be impressed in the real world 😂

When you are on masterchef do you get warned about what dishes you might have to prepare?

We received supplemental culinary education lessons before taping the episodes, but never knew what the theme was ahead of time. The dishes we ended up making were always very impromptu and it felt like a real competition every step of the way. There was very little external influence.

When you say ‘Masterchef’ money……..what are we talking?

Close to 75,000 after taxes. One of the hardest realizations of my adulthood so far has been how little that actually is in big boy dollars. Oh well, I can make more if I need to.

I got my first job ever making more than 50k the other day and that is an upsetting sentence

Hell, you're doing better than I am

in big boy dollars

Wait til you have kids. Those big boy dollars converts to poor boy dollars real fast.

Not sure if I'll ever have them! I'm not great with kids 😅

How long did the season of MC you were in take to film? I can imagine a lot goes on behind the scenes that we never get to see!

The entire 8 episode season was filmed over the course of about six weeks. We had a lot of fun times that didn't make it on TV!

What made you decide to study cuisine in japan rather than a different country?

I went on foreign exchange there for ten months in high school! I've always liked Japanese culture; not just manga and anime but traditional arts as well like ikebana, tea ceremony, and kaiseki. Japanese cuisine is deeply rooted in tradition and requires a lot of precision to execute, so I think I was drawn to the challenge.

I like the way you write. You’re still super young and obviously a lot comes from experience but I’d love to see you a Bourdain type of program—you always come across as kind and appreciative of cultural differences.

How did you manage working such long hours and having a puppy?

I grew up watching Anthony Bourdain so that made me tear up a little bit. Thank you. I try to be as open to new experiences as possible.

To answer your question, I didn't. Aki is a fucking handful and a half and I had to walk him three or four times a day to keep him happy and to keep my house poop free. He still tried to ruin everything I own and my apartment in the meantime, but I moved home when he was seven months old and it's been smooth sailing since then.

I love him though, he's worth it.

What is your favorite hole in the wall restaurant?

In San Diego, there's a local joint called The Friendly that serves really simple American fare. It's far from healthy, but it's so unnecessarily fucking delicious that I can't help but splurge once in a while. Love those guys.

If you're ever in Toyama, Japan, which is unlikely but not impossible, there's a lovely little cafe in Nunosemachi called Mao (まを)

The owner is the sweetest old woman you'll ever meet. She's been roasting her own beans and pouring the finest coffee you've ever tasted for over thirty years. There are 7 menu items, and the walls are adorned with cat figurines. I would die for Ms. Mao.

I mean I am in Japan and could be convinced to head to Toyama by recommendation. Ms. Mao is added to my want to go list. :D

PLEASE go!! It's the most beautiful place in the country I swear. Small town vibes but the people and food is incredible. I'm always happy to give Ms. Mao some business, even though she used to say she doesn't want the attention lest she become too busy. She can only make 4-5 cups of coffee at a time and she doesn't compromise quality ;)

They just made a new friendly in PB fyi

brb I'm gonna go get a burger

This place?

https://www.google.co.jp/maps/place/Mawo/@36.6794948,137.2009337,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipMzNBvFlrgqZvTRyNmu_LKgl0hCwskTGWfKvAUu!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMzNBvFlrgqZvTRyNmu_LKgl0hCwskTGWfKvAUu%3Dw114-h86-k-no!7i3264!8i2448!4m9!1m2!2m1!1z5biD54Cs55S65a-M5bGx44CA44G-44GK!3m5!1s0x5ff79041b91ac8b1:0xe7299f8291f299ca!8m2!3d36.6797396!4d137.2009492!15sChjluIPngKznlLrlr4zlsbHjgIDjgb7jgYpaGiIY5biD54CsIOeUuiDlr4zlsbEg44G-44GKkgELY29mZmVlX3Nob3CaASNDaFpEU1VoTk1HOW5TMFZKUTBGblNVUlpNa3RoVkZCbkVBRQ

that's her!

Care to share your impressions of the MC Jr judges? 🙂

Gordon is very very tall. And energetic. And loud. But he's the biggest softie and you can tell he loves his job.

Graham is one of the most down to earth people I've ever met and he's given me a lot of great advice over the years.

Joe is pretty serious and was at first intimidating as hell but he's genuinely obsessed with food and fine cooking. I think I related to him most on an intellectual level.

