To ensure authenticity in his culinary preparations, Executive Chef Yoshifusa Kinjo imports key ingredients from Japan, while seasonal produce is sourced locally. Everything, including the vinegar used in preparing sushi, is made from scratch according to generations-old recipes. Customary Japanese cuisine, known as washoku, is both a culinary philosophy and set of guidelines for preparing food. It’s celebrated for its centuries-old cooking techniques and respect for nature.
3 Nakato ways
Sachi graduated from high school in Atlanta and struck out to Boston University to study art history. But the family business soon drew her back to Atlanta. Now, she oversees the running of the restaurant on a daily basis. She is proud of the way her family offers a taste of Japanese culture and tradition for eager Atlanta diners. When Sachi and her husband, Josh Houghkirk, have rare spare time, they frequent spots around the Midtown neighborhood. “I love walks in Piedmont Park,” she says. “It’s a sentimental place for me, because it’s where my mom and dad would go for a walk on their breaks from the restaurant when they were first falling in love.” She says she finds herself on the BeltLine often and enjoys its many shops and restaurants. “It’s so diverse compared to the suburbs,” she enthuses. She lives in the new Modera Morningside building near Nakato. “You probably think it’s crazy, but one of my favorite parts of the building is that Sprouts is on the ground floor. I’m a grocery store fanatic.” Sachi says working with her family has its own rewards. “Sure, we have our little family dramas, who doesn’t? But when I reflect on my relationship with them, I call them ‘my Google.’ They are my reference point; I reach out to them for advice constantly. I hold onto them for dear life.”
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Tatami rooms, or traditional tea rooms (a rare find in the U.S.), offer intimate, multi-course washoku dining. In these rooms, guests experience the elegance and serene ambience of old-world Japan.
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High-energy hibachi, or teppanyaki, tables (considered high-end dining in Japan) offer entertaining “New World” dining. Here, chefs use an iron griddle to prepare meals in front of guests, providing dynamic entertainment using their knives, spatulas and fresh ingredients.
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The sushi bar and main dining room meet in the middle, offering an authentic taste of traditional as well as modern Japanese dishes and sushi. Nakato: 1776 Cheshire Bridge Rd. NE., Atlanta, GA 30324. NakatoRestaurant.com
fall 2016
(BOTTOM) THE NAKATO FAMILY STEPS INTO THE FUTURE OF CUISINE AND DESIGN— ALWAYS WITH AN EYE TO THE PAST. (LEFT TO RIGHT) SACHI’S SISTER, YUKIKO BUTI; SACHI; HER MOTHER, HIROE; AND FATHER, KIYOSHI NAKATO.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SACHI NAKATO.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY VIC BONVICINI PHOTOGRAPHY, HAIR AND MAKEUP BY THE GREEN ROOM AGENCY.
(TOP) NAKATO SEAMLESSLY STRADDLES TIME: ITS THREE TATAMI ROOMS—TRADITIONAL TEA ROOMS, OFFER “OLD WORLD” TRADITIONAL JAPANESE DINING. GUESTS DON SLIPPERS AND RELAX ON FLOOR PILLOWS AS THEY ARE WAITED ON BY KIMONOWEARING SERVERS.
offers Japanese culture & cuisine:
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