Masaharu Morimoto

Coming Up

The base of Masaharu Morimoto’s technique was formed as a practical trainee in sushi and traditional kaiseki cuisine at Hiroshima, where training meant repetition, control, and attention to proportion. From there, his own restaurant, Own restaurant in Hiroshima (1980–1985), gave him an independent platform and marked the first clear step beyond apprenticeship. The next stage carried that foundation into Manhattan restaurants including Sony Club and Nobu in New York City, where the pace was faster and the standards were public. He served as executive chef at Sony Club in Manhattan, New York City and then as head chef at Nobu in Manhattan, New York City (until 1999), building a reputation for technical control paired with an instinct for the modern and the unexpected. From 1999, Masaharu became Iron Chef at Iron Chef in Japan and partner / collaborator at Starr Restaurants (from 1999), moving between television visibility and restaurant work. The years that followed widened the field without changing the underlying method. He later served as owner / opened restaurant at Morimoto in Waikiki, Hawaii (2010–2016), owner / opened restaurant at Tribeca Canvas in Tribeca, New York City (2012–2013), owner / reopened restaurant at Bisutoro in Tribeca, New York City (2013–2014), and owner at Japonais by Morimoto (2014–2015). Each outpost extended the same disciplined approach across different markets and formats. Today, Masaharu is owner / opened restaurant of Morimoto (since 2001), owner of Wasabi, owner of Morimoto XEX, owner / opened restaurant of Morimoto Asia (since 2015), owner / opened restaurant of Momosan Ramen & Sake (since 2016), and owner / opened restaurant of Morimoto Las Vegas (since 2016). Taken together, these ventures trace a career built from hometown training into international restaurant scale, with the same name attached to multiple rooms and multiple audiences.

Where They Are Now

Masaharu Morimoto has been chef of Morimoto (Doha), 2018. In that present tense, the career reads as continuity rather than reinvention for its own sake: Hiroshima on one end, a global restaurant name on the other, and a method that still depends on control and adaptation. As he put it, "Morimoto Philadelphia remains as my original Morimoto where all of my culinary challenges started and keeps its unique presence in this city." The line points to the original room as a working reference point, not a nostalgic one. Another of his reflections is, "Whenever I come back here, I am motivated again remembering my first challenging days." It captures the practical value of memory in kitchen work: early difficulty remains a useful measure, and return visits can reset the standard.

In Their Words “Morimoto Philadelphia remains as my original Morimoto where all of my culinary challenges started and keeps its unique presence in this city.” “Whenever I come back here, I am motivated again remembering my first challenging days.”

Honors

Masaharu's honors include Michelin star and Culinary Hall of Fame Induction.