Arts & Entertainment
Local Chef Takes on 'Iron Chef America'
Sashi Sushi + Sake Lounge's Makoto Okuwa challenges Michael Symon on Thursday on the Food Network, and hosts a private dinner at Sashi to celebrate.
Manhattan Beach's own Makoto Okuwa, executive chef and partner of Sashi Sushi + Sake Lounge, will put his culinary skills to the test Thursday on Iron Chef America. Okuwa, who has appeared on the Food Network hit show 13 times as sous chef, will head his own team for the first time as he battles Iron Chef Michael Symon in Kitchen Stadium.
To commemorate the event, Okuwa has joined with a group of A-list chefs and colleagues—Iron Chef Morimoto, Patina Executive Pastry Chef Waylynn Lucas, Noriyuki Sugie of Ironnori and Breadbar, Top Chef Champion Michael Volataggio and Sonny Sweetman of Wolfgang Puck Catering—to put together a six-course tasting menu prepared live and accompanied by a private viewing of Okuwa's Iron Chef challenge.
The limited-seating event at Sashi sold out promptly at $120 per head. So though you may be stuck watching it at home over a bowl of microwaveable ramen noodles, you can longingly imagine the world class culinary creations being plated over at the Sashi Sushi + Sake Lounge as Okuwa performs his meal magic on screen before you. Better yet, enjoy your noodles and take yourself to Sashi some other night for Okuwa's contemporary-meets-traditional Japanese cuisine.
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Catch Chef Okuwa's challenge of Iron Chef Symon on the Food Network's Iron Chef America on July 8 at 8 p.m. For future dinner reservations at Sashi, call 310-545-0400.