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Iron chef Masaharu Morimoto will be seen as the lead judge and mentor on The Roku Channel's brand-new cooking show, Morimoto's Sushi Master. The series, which premieres on the network, will see the legend mentor eight chefs to make the perfect sushi and become the "next great sushi-fusion master. Masaharu Morimoto will be seen guiding the contestants throughout their journey in the competition.
Masaharu Morimoto was born in Hiroshima, Japan, and began his training in a sushi restaurant. He later moved to America to expand his culinary skills. Morimoto will be judging the contestants on the series alongside fellow judges, writer Kenji Lopez-Alt and chef Dakota Weiss.
The Roku Channel show will see eight chefs put their culinary skills to the test and create Japanese dishes, embed different flavors, and create the perfect sushi. With Morimoto also being the mentor, the contestants must step up to the plate to win the title of "Sushi Master," a $25,000 grand cash prize, and the chance to work at one of the legendary chef's restaurants.
Masaharu Morimoto will be mentoring the chefs on Morimoto's Sushi Master
Masaharu Morimoto has begun his career as a baseball catcher in Japan. However, a shoulder injury led to his transition to a culinary career. He started by learning to make sushi in his hometown of Hiroshima, Japan, and quickly grasped the skills surrounding the same. He eventually opened his first restaurant before moving to America in 1985.
The chef was only 30 when he arrived in America and began working in different restaurants to improve his culinary skills. In 1994, Morimoto was asked to work at the highly acclaimed Nobu restaurant in New York City. With his talent, passion, and determination, he was soon promoted to executive chef.
According to his official bio, Morimoto opened his first restaurant in Philadelphia in 2001. The chef expanded and opened restaurants in other nations, including New York, Napa, Honolulu, Boca Raton, Mumbai, Mexico City, Tokyo, and Maui.
Check out some of Morimoto's legendary establishments below.
- Morimoto Asia Orlando at Disney Springs (2015)
- Momosan Ramen, Sake NYC and Morimoto Las Vegas at MGM Grand (2016)
- Morimoto Asia Waikiki, Momosan Waikiki, and Morimoto Doha (2018)
- Momosan Seattle (2019)
- Momosan Wynwood (2020)
- Sa’Moto at Doheny Room, Morimoto Taghazout Bay, Sa’Moto at Manhattan West, and Momosan at Hub Hall in Boston (2021)
Chef Masaharu Morimoto is known to have played a significant role in bridging Japanese culinary traditions and American sentiment. His style, technique, finesse, and flavors have earned him critical acclaim and a global fandom. The chef has a total of 19 restaurants around the world.
His official website describes him as:
"He has garnered critical and popular acclaim for his seamless integration of Western and Japanese ingredients and has effectively created a signature style that positions him as one of today’s foremost chefs."
The chef's Food Network bio describes another side to his cuisine and says:
"His unique fusion cuisine takes advantage of Japanese color combinations and aromas and uses Chinese spices and simple Italian ingredients, while maintaining a refined French style of presentation."
Morimoto has received numerous accolades throughout his culinary career, including the James Beard Foundation Award for "Outstanding Restaurant Design" and several appearances in San Pellegrino’s "Top 100 Restaurants in the World."
He competed on Iron Chef Japanese in 1998, and in 1999, he appeared on Iron Chef America. The judge is also the author of several cookbooks, including Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking and Mastering The Art of Japanese Home Cooking.
Masaharu Morimoto is a well-renowned chef with years of expertise behind him. As he mentors the chefs on Morimoto's Sushi Master, it will be interesting to see the kind of feedback he provides and how he goes about mentoring the contestants to bring out their utmost potential.
The series premieres Friday, June 16, 2023, on The Roku Channel.
