the family business every day after school and on weekends. masa: nine, ten years old, we carried the sashimi dish and the special kind of container. and go to all the neighbors. anthony: yeah? masa: to deliver. anthony: you learned how to clean fish very early. how to cut it. masa: 10, 11, 12, that time already, i started to grill the fish. ishi: [ speaking japanese ] anthony: her opinion, were you a good student? [ laughter ] masa: i was, right? anthony: a good one? [ laughter ] masa: [ speaking japanese ] ishi: [ speaking japanese ] anthony: so, were you surprised that he became a big success in america? ishi: [ speaking japanese ]
[ speaking japanese ] anthony: this is really good. i see why you love this. catherine, by the way, is a pastry chef at the great restaurant, the french laundry, in the napa valley. so high level cooking seems to run in the family. anthony: you grew up sitting in the sushi bar. catherine: i did, yeah, sitting on a milk crate with a cheeseburger in front, and i d watch my dad prepping, and i d call out, dad! and he d be like, i m not your dad here! i was like [ gasps ]. anthony: oh, that s funny. what did you do for fun back there? catherine: i was eating. [ laughter ] anthony: well, your father was in the fish business. wholesale masa: fish business, yeah. no, no. retail. he d make sashimi, right? anthony: mm-hmm. ishi: [ speaking japanese ] anthony: masa, his brother, and three sisters all worked for
anthony: oh, yeah. masa: mm! anthony: wow, it s sweet. masa: [ speaking japanese ] konishi: [ speaking japanese ] anthony: izura, freshly caught local quail, is rubbed with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and lightly glazed with that homemade soy. masa: [ speaking japanese ] anthony: oh, wow. masa: how is it, good? anthony: that is good. mm. masa: this kind of charcoal slow cooking gives this kind of flavor, soft, juicy. how s the fish? konishi: [ speaking japanese ] [ laughter ] masa: you know what he said? before fish, i m gonna burn up. anthony: so him first. [ laughter ] masa: don t hurry. good food takes long time. anthony: so this big argument with the spanish. big argument. is umami a flavor or a sensation? masa: umami is essence. strong essence. anthony: so it s a mysterious
izakura: [ speaking japanese ] masa: then we became great friends. izakura: [ speaking japanese ] masa: then i started designing, too. i have an image in my head, i start drawing. [ speaking japanese ] izakura: [ speaking japanese ] masa: then, i come all the way here to talk with mr. izakura. [ speaking japanese ] izakura: [ speaking japanese ] maza: [ speaking japanese ] that passion makes me change. [ speaking japanese ] izakura: [ speaking japanese ]
chef kazuo: [ speaking japanese ] catherine: so, traditionally it s the oldest son who stays to take care of the parents. anthony: if he could live his life over again catherine: yeah. chef kazuo: [ speaking japanese ] anthony: a designer? of? chef kazuo: a fashion designer. anthony: fashion designer? catherine: fashion! really? chef kazuo: [ speaking japanese ] anthony: then hitusmabushi, eel steamed, dressed and grilled over rice. oh look at this. catherine: oh wow. there are a lot of components here. amazing. anthony: wow that s good. oishi. chef kazuo: thank you. catherine: i ve never had unagi other than my uncle s unagi.