Takashi Yagihashi Shares Recipes And Food Philosophy As Part Of Macy's Culinary Council

A master of mixing cultures and ingredients, Chef Takashi Yagihashi, a native of Japan, is a star of Asian casual food. "From the very beginning I was trying to find the way to transform a very simple plate into something remarkable," Chef Yagihashi said. His signature restaurants include Takashi and the Slurping Turtle, both located in Chicago.

His cuisine finds a way to mix modern Japanese and French ingredients without being pretentious. Takashi has studied the two different cultures to bring a sort of umami into his food. The Daily Meal met Chef Takashi at the Macy's Culinary Council event in San Francisco, where Yagihashi was showcasing some of his famous recipes, including some hors d'oeuvres like Prosciutto-Shrimp Spring Rolls to more elaborate appetizers like his famous Crispy Tacos with Soy-Caramel Braised Pork.

"When I moved to America as a young cook, I started working in a general sushi restaurant. I quickly got bored", said Takashi. "My inspiration was a French chef like Pierre Gagnaire, and I was eager to play with my creativity and bring a more modern concept about Asian food in this country". Takashi has authored a cookbook called Takashi's Noodles and, moreover, his namesake restaurant got a Michelin star in 2010. In addition he won "Best Chef in the Midwest" from the James Beard Foundation in 2003.

Learn more about the Culinary Council and upcoming events by logging on to macys.com/culinarycouncil and on Twitter @culinarycouncil.