I have met Gordon once actually at a taping of Masterchef Jr (In the most recent season, in the episode they goto the renfaire I am the trumpeter) And it was such a weird gauge of him as a person.

At first meeting he was actually pretty rude and mean to me over the fact that I am overweight (I am working on it and look very different now vs then), but he also came up to me later and was really nice and pseudo apologetic and down to earth.

He didn't apologize but leveled with me about my weight on a human level and was quite inspiring to feel that he cared about the health of a person he literally just met and will likely never ever see again.

That seems pretty on brand for him. I want to say it probably comes from a place of love, but I obviously wasn't there to see the interaction myself. I hope he didn't make you feel too bad about yourself :(

Did you enjoy life in Japan?

In some ways yes, in other ways no. At the time I still had a lot of MasterChef money, so living on my own and getting to decorate my own apartment was a lot of fun. The town I lived in, Toyama, was beautiful and full of nature and the people were generally very welcoming and kind.

My work situation was really rough though. My shifts were usually 12-16 hours long and I was at the restaurant 6+ days per week with rare days off. I was so overworked it made enjoying my life outside of work almost impossible.

I'll definitely visit Japan in the future and maybe even buy a house there one day but I'm probably never working there again unless it's on my terms.

Sounds grueling man, a story told many times over about Japanese work culture.

I was hoping it'd be different in my case since I was an unpaid apprentice, but alas it wasn't! 😂

I don't blame them though, the restaurant was hit pretty hard by COVID and they were doing the best they could.

12-16 hours long 6 days a week isn't only a Japan thing, unfortunately there are plenty of people in the US working in kitchens with those same hours.

Sad but true. Hoping something changes soon :(

One of the restaurants I frequent is owned by a Japanese chef from Sapporo. I've had multiple occasions where I am driving by from a night out at 2 am and see him still working on perfecting his tare. Occasionally I'll knock on the window and say hi if I am in the neighborhood way after hours.

I've been there. In my case it was dashimaki tamago though.

You worked 90 hours a week for nothing??

I know, I'm an idiot.

I honestly stopped watching regular Masterchef because the adults were unendingly mean to each other in a way that exhausted me to watch.

I feel like MC junior inspires me and gives me hope for the world, the kids seem generally much more supportive of each other. Is this hammed up for TV or did contestants feel genuinely positive towards each other?

Yeah, I get that. I can't speak for the other contestants but I felt like it was a really positive vibe. We all shared common interests and while there may have been a bit of drama I loved interacting with everybody and the competition was a blast.

Is Joe Bastianich as insufferable in real life as he appears on TV?

Not at all! He's generally pretty positive. Has his moments though, like anyone. I think they just keep it in because it's good for ratings.

Got any secret flavor combos you care to share?

Fruit and cheese. Pretty much any combination with exceptions. Obviously watermelon and camembert would taste like shit together, but cherries and brie? Delicious.

I also think mushrooms and fish go well together but some people would disagree with me on that.

I like your ideas, and would add. Traditionally in dry, very hot climates, my Greek friends make … Watermelon and Haloumi salad - delicious! Bit of mint and salt, awesome!

From other traditions, Jam and cheddar is an award winning desert at Berowa Waters Resturant, or a good cheddar with English fruitcake is a Yorkshire English tradition for some. And everyone knows a sharp Apple and cheddar as starters or afters, or pear with parmesan and greens salad, lifts things.

Interesting! I might try to recreate that at home soon

Lightly breaded Redfin perch, pan fried in butter, with a ginger flavored chanterelle cream sauce, mmm.

I see we speak the same language

Which cheese pairs best with pineapple? And since it's mango season, mango?

Pineapple would be good sliced small with a sharp cheddar or something of that nature. I think mango would pair better with soft cheeses.

You mentioned that you worked 72-hour weeks as an unpaid apprentice, and your mental health suffered from it. I find unpaid apprenticeships very exploitive and the practice seems to be dying in other trades. Do you think that it will become less common in the food industry, or will there always be people looking to get ahead by 'working for the best' even if that means that their work is unpaid?

Coming from very personal experience, I think there will always be people who value their careers so much they're willing to undergo abuse. I really want the industry to change and for these practices to be discouraged, but in my case I was suffering willingly and on my own dime. I could've pressed the "Go Home to America" button anytime I wanted, but I stayed for two full years to get the most out of the experience in a professional sense.

