Masako Morishita and Her Mother Celebrate Japanese Comfort Food in D.C. Dinner

In a heartfelt culinary collaboration, Masako Morishita, the executive chef at Perry's in Washington, D.C., teamed up with her mother, Ryoko Morishita, to present a memorable dinner celebrating Japanese comfort foods. This event, held on May 29, marked a significant moment for the duo, as it was their first time cooking together in a restaurant setting. The dinner featured dishes that evoke Masako's childhood memories from her family's nearly 100-year-old restaurant in Kobe, Japan, where she first developed her passion for cooking.

The multi-course menu began with gyu suji nikomi, a rich beef tendon stew that showcases tender wagyu cooked for three days in a deep sake and soy sauce. This dish is a personal favorite of Masako's, often requested during her visits to Japan. Following this, the meal included a tofu skin-wrapped appetizer featuring house-made dashi broth, a comforting staple in Masako's cooking repertoire. The second course drew inspiration from her childhood experience with shabu shabu, featuring thinly sliced wagyu ribeye served in a sweet soy sauce broth.

The dinner culminated in a nostalgic dessert: a float made with Midori, a sweet melon liqueur, poured over vanilla gelato, reminiscent of the melon soda Masako enjoyed as a child. This thoughtful treat encapsulated the emotional journey of their relationship, marked by both culinary and personal growth.

Masako, who has carved out a successful career in the culinary world, winning the James Beard Foundation's Emerging Chef award in 2024, reflects on how her mother's influence has shaped her cooking. Despite initial disagreements during her teenage years, food has always been a bridge between them, with Ryoko often providing guidance and support in Masako's culinary endeavors.

As they look to the future, both chefs express a desire to collaborate again, eager to create more dishes that honor their shared heritage and the flavors of their family’s history. This dinner not only showcased their culinary talents but also celebrated the enduring bond between mother and daughter through the art of cooking.