From the first hello, Yukari Sakamoto¡¯s enthusiasm for Japanese cuisine is evident. Her conversation is peppered with quips about umami bombs, the best sake and what to make in a donabe (earthenware pot).
¡°It¡¯s fun helping people make connections, showing them places or things that may not be on their radar,¡± Sakamoto says. ¡°It¡¯s really satisfying.¡±
Although she¡¯d had an interest in food since childhood, the Japanese American chef, sommelier, author and Tokyo tour guide¡¯s adventurous culinary career really kicked off in 2000, when she enrolled at the International Culinary Center (ICC, formerly The French Culinary Institute) in New York City, with plans to open a wine bar. After graduation, she worked for a restaurant group just north of the World Trade Center until 9/11. Sakamoto realized that her friends and family, who were mostly in Japan, were what mattered most.
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