It's really not worth it though. I think there needs to be conversations about paying people decent wages for the services they provide, in every industry.

What changed in your life after winning MasterChef?

On the bright side, it sent me on a professional journey I couldn't have imagined. I became so dedicated to cooking that I poured myself into it for years, and I met a lot of amazing individuals along the way. The money was a nice bonus as well.

I felt a lot of expectations from other people though, and I tried to fulfill those by continuing to grind in the culinary industry. Ever since I was a kid though, I've had a lot of hobbies and interests, and having to put those aside for my career made me sick to my stomach.

I'm not working in kitchens these days but I'm doing a lot better mentally, so I think it's worth the trade-off.

May i ask your current occupation? Hobbies too!

I am happily unemployed and just living life at the moment! But I have enough hobbies to fill the time. I play violin, viola, piano, some guitar and a couple of Japanese instruments as well. I'm thinking about getting into music production.

I also do leatherwork, making purses, wallets, and stuff like that. I picked up the hobby 6 months ago and have been enjoying it immensely.

My dad is a tattoo artist so I'm also very involved in that culture. I'm thinking about learning to tattoo myself. The industry is similar to cooking in a lot of ways, but with more freedom to choose your own schedule.

I have trouble sticking to just one thing. Maybe it's ADHD, or maybe I'm just multi-faceted. Who knows.

I relate to this so much. Yeah I could be an expert in one or two fields, but there’s so many other cool things to do. I only have one life and I’d personally want to taste a little bit of everything while I’m here.

Well said.

Is your real name Sōma Yukihira?

No, but my food does make people's clothes explode off their bodies.

How much was MasterChef Junior different from what was portrayed in the show and how much was it scripted or genuine ?

The cooking was entirely genuine. Most of the interactions between the kids and judges were natural as well. We didn't receive scripts.

The judges had some scripted lines and sometimes during interviews production would encourage us to talk about certain topics. Everything was improvised though.

I just want to tell you that you are my favorite MC Jr contestant of all time. You were poised, polite, smart, talented, and adorable. I’m happy to see you here and doing well in your life.

Thank you so much!

How long had you been playing Halo for?

I'm shit at RPGs my bad

Which food trend do you think should be put to rest?

Excessive amounts of meat. I'm not a fan of giant burgers or 36 oz. steaks, I think meat should be used in small quantities.

Also, that thing some fine dining restaurants do where they take half of a tiny onion, turn it upside down and fill it with sauce. I think it looks tacky.

Haha, wow, I didn’t even know about the Onion-Sauce thing. And I thought the old slice of lemon for sauce ramekins trick was tacky.

THAT TOO

Do you eat (and enjoy) fast food even after masterchef and working in a 3 Michelin star restaurant?

I've been on a health kick recently so not so much these days, but I still indulge in some McDonalds on occasion. I always feel sick afterwards though.

Does the kitty get to taste test?

Momo will eat anything he can get his grubby little paws on. He's definitely stolen ingredients from behind my back while I'm cooking.

How wealthy are your parents. Always wondered if the kids on those type of shows come from notably affluent families who can afford training and or coaches for their kids in a way that gets them to television.

Is there any truth to parents paying their kids into that show to get them "on tv" so as to push their tv personality future careers or to simply get their name out to be noticed?

We're uh... Hood rich?

Seriously, we barely have enough money to afford living in one of the seediest parts of San Diego. There's a homeless encampment 10 yards away from me right now.

I'm sure there's some of that Hollywood nonsense going on in some circles, but that's not how I was raised. My dad's a tattoo artist and my mom is a professional cool lady.

So when you woke up today, was it your goal to ruin the ending of Season 3 of Master Cheff Junior for me as I have 6 episodes left?

Yes, it was a contrived effort on my part and I'm glad my evil plan worked. Seriously though, my bad.

What's your best dish?

Beef tenderloin with whatever vegetables are seasonal and available. Also pastries of all shapes and sizes. I used to bake obsessively when I was younger.

This might be an oddball question, but hear me out:

I have a disease that essentially results in my stomach being mostly paralyzed, and part of the territory that comes with that is having early satiety (that's especially quickened with high fiber and fat content). The irony is that I consider myself to be very food adventurous and enjoy trying new and unusual cuisine.

What is something unique and special that should go on my "bucket list" of dishes that would fit these extremely niche parameters?

