Teaches Modern Japanese Cooking

Niki Nakayama

Chef Niki Nakayama fuses Japanese tradition with Californian ingredients to redefine kaiseki cuisine. In her first lesson, Niki will share the challenges and victories she encountered on the road to earning two Michelin stars.

Meet Your Instructor: Niki Nakayama

Kaiseki originated from the multicourse style of dining practiced by Zen monks in medieval Japan. Similar to a tea ceremony, this elaborate meal is designed to slow the mind and attune the senses. Niki shares her modern spin on kaiseki.

Kaiseki Cooking

In order to prepare great Japanese food, you will need authentic ingredients. Niki shares tips for sourcing and selecting traditional Japanese ingredients.

Japanese Pantry Essentials 

Learn how to make dashi, the deceptively simple broth that is a staple of Japanese cooking and the base for many dishes in this class.

Ichiban Dashi: Kombu and Bonito Stock 

For many of the techniques you’ll learn in this class, you’ll need some specialized tools. Niki gives you an overview of the essentials and shares some of her favorites.

Japanese Culinary Tools 

Learn to handle a whole fish with confidence as Niki shares a few professional tricks and demonstrates key knife skills.

Rockfish: Whole Fish Preparation

The order and composition of your dishes are key elements of the dining experience. Niki explains how to create balance in your meals.

Balance in Kaiseki

Niki introduces Western ingredients to Japanese technique as she demonstrates how to prepare, cure, and slice rockfish for this sashimi dish.

Zukuri: Modern Rockfish Sashimi 

Learn how to create a delicious soup with no-waste cooking techniques. Niki shares her secrets for a perfect broth, as well as how to plate a bowl of soup.

Owan: Soup With Bone Broth 

In Japan, tuna is prized for its bright red color and eaten at celebratory occasions. Learn how to identify parts of the tuna, how to section the meat, and where to find ethically sourced fish.

Tuna: Portions for Otsukuri and Yakimono

Improve your knife skills as Niki demonstrates professional techniques for slicing fish and making beautiful vegetable garnishes.

Otsukuri: Traditional Tuna Sashimi 

When grilling, your choice of fuel will impact the final flavor. Learn the slow, subtle method of grilling over binchotan, a special charcoal used in Japanese cooking.

Yakimono: Grilled Tuna

A light, steamed dish offers a heartwarming lift in the middle of a meal. Niki prepares steamed rockfish with potato purée and ankake sauce.

Mushimono: Steamed Rockfish

Master the art of tempura frying, from selecting the right flour to keeping your batter cold. Niki offers suggestions for which vegetables and mushrooms are best for tempura.

Agemono: Rockfish and Vegetable Tempura

Niki prepares a simple marinade for tuna in this dry-fried preparation. Learn when to fry fish and when to save it for sashimi.

Agemono: Tuna Karaage

Niki introduces the donabe, a traditional clay pot, and demonstrates how to use it as she shares the significance of rice to Japanese culture.

Donabe: Japanese Rice Traditions

In kaiseki, the last course is often a simple bowl of rice with pickles. Learn how to prepare the perfect bowl of rice and how to reuse dashi for a pickle brine.

Shokuji: Rice and Pickles 

Cooking is about inviting people in, appreciating a shared moment, and enjoying each other’s company. Niki shares her personal philosophy for hospitality and encourages you to explore your own inspirations for cooking.

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