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A dish with modern style Kaiseki

Photo by @troxphotos

DEFINING MODERN KAISEKI with Chef Hiroo Nagahara

A Popup Dining Series

JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles invites you to its Level 5 restaurant space, with sweeping views of the city for a pop-up kaiseki dinner with renowned chef Hiroo Nagahara. For this limited series, the chef will draw from his experience at Michelin-starred venues such as Charlie Trotter, Guy Savoy, Kagurazaka-Ishikawa and Narisawa, where he developed a deep respect for the coursed progression of kaiseki and its adaptability to modern cuisine, to explore the modern kaiseki experience here in Los Angeles. Scroll down for details.

 

 

 

 

JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles Celebrates Autumn with a Series of Elegant Modern Kaiseki Dinner Pop-Ups with Michelin-Star Chef Hiroo Nagahara

Kaiseki is a traditional Japanese multi-course meal in which elegant portions of high-quality fish, vegetables, meat and other ingredients are artfully prepared and presented as symphonic courses, each complementing the season, and the dishes in which they are served. Considered both haute cuisine and an art form, kaiseki is rarely available outside Japan.

In an intimate setting for approximately 12 diners per session, Chef Hiroo will present a guided kaiseki dinner comprising eight courses plus small bites, candies and confections, exploring the multi-course structure and progression of the meal, its visual aesthetics along with balance of taste, texture, and the importance of seasonal and local ingredients.

The experience will last approximately 2.5-3 hours.

Scroll down for additional details including dates, times, cost, and more.

*Please note we politely decline all dietary restrictions and substitutions.
**Menu is subject to change based on seasonality and availability.

 

 

 

 

A dish with modern style Kaiseki
A dish with modern style Kaiseki
A dish with modern style Kaiseki
A dish with modern style Kaiseki
A dish with modern style Kaiseki

*Concept images

 

Meet the Chef

 
 
Chef Hiroo Nagahara

 

Chef Hiroo Nagahara

Born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, Hiroo Nagahara is the culinary mastermind behind Nomica and The Chairman. His adventures with food began at the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, learning about fish at his father’s fish business and selecting seafood at the market with his mother. As a teenager, Hiroo’s knowledge of fish and preparation techniques were on par with many experienced chefs. While attending college in Florida, Hiroo worked at both a Japanese and a fine dining restaurant, rising quickly and drawing the attention of the Charlie Trotter organization. He was recruited to help launch their new restaurant Bar Charlie in Las Vegas as the Chef de Cuisine, and while there, he garnered the respect of renowned chefs and critics in Las Vegas and won a Michelin 1 Star Award.

Read more.

In 2010, Hiroo moved with his team to San Francisco, joining forces with Mobi Munch to launch The Chairman, a mobile food truck where Hiroo blurred the lines between fine-dining and street food. The truck was named one of America’s Top 5 Asian Food Trucks in America by Details Magazine as well as Most Mouth-Watering Food Trucks by Maxim. He followed this venture with the launch of Nomica, a modern Japanese restaurant serving refined rustic cuisine alongside an innovative cocktail program in the heart of the Castro District. In 2017, while with The Chairman, he was also invited to compete on Iron Chef Showdown. In 2019, Hiroo opened Bao Hiroo, a restaurant in Los Angeles’ Arts District, with an innovative, fast-casual, stuffed bao concept. Believing that we are all driven by our feelings and emotions when it comes to food, Hiro featured a variety of unique flavor combinations, both savory and sweet, with the aim of triggering nostalgic memories.

 

 

Dates & Times

 
 

DEFINING MODERN KAISEKI will be presented on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

November
Fri. November 4 | 5:30 PM
Sat. November 5 | 5:30 PM
Fri. November 11 | 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM
Sat. November 12 | 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM
Fri. November 18 | 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM
Sat. November 19 | 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM

December
Thu. December 1 | 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM
Fri. December 2 | 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM
Sat. December 3 | 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM
Fri. December 9 | 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM
Sat. December 10 | 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM
Thu. December 15 | 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM
Fri. December 16 | 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM
Sat. December 17 | 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM

 
 

Cost

 
 
  • $260 per person (exclusive of tax and gratuity)
  • A la carte selections available for purchase onsite
  • Beverages available for purchase onsite
 
 

Reservation Details

 
 
  • Prepaid reservations must be booked online in advance. All sales are final and non-refundable; Reservations can be transferred to another person.
  • Reservations are not accepted over the phone.
  • Group reservations must be made together. Parties greater than 4 may need to be seated at separate tables.
  • For inquiries regarding parties of 5 or more, please call 323-886-6058.
  • For questions or inquiries please contact us through this page.
 
 

 

A dish with modern style Kaiseki

Photo by @troxphotos

 
 

Sample Menu

*Subject to change based on seasonality and availability

 
 

Opening Bites – amuse bouche

Course 1
FALL HARVEST – market vegetables & fruits, iwashichovy louie dressing, crispy grains

Bread
VEGETABLE ASH BRIOCHE A TETE – toasted koji carrot butter, black truffle, maple

Supplement +$70
BBQ KING CRAB & ASTREA CAVIAR – charred banana créme mushi, champagne beurre blanc, 2 peas in a pod beans

Course 2
KAGOSHIMA SUJIARA – hairy crab & corn ankake, John Givens tomatoes, matcha kombu salt

Course 3
DRY AGED SASHIMI – Spanish blue fin tuna, Miyagi sawara & Tokyo kinmedai, assorted garnishes, 3-year aged ponzu

Course 4
NEW ZEALAND LANGOUSTINE & HOKKAIDO UNI – confit pichuberries, caramelized sour cream, uni garum

Course 5
CHAR SIU A5 MIYAZAKI-GYU & MATSUTAKE MUSHROOM – black truffle, G&D potato, shinko pear

Course 6
30 DAY DRY AGED TYEE & WA-GYU ONION MARMALADE DONABE RICE – hearts of palm, hijiki seaweed relish, dashi ikura

FISH FUMET MISO SOUP – fall squash, preserved Oregon spruce tips, orange olive oil

Course 7
COCONUT PARFAIT – tapioca pudding, coconut granita, kaffir lime peanut brittle

Course 8
TERRY RANCH YELLOW PEACH – preserved Japanese chestnuts, lemon verbena, hoji-cha ice cream

CANDIES & CONFECTIONS – assortment of seasonal bite-sized candies and confections

*Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk for foodborne illness; especially if you have a medical condition.

 

 
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