Former Chez Panisse Chef Inspires (And Is Inspired by) Food Communities in Japan

Our guest is Jerome Waag who is the former chef at the legendary farm-to-table restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. Jerome moved to Tokyo in 2016 to open his own restaurant Blind Donkey. The restaurant has been popular and successful and in March 2024, Jerome has opened another place called CIMI Restorant with a strong focus on sustainability. He has been also involved in an inspiring project the Food Hub Project in a small town called Kamiyama in Shikoku Island, which aims to revitalize the local community. In this episode, we will discuss how Jerome opened his own restaurant in Japan, his unique experience of running a successful restaurant in Tokyo, his new restaurant CIMI restorant and its vision for sustainable food, his role in revitalizing the rural town Kamiyama, and much, much more!!!

Om Podcasten

What is Japanese food? Sushi, or ramen, or kaiseki? What about Izakaya? Akiko Katayama, a Japanese native, New York-based food writer and director of the New York Japanese Culinary Academy, tells you all about real Japanese food and food culture. With guests ranging from sake producers with generations of experience to American chefs pushing the envelope of Japanese gastronomy, Japanese cuisine is demystified here!