TIA! I hope you're enjoying life knowing that you look back and marvel at what amazing shir you've done. (: I'm in the same boat--it's surreal and humbling.

Japanese kaiseki is extremely low in fat and starch, so you might want to consider something of that nature. Most dishes are based around dashi, and there are many clear soups and vegetable-based dishes that aren't very filling. At the end of the meal rice is served so everyone can eat to contentment, but in your case you could just skip it and have the pickles and miso soup I suppose. Meat is used sparingly, and most plates are very small although there are a lot of individual courses.

This is easily one of the best AMAs I've ever seen. You're a great writer, and even as someone who isn't super into cooking, I've really enjoyed reading your answers. So very important question. What are your favorite anime/manga series right now?

Thank you so much! That is an important question. As far as recent releases I really liked Blue Period, Given, and The Great Pretender. My favorite series of all time might be Toradora though. What can I say, I'm a sucker for shoujo

How strong is your Japanese? I imagine a lot of the vocabulary you use in the kitchen is French but it must be pretty good if you lived there outside Tokyo.

I passed N2 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Exam a couple years ago, but I'm definitely N1 or above now. I would say I have near-native level fluency and my pronunciation is good enough that I get mistaken for a Japanese person on the phone. I have a Toyama accent though. Whenever I go to Tokyo people tell me I talk like I'm from the boonies.

How did you learn the language before you moved there? How fluent were you before you moved there?

When I first went to Japan on foreign exchange in 2018 my Japanese was absolute ass. I went to a high school over there for ten months and my friends, host family, and teachers taught me the basics.

Now I can read Japanese novels and watch anime without subtitles :)

Damn, that's how you do it, total language immersion. I did Japanese for two years in uni and never got competent at it.

It's the only way to go imo! I'm working on getting Italian citizenship right now and I'm planning to do the same thing to learn Italian.

Fellow Toyama resident checking in. I never made it out to the restaurant you worked in, but my friend did a few times I think (if you remember a guy named Josh). Hope you get to slow down after the intense grind and wish you all the best.

Besides まを, any other hidden gems you like here in Toyama or around Hokuriku?

Yeah I know Josh! Small world, huh... I've been doing a lot better recently, thank you :) I didn't do a lot of eating in Toyama outside of the restaurant I worked at, but I recommend Hammock Cafe in Uozu for their parfaits, Beru in Nunosemachi for their bread, and Charlotte Bakery by Toyama Station

Do you like cooking for people in non-work settings? Or is it more when you personally feel like it or had to do it for work?

Yes! I love dinner parties and cooking for myself and my family.

Have you watched Chopped? I used to watch Chopped a lot. What would be your strategy to get to the ice cream machine first?

I would never make ice cream. I feel like it'd be melted by the time the judges taste it. It looks like one quick cut on TV but it's probably a few minutes before they taste the dishes in actuality.

Do these the children on the show get any lessons before filming?

i am 38 and i couldnt do 80% of what insee 9 year olds doing.

Some, yes! But not as much preparation as you would think. In my opinion, every kid who participated was above average in the kitchen.

What is your favorite way to prepare eggs?

If you’re making a breakfast taco, what’s it made up of? What’s on the inside?

Omelettes. I make french omelettes once or twice a week, usually with whatever ingredients we have lying around.

Breakfast taco = warm flour tortilla, potatoes, eggs, chorizo. maybe some hot sauce if you're feeling froggy.

What is the hardest recipe you learned in your work in Japan? Whats is the tastiest? What is your favorite?

Sushi is... so fucking difficult? I know that seems obvious but damn, when I actually started learning to make it I was dumbfounded. Honestly I still have no idea how to do it properly. Black magic?

Kaiseki is my favorite though. Traditional Japanese fine dining.

Just wanted to say I really enjoyed your season and it led me to almost prefer MCJ to the original. One of my favorite pandemic binges

Question I guess, how do you deal with stress / hardship?

Nowadays when I'm feeling stressed (which is rare) I smoke weed and take time to reorganize my thoughts in private. I tend to isolate whenever I'm not feeling good bc I can recollect myself better.

I bet Gordon Ramsey is an absolute sweetheart

Confirm or deny?

Hard confirm

Do you have any culinary plans for the future, besides dinner?

I might open my own restaurant someday, if I have the wherewithal to do so. I'm not in any rush though, a business is a big commitment and I want to enjoy my twenties.

