Chef Gene Kato

Q: I read that your parents are natives of Japan, but you grew up in South Carolina. What was that like?

A: It was a great experience: the food, the culture and the Southern hospitality.

Q: How did your parents work to retain your connections to Japanese traditions?

A: We were only allowed to speak Japanese at home. In addition, they sent us to Japanese school. Other rituals that kept us connected were cooking Japanese food together at home and always having dinner together.

Q: So what kinds of Southern American food did you secretly crave?

A: Chicken and dumplings and shrimp and grits.

Q: When you started cooking professionally, you were exposed to French and American food. How did that influence the kind of Japanese cuisine you create at Japonais?

A: It helps me create Japanese food that Americans feel comfortable with and enjoy.

Q: You have a cooking philosophy that states: “what grows together goes together.” Where did this come from and what does this mean at Japonais?

A: It comes from staying true to the integrity of the ingredients. It means not forcing flavors just to make it Japanese, French, Italian, etc.