Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking

Masaharu Morimoto is one of the few chefs I've seen on tv that I've been really impressed with. His execution is flawless, everything he makes looks delicious even if it involves a food I don't like, and he just plain seems like a cool guy. His book, Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking offers a ton of great recipes as well as some background information on Morimoto, and his insights on certain aspects of Japanese cuisine and presentation. There have been some minor criticisms that this book isn't exactly traditional Japanese cuisine, and the title of the book should make it clear that he wasn't going for that, but reading the introduction, you'll understand why Morimoto doesn't want to be held back by tradition. He wants to make new things, try new takes on old dishes, and enjoys combining one style with another. Take one look at his tuna pizza, found in the Sashimi and Sushi section, and you'll see how seemingly crazy ideas work. The book is divided into the following main chapters: Sashimi and Sushi Rice, Noodles, Breads, and Soups Fish and Shellfish Duck, Chicken, Pork, Beef, and Lamb Vegetables, Tofu, and Eggs Recipes to Contemplate Desserts Stocks, Oils, Spices, and Sauces I'm no chef, but recipes are written so simply that it's hard to mess up anything in here. Ingredients that might not be found at your local store can be found at the specialty markets in the back of the book (though there is a typo saying that one Uwajimaya shop is in Beaverton, Washington...when in fact Beaverton is in Oregon). The majority of the recipes have short introductions by Morimoto where he describes the dish or talks about how he came up with it, and the presentation of the book is beautiful. If anything, my only complaint is that there could be a few more pictures for some dishes, but 90% of them are covered perfectly. I especially liked the chapter breaks where Morimoto talks about Japanese knives, seaweed, plating and more. He comes off as a teacher giving history lessons on the subjects, and genuinely wanting to help out those who read the book, and never sounds full of himself. The introduction alone is worth checking out this book. Morimoto really did work his way to the top, and I have full respect for the guy. If you haven't picked up a copy yet, do so before it goes out of print again. I'm a picky eater but this book has encouraged me to try new things. Here's hoping for a second book that's just as good or even better, if possible, than this one.

This book is beautiful, and artistically laid out. I found myself fascinated at some of the ingredients, many of which I'd never heard of or seen at my local markets/chains. Some.. well, many of the recipes in this book are really geared towards the professional chef that doesn't mind sourcing some of the less common items. For example: fois gras, yuzu, blowfish, Japanese mountain potato... these are all things that aren't always available in your local Whole Foods (even the 3rd largest one in the world that I work next to). Don't get me wrong though, many of the recipes are very accessible, and the writing that accompanies them is often very helpful. There are many places where alternative ingredients are suggested that might be more available, and Morimoto makes a point to break at several spots in the book to explain the more elemental items in his dishes, such as how tofu is made, the different types of soy sauce, Japanese knives, and even a two page spread all about sake. Bottom line, if you like Morimoto and are interested in how his mind works, this is an interesting peek into the man himself. If you are looking for an introduction to Japanese cuisine, there are probably other books that are more approachable. If you want to push yourself a bit, this book is a great demonstration of modern Japanese and alt-Asian cuisine.

This cookbook is amazing. Delicious, creative recipes well described and excellent photography!

Purchased this book for two reasons: 1. I am a big admirer of the artistry that Chef Morimoto brings to his food. 2. I wanted a few choice recipes to add to a dinner party I had planned. There is little room for home cooks that are not advanced in this book. The ingredient lists can be difficult to fulfill unless you are privileged enough to reside near various gourmet and asian markets, so creativity and skill come in handy to replace things or make adjustments when exotic ingredients are not available. The recipes for the most part are very accurate and don't produce the typical "no one will ever attempt this" results that some high end cook books give. The photography is superb and congruent with the art of the cuisine. I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone who has a heart for adventure in the kitchen and a hefty budget for the more exotic offerings listed. Chef Morimoto is as unique a talent as can be had in the typically traditional world of Japanese cuisine. Excellent book.

I've had the pleasure of dining in some of Chef Morimoto's restaurants and always had great meals so I wanted to add this book on his perspective on Japanease/Asian cooking. Overall I found the book very well written with interesting recipes and good photography. At times I felt like he was in my kitchen teaching me as I read. He was always fun to watch on the original Iron Chef shows and his master style of cooking and pulling in different elements of Asian cuisine . About my only complaint is that whoever designed the book used a background image behind some of the pages of words that makes it very hard to read what is printed. I found I had to read those pages in a brighter lit room and really focus on what was written and not the background image.

Come upon this cookbook through youtube-video (shoutout to Anti Chef Jamie), ordered it secondhand through Amazon; schedule took long but eventually ended up being faster and book was in perfect condition!! Happy cook :-)

Most of these recipes are well written and easy to follow and most importantly you can get most of the ingredients. Sometimes he does call for very High end cuts of beef but you can do with what you got. Pretty much everything has been a winner. Lots of pictures. Favorites are the Curry Pan and Ginger Soy Steaks. The Japanese Beef Stew my wife says is the best she ever had. Tempura boneless short ribs did not turn out like they did in the picture but were very good anyway. Making Veal stock is almost impossible unless you have access to veal bones but a good beef stock I think substitutes pretty well. My only concern is for Japanese he uses a lot of butter in some of his recipes. It tastes good but when I think Japanese I usually don't think Butter.

if you are trying to find a home cooking recipe,this is not what you are looking for. Few of the dishes are not practical except you are an expert chief who is working in a Japanese restaurant( deal with the toro or the blowfish). It is 85%recipes plus some introductions to Japanese cooking and the book contains a Japanese glossary which is amazing. Overall, It is the ”art” of Japanese cooking. I would like to give it 4.5 stars because I was looking for a practical culinary book and Amazon suggest this book but I will keep this one.

Es ist das beste Buch über japanische Küche, das ich dies-und jenseits des Ozeans in Händen hielt. Ich habe mein Exemplar vor ein paar Jahren spontan an einen Lieben Freund und exzellenten Koch verschenkt und es mir jetzt wieder angeschafft- zum Glück !

Vi muchas recetas saludables y sencillas y tambien ideas para combinar ingredientes que si tengo disponible en mi ciudad. Recomiendo mucho este libro y el más nuevo llamado "Japanese home cooking" excelentes ambos.

Opere d'arte in cucina. Descrizione puntuale delle ricette. Foto a corredo bellissime. Un must have per la scoperta della cucina giapponese al massimo livello.

Nice and learning home made💥💥💥💥💥💥

Just like the title suggests, the book focuses on Japanese traditional cuisine with a few twists. I've tried a few recipes and was extremely surprised by the result that managed to have a rich Japanese flavor yet so many Western ingredients. The book covers everything, from appetizers all the way to deserts, and each section is neatly separated by a few pages of history or information on how the original Japanese prepare certain dishes. Overall the structure makes it easy to follow and is often supported by pictures to make you understand some procedures that could be awkward. If you're into Japanese cuisine and want new ways to prepare meals, this is a must have.