Hey Nathan, thanks for doing an AMA! Huge fan of MasterChef. Got a question about the way professional chefs learn in the kitchen these days:

I see this view from media that great chefs are born from fire, and chefs in training might have to deal with some scalding remarks + criticism from very passionate chefs. I think more often than not, people would think Gordon himself learning from Marco Pierre White might employ similar tactics to really harden chefs.

Is that actually real / normal in kitchens or learning? And if so, do you think it's an actually effective way to make someone a better cook?

Yes, it's real. I think the practice stems from a desire for control and discipline. The current structure of the culinary industry forces really rigorous conditions on people, and a lot of chefs try to desensitize their workers by abusing them psychologically, emotionally, and physically. If you do a bad job, you get the old ladle to the head.

I don't agree with it whatsoever, but some might argue it's necessary. I think it just makes kitchens the same as any corporate job, even though they're supposed to be an escape from the machinations of office life.

Best way to start learning how to cook? It seems so hard and don’t know what to make

Make anything! I started with eggs. They sucked at first, but I kept making them and now they don't. Just get better at failing and being okay with it :)

What is your fast food guilty pleasure?

Wienerschnitzel. Specifically the M&M freezee.

I hope this isn't a repeat question but what is your favorite kind of protein to cook and your favorite method of preparing that protein?

Venison loin! I reverse sear it in the oven at like 225 degrees F, wrapped in parchment paper with butter, thyme and garlic. I probe it with an internal thermometer and when it reaches 130F or so, take it out and sear it in a really hot steel pan with butter. It's the juiciest, most flavorful meat you'll ever taste. It's good if you use the extra fat to make a roux with some flour, and deglaze with beef stock.

How did you develop your foundation in cooking? That is, how much of it was self-taught, family influence, and/or formal or professional training despite being young?

A little bit of all of those things! I consider myself very self motivated and obsessive about my interests, so a lot of my knowledge is from YouTube, cookbooks, online personalities, watching other chefs on TV, etc. But cooking plays a big role in my family as well.

We received a lot of guidance on MasterChef and that helped build a decent foundation, but I didn't truly feel competent in my culinary abilities until two or three years ago.

My partner got upset watching the most recent season since he said some of the challenges are too harsh for kids to go through. Have you seen anything on other seasons that you think seem harder than what you went through on your own? Specifically any that you know would have been too much for you at that age?

Recent seasons definitely have a lot more episodes and challenges. I don't know if I would've been able to handle all the team challenges as I'm kind of an introvert and struggle working with people sometimes. I think it's good to show kids the reality of the industry though.

Hi Nathan!! Your season was the first MasterChef Jr. I ever watched :D My almost 5 year old son has showed a huge interest in cooking but I'm never sure where to start with teaching him. Any advice for what might be good to start teaching him first?

Eggs are my favorite place to teach new home cooks the basics. Start with scrambled, and then work your way up to more difficult preparations. Maybe hold off on teaching knife skills until he's a bit older, unless he seems confident.

Baking is a lot of fun to do with kids as well, especially easy stuff like cookies or muffins.

Great answers, this has been a really enjoyable read.

I lived in really rural Japan for six years, the food was incredible. I got much more into dining after that!

My family and I are headed to Paris soon. It’s our first trip there. I have heard the bakeries are wonderful for breakfast and you can get tasty sandwiches for lunch, but what would you recommend for dinner?

I don’t mean restaurant recs (but they would be welcome!) - I just mean, what sorts of meals should I try to eat there? It is a major city so I know you can get anything, but I would feel guilty if I went to Paris and ate only sushi and pasta dishes all week!

Very cool! I see we've had similar experiences. We're also heading to Paris in October on our trip to Amsterdam, I'm planning on stuffing as many croque monsieurs and macarons into my mouth as humanly possible.

You look majestic. Where did you get your human?

He's adopted.

What's the cats name?

His name is Cosmo. The day I found him I was doing some witchy shit and I lit some incense, read some tarot, burnt a grey candle and asked the universe for clarity. He appeared mysteriously in our backyard an hour later without any identification and is the friendliest kitty I've ever encountered. I'm convinced I manifested him.

Well since nobody seemed to bring it up and I think it’s important and healthy to discuss; what’s going on with your mental health? Are you doing alright?

