Takashi Omae, 45, is the owner-chef at , an udon and soba restaurant in Osaka. A ramen chef for five years, he enjoys coming up with ramen-udon fusion recipes. Omae places a great deal of importance on volunteering in the community and has begun donating food to help people in need.
1. Where did you grow up? I¡¯m from Hashimoto in Wakayama Prefecture. It¡¯s a beautiful place that is famous for delicious kaki (persimmons) and saba (mackerel). I live in Osaka now, but still go to Wakayama often because I have a second home in Inamicho. I can open the front door and walk to the sea in 10 seconds.
2. Do you have any formal training as a chef? None at all. I knew I wanted to make ramen, but I wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to teach me because I didn¡¯t want to copy their style. In order to learn the basics, I went around to different shops and observed things like how they cut and washed the chicken bones to make the dashi.
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