Sushi Chef Tadeo Mikami:
The Apogee of Art & Food
By Laura Pretto

As a child, Tadeo Mikami wanted to be a policeman, but when he was 16 he was drafted into his family’s restaurant where he found his real passion: designing, creating, and serving Japanese cuisine.

At the age of 17, Mikami joined a group of exceptional chefs licensed to prepare Fugu (blowfish), which is considered one of the greatest delicacies in Japan but is poisonous if prepared incorrectly. It is prepared in 20 minutes under the supervision of two judges.

“[It is] an extremely hard skill to acquire,” according to Keita Sato, the manager of Hatsuhana, where Mikami is the chef. “Three out of four cannot pass this test. He was in an extremely select group.”

Mikami brought his cooking expertise to New York 26 years ago and for the past three years has been head chef at Hatsuhana, a Kappo Kaiseki bar. As the restaurant’s menu simply explains, “Kappo is a variety of small, savory dishes served to complement sake. Kaiseki cuisine consists of the day’s freshest ingredients in a tasting course format.”

While Mikami is preparing a dish, an observer gets an idea of how focused he is. His movements are controlled, precise, and unhurried (but amazingly swift). Behind the Kappo bar is a limited amount of space, about 10 feet long and three feet wide. He and his under-chefs move deftly around the small space and in and out of the kitchen continuously preparing dishes.

Mr. Mikami loves his work because of the constant changes and innovations it requires. Yet, teaching his craft to others also gives him satisfaction. At one point, he was teaching Japanese cuisine to classes of up to 40 students at a time.

“I love [to teach], if people are interested in learning,” said Mikami. “If they are not, I never teach.”

According to Mikami, a chef who learns from a master Japanese-trained chef tends to remain faithful to authentic Japanese cuisine.

“If you learn directly from a Japanese-trained teacher, you will get more authentic food,” Mikami emphasized, adding “if you study under the right chef, you won’t have trouble learning.” He added, “[You are] unlimited in how much you can expand [creatively and technically].”

Great chefs need advisors too, according to Mikami. He gets most of his advice from the owner of Hatsuhana. Some elements of Japanese cuisine always evolve. Mikami explained that Japanese cuisine is not concerned only with taste, but also with stimulating the other four senses. Following a path that has become traditional for Japanese chefs, he took classes in Japan on the art of flower arranging, calligraphy, and tea ceremonies, which he says are very beneficial to mastering Japanese cuisine. These skills have helped him in making dishes that have themes because they give a better idea of what is going to please the senses.

Often, customers do not understand that the selection of food in a given dish is not random, but that each item represents something. Mikami often takes the time to explain the meaning of a dish, consequently compounding everyone’s enjoyment.

When a customer takes the time to look at the dish before eating it, he is aware of the artistry of Mikami’s work. “Customers are the ultimate judges and when people say ‘wow,’ then I feel great,” says Mikami.” #

You can visit Mikami at Hatsuhana, 17 E. 48th St., (212) 355-3345

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