I'm a lot better these days, but when I was still in Japan things were pretty rough. I was cut off from my support system and because of the pandemic I felt all alone at times. I was so busy and caught up in work that I missed my dad's birthday once. I love my parents but sometimes I could only muster up the energy to contact them once every week or two. I didn't like the person I was becoming because of my job, but now that I'm back home with the people I care about I feel like I'm reverting back to my old self.

After your experience in Japan, would you say you still love cooking?

Yes, but not for money anymore. I think I have workplace-related PTSD so being in professional kitchens makes me really anxious. I still love doing it at home though.

Do you keep in touch with any of your competitors on your season?

They're all pretty busy these days with school and their own lives, but I try to reach out once in a while and still talk to some people on occasion.

Are you going to open a restaurant? If so, what type?

Eventually, maybe. It'll probably be heavily kaiseki influenced, incorporating French techniques and fine dining culture. I'll base the cuisine on whatever's local where I open it.

I don't have the details worked out yet 😅

What's your chicken salad recipe?

I don't eat chicken salad. I think mayonnaise is kind of nasty tbh

As a fellow white guy who hate mayo I just want you to know there are dozens of us!

I'm so glad it's not just me. Small quantities and when it's mixed with Sriracha or something is okay, but large amounts of it make me nauseous.

Sub with hummus my friend

:0

Where is that shirt from? I've got to know

I bought it at a secondhand store in Toyama. I'll never find anything like it again and it's my favorite shirt so thank you for noticing :)

What's your favorite spot to eat in San Diego??

Kettner Exchange in Little Italy! I actually worked there for a bit, their food is outstanding and the vibe is immaculate.

There's a video that circulates reddit every now and then of a MCJ contestant who couldn't get a jar open and asks her dad in the audience to do it. Would that have been considered against the rules? Are there any rules about helping each other, getting a bit of help from the judges, etc? Or was it mostly "hey, this looks good for TV, do it" kind of thing?

We were kids, it wasn't that strict! haha

The time limits were definitely enforced but the competition wasn't unnecessarily cutthroat. The judges may have offered verbal help on occasion but they never really stepped in unless something disastrous happened like a fire.

What are your favorite places in San Diego to eat?

Kettner Exchange, Santouka Ramen, Tanuki Sake Bar, Chicken Pie Shop

Is there something you miss where you've worked?

The building I worked in was the most beautiful, serene property I've ever laid eyes on. The garden was well manicured too, and there were elaborate flower arrangements and expensive items all over the place. I just miss the opulence.

What got you into cooking? And whats your fav cuisine to make? I'm been into cooking for a few years now and I like cooking chinese and Italian food.

Eating got me into cooking. I just wanted to recreate delicious food for myself at home. Favorite cuisine is probably Japanese but I love French and Italian as well.

How does it feel having your restaurant so excellently rated by a company known for its tires?

Not my restaurant so unfortunately I can't take the credit. Would love to meet the squishy tire guy someday though.

Do you feel that a professional restaurant chef is a profession that you would stay engaged in (lifestyle-wise)?

Not unless I'm top dog and can delegate most of the jobs in the kitchen to other people. I just want to hang out, maybe break down fish or plate something when I feel like it, and make sure the kitchen runs properly.

If I'm being honest I do kind of miss how fast-paced and fun kitchen life was. I may consider it again one day.

I love cooking my own food, an issue I've always have is I don't like vegetables, like I don't like how they look and that makes it pretty hard to eat. What's and advice you would give to someone to start cooking and eating more vegetables?

Another one related to Master Chef, between episodes do you receive any lessons? Or you guys have to do all the studying and the overall improvement is all done by yourselves?

Chop them up super small and hide them in pasta sauce, soup, gravy, cake, bread, muffins, and with ground meat. You'll never notice ;)

What inspired you to become a chef?

Pure circumstance and spontaneity! I just took it and ran with it

What was your favorite challenge on Masterchef Jr.?

The finale. It was 90 minutes of pure adrenaline.

I’m sorry, I am sure you are quite good but a true Master Chef works for years to get the respect and Certificate of such. There is and never was a “Master Chef Junior “. It is just a made up TV title that really disrespects the true Chef. Have you ever even worked in a real restaurant? Again I’m sure that you are very good at what you do but the title does not fit.

I worked at a 3 Michelin for two years. Says so in the title.

I can break down a fish in like a minute. I'll butcher a fucking chicken with my eyes closed. I'll run a ten seat restaurant by myself without issue. Try me :)