Masaharu Morimoto Biography

Synopsis

Masaharu Morimoto is a Japanese chef, known as Iron Chef on the Japanese TV cooking show. He Iron Chef and his subsidiary Iron Chef America . He also appeared as a guest judge on Hell’s Kitchen and Top Chef .

Morimoto published his first cookbook called Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking in 2007 which was honored with two awards by the International Association of Culinary Professionals

Early age and education

Masaharu Morimoto was born Morimoto Masaharu on May 26, 1995 , in Hiroshima, Japan . He belongs to the Japanese ethnicity.

Morimoto attended Tamagawa University .

Race

After receiving hands-on training in sushi and kaiseki cooking, Morimoto opened a restaurant in Hiroshima in the early 1980s. Later, he was inspired by Western cooking technique and changed his restaurant to travel across America; therefore this has allowed him to experience a different style of fusion cooking and he was further influenced, settling in New York City.

Here, Morimoto worked at several prestigious Manhattan restaurants, including as executive staff and VIP guests at Sony Corporation, as executive chef at Sony Club , and as head chef at Nobu Japanese Restaurant.

During the time at Nobu, Morimoto started an Iron Chef TV show, but eventually, after running the show for several months, the show ended in 1999 and he left Nobu.

Later in 2001, he opened his restaurant in Philadelphia called Morimoto’s. He also opened Morimoto’s restaurant in Chelsea, New York. He collaborated with Tadao Ando and Goto Design Group and spread his restaurant around the world, including in New Delhi and Mumbai, India, where it is called Wasabi, as well as Morimoto’s restaurant in Boca Taton, Florida.

Morimoto partnered with entrepreneurs Paul Ardaji, Sr., and Paul Ardaji, Jr. in restaurant Ardaji Ventures, LLC. The partnership broke up when Ardaji filed for bankruptcy, as well as his investment entity Ardaji Restaurant Ventures, LLC.

Morimoto XEX is also owned by Morimoto in Tokyo, which was awarded a Michelin star in 2008. He has also appeared on other TV shows including Recep Oke Rudy which was broadcast on RCTI in Indonesia.

In 2010, Morimoto appeared teaching the contestant how to make sushi in the Hell’s Kitchen episode. Morimoto also appeared as a guest judge on Season 8 of Top Chef. In the CBS television series Hawaii Five-0, he guest-starred and also made his first appearance in season 1 of Ma Ke Kahakai.

Personal life

Masaharu Morimoto married Keiko Morimoto in 1978. The couple is blessed with three children.

Morimoto is the recipient of induction into the Culinary Hall of Fame once he sang at the Thousand Hearts Benefit for Japan Earthquake Victim Relief in April 2011. He was also honored with the James Beared Award for the special.

He opened two more Morimoto restaurants in Napa Valley and Waikiki, Hawaii, both in 2010. Morimoto later reopened the Asian Fusion Bistro restaurant in New York in October 2013. Most recently, in April 2016, he opened Momosan Ramen & Sake in Lexington Ave New York City. .

Morimoto currently lives in New York with his family.

Net worth

His successful career had earned him a net worth of $15 million with a lucrative salary from various sources.