Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur
One of the more fascinating trends in post-Pandemic life has been to see how the deck has been reshuffled. The restaurant and foodservice industries are bursting with all kinds of exciting new alliances.
Among the more creative collaborations Total Food Service has seen is the announcement by Montclair Hospitality Group (MHG) of an exclusive partnership with famed Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto.
MHG currently operates in New York, New Jersey, California, Miami and with plans for expansion with new concepts in Boston, MA, Las Vegas, NV and Bellevue, WA. Earlier this year, the group opened its new pastaRAMEN brick-and-mortar restaurant in Montclair, NJ to much acclaim, featuring Chef Robbie Felice’s popular take on Wafu Italian cuisine.
business, but finding the lighter moments along the journey to strengthen the alliance. (L-R) Montclair Hospitality Group’s
CEO Joey Simons, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, and MHG Founder Luck Sarabhayavanija
The visionary MHG is a chef-driven, global hospitality company focused on curating the world’s leading dining concepts. Founder Luck Sarabhayavanija and CEO Joey Simons will team with Chef Morimoto include a new restaurant to anchor Fortress Developments new InterContinental Hotel in Bellevue, WA.
Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto has become one of the world’s most noted celebrity chefs. He is known to millions as the star of Iron Chef and Iron Chef America — has garnered critical and popular acclaim for his seamless integration of Western and Japanese ingredients. Since 1998, Morimoto has competed on the Japanese television show, Iron Chef and also appeared on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America.
Chef Morimoto currently has 19 restaurants around the world. He has created a bridge between the culinary traditions of his native Japan and the American palate, bringing intense excitement, exquisite technique, and perfectly balanced flavors to countless diners throughout the world.
The celebrity chef collaboration approach has been a staple for the past 30 years. In many cases, it has been deployed in hotel properties. With that in mind, TFS reached out to Chef Masaharu Morimoto to share his vision.
For those who don’t know: Can you share your journey, and where you got your passion for cooking?
My passion for cooking began at a young age when I would watch my mother and grandmother prepare meals in the kitchen. I was fascinated by the way they could take raw ingredients and turn them into something delicious. As I grew older, I started to appreciate the artistry and creativity involved in cooking. The kitchen became my sanctuary, a place where I could express myself and explore new flavors and techniques.
Our readers are always curious to know: what led to the opening of your first restaurant?
After a shoulder injury ended my dream of becoming a professional baseball player in Japan, I began studying sushi in my hometown of Hiroshima. As a boy, I idolized the sushi chefs working quietly and surely behind the counter at the restaurant my family visited on special occasions. After studying the technique of sushi making, and at age 24, I opened my first restaurant.
What did you take away from that experience, and with that, what became the fundamentals of building an empire?
I have learned that hard work is always necessary and pride myself on my focused attention to detail. But even then, sometimes circumstances out of our control like location or other factors can play a role in the success of a restaurant. I have learned so much throughout my career, but still face new challenges each day and continue to grow from these learnings. I am so thankful for the incredible team that supports me in my restaurants around the world each day, as well as my loyal customers and trusted partners.
For those who don’t know the Iron Chef brand: How did it happen? What have the keys been to building a sustainable brand?
I am very grateful that I got to be on both Iron Chef and Iron Chef America years ago. It taught me another level of focus while dealing with stress and pressure. I used the fierce competition to inspire a new level of creativity with my dishes. Being on TV as much as I have been during my career has helped to open doors of opportunity. Being heavily involved in all facets is the key to building a sustainable brand. I’m very involved in each restaurant as much as I can. From the design to menu creation to how the staff operates, I try to keep as active as possible in all of my restaurants.
How did the deal with Montclair Hospitality Group come about?
Myself and MHG’s CEO, Joey Simons, had previously worked together. MHG’s founder Luck Sarabhayavanija had a desire to create a new brand around sushi and work with a leading Chef. MHG is a perfect partner being a chef driven, global hospitality company with a focus on building some of the world’s leading dining brand concepts.
What’s your approach to building your culinary and front of the house teams for Montclair?
The same approach I have in building all of my world class restaurants: Hiring dedicated professionals, with focus on customer satisfaction and knowledge of globally influenced Japanese cuisine and spirits to share my culinary vision. With MHG being a world-class operator, the sum of both our teams will lead to a high-level luxury experience.
Our readers are curious how you approach the design and build out of new kitchens?
I do not like to repeat myself too much when it comes to design. I’m inspired by the collaboration with the talented architects and designers brought on for each project and location.
What is the Chef Morimoto legacy?
I like being able to travel and expand on my work. I’m always on the go with new projects, new restaurants, developing my own line of retail products, etc. The success serves as an inspiration to create and do more, and I am excited for what is to come in the future.
Learn more about Iron Chef Masahuru Morimoto at his website.
Learn more about Montclair Hospitality Group at their website.
All photography by Jeffrey Elkashab
