THE KIKKOMAN KITCHEN CABINET
Meet Our Inner Circle of Culinary Innovators
Meet the latest additions to our inner circle of leading-edge chefs and operators.  In 2022, we launched our inaugural class of Kikkoman Kitchen Cabinet partner chefs, a group of leading-edge chefs who collaborate with us on foodservice recipe development, industry outreach, trend forecasting, and more. And each year, our Kitchen Cabinet grows with the addition of a new class of culinary innovators. Here’s a look at the chefs who have inspired us over the last few years, with some of their innovative “Inspired by Kikkoman” recipes. Interested in joining the Kitchen Cabinet? Contact us at [email protected] to learn more!
KITCHEN CABINET 2026
Calvin Eng
Chef-Owner, Bonnie’s | Brooklyn, NYC
IG: @bonniesbrooklyn
Redefining Cantonese-American Cuisine
Chef Calvin Eng is one of the most exciting voices in Cantonese-American cuisine. A native of Brooklyn, he honed his craft at institutions like Nom Wah Tea Parlor and Win Son before opening his own acclaimed restaurant, Bonnie’s. Recognized as a 2022 Food & Wine Best New Chef, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and finalist for the James Beard Foundation Award’s Emerging Chef, Eng fuses his heritage and inventive spirit into dishes that redefine tradition with a fresh, flavor-forward vibe.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEF CALVIN
Tiana Gee
Chef, SoulPhil | Los Angeles, CA
IG: @cheftianagee
Reinventing Filipino Soul Food with Bold, Cultural Fusion
Chef Tiana Gee, a Los Angeles native celebrated for her Filipino–American soul-food fusion, has made waves from the kitchens of NYC’s Red Rooster to her own pop-up, SoulPhil. Featured on Bon Appétit, Epicurious and Food Network’s Chopped Next Gen, she’s at the forefront of a new generation of chefs blending heritage and innovation.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEF TIANA
Evan Gonzalez
Chef, Sand n’ Straw Community Farm | Vista, CA
IG: @chefevangon
Elevating Asian-Latin Fusion
Chef Evan Gonzalez captured attention with his bold Asian-Latin fusion cooking, winning the Fan Favorite Award in the 2024 “Inspired by Kikkoman” Chef Competition with his Mi Quang recipe. He’s redefining global cuisine with an accent on inventive flavor, technique, and sustainability, blending Asian and Latin influences with farm-fresh ingredients at Sand N’ Straw Community Farm in Southern California.
Christine Lau
Chef and Consultant | New York City, NY
IG: @chefchristinelau
The Art of Itameshi
Christine Lau doesn’t just blend flavors—she connects the stories behind them. Over the years, she’s cooked her way through Italian fine dining, Japanese izakaya culture, Itameshi and the cross-cultural New York kitchens that shaped her. Today, she continues to chart her own path—global, intuitive, and unmistakably Christine. Call it what you will… just don’t call it fusion.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEF CHRISTINE
Kevin Lee
Chef-Owner, Birdies by Chef Kevin Lee & Maht | Oklahoma City, OK
IG: @chefkleeokc
The Soul of Modern Korean Cuisine
Chef Kevin Lee brings heart and borderless creativity to modern Korean cuisine at his acclaimed Oklahoma City restaurant, Birdie’s by Chef Kevin Lee. A Food Network champion and 2025 James Beard Awards Semifinalist, he fuses heritage and live-fire technique to tell deeply personal stories through bold, soulful dishes rooted in Korean flavor.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEF KEVIN
Ken Oringer
Chef-Owner, Toro, Coppa, Verveine Cafe & Bakery & JK Food Group| Boston, MA
IG: @kenoringer
Global Flavors Without the Gluten
James Beard Award–winning Boston chef and restaurateur Ken Oringer brings bold, global flavor to every dish—without the gluten. Inspired by his daughter’s celiac diagnosis, he’s reimagined cooking with a guiding spirit of creativity and inclusivity, proving that great flavor transcends dietary restrictions.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEF KEN
KITCHEN CABINET 2025
MEHERWAN IRANI
Chef-Owner, Chai Pani Restaurant Group | Asheville, SC
IG: @meherwanirani
Championing the Flavors of India
Known for his bold use of spices and creative interpretations of traditional Indian dishes, Meherwan Irani is a James Beard Award-winning chef who’s on a mission to revolutionize Indian cuisine in America. Originally from India, Meherwan brings his heritage to life through his restaurants, including the acclaimed Chai Pani in Asheville, NC and Decatur, GA.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEF MEHERWAN
Shota Nakajima
Chef-Owner, Taku | Seattle, WA
IG: @chefshota
Elevating Japanese Cuisine
Born in Japan and raised in Seattle, Chef Shota Nakajima trained under Michelin-starred chefs in Osaka before returning to the Pacific Northwest to open his acclaimed restaurant, Taku. A fan favorite on Top Chef Season 18 and a multiple James Beard Award nominee, Shota continues to elevate Japanese cuisine in America with his innovative and comforting dishes.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEF SHOTA
Diego Ng
Chef & Co-owner, Temple Street Eatery | Fort Lauderdale, FL
IG: @chef_diegong
Asian-Latin Pioneer
Chef Diego Ng is the culinary force behind Temple Street Eatery, where he masterfully blends his Chinese and Latin American heritage into a unique dining experience. Born in Venezuela Diego brings a rich, multicultural perspective to his cooking, combining traditional Asian flavors with the vibrant tastes of Latin cuisine. Since opening Temple Street Eatery, he has garnered a loyal following for his innovative dishes that pay homage to his roots while pushing culinary boundaries.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEF Diego
Ian Ramirez
Founder, Mad Honey Culinary Studio | Holland, MI
IG: @chefianramirez
Culinary Innovation Guru
With over two decades of experience in fine dining, retail, corporate dining, and catering, Chef Ian Ramirez, is the founder of Mad Honey Culinary Studio, a consultancy that develops groundbreaking flavors, menus, and strategies for commercial and noncommercial clients. Ian was also the Grand Prize winner of the first INSPIRED BY KIKKOMAN Chef Competition.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEF IAN
Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon
Chef-Owner, Kalaya | Philadelphia, PA
IG: @kuhnnok
Celebrating Thai Tastes and Traditions
Chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon has transformed the Thai dining scene in Philadelphia with her authentic, bold flavors at Kalaya, the restaurant she opened in 2019. Originally from Southern Thailand, Nok’s dedication to traditional techniques has earned Kalaya a spot on Bon Appétit’s Hot 10 list and a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2023.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEF NOK
KITCHEN CABINET 2024
Angel Barreto
Chef-Owner, Anju | Washington DC
IG: @angellbarreto
Korean Cuisine Reimagined
Chef Angel Barreto is the executive chef at Anju in Washington, DC, offering a new take on classic Korean cuisine. Angel is of Puerto Rican and Black descent and is also a lifelong student of Korean cuisine. In 2019, Anju received three stars from The Washington Post, and in 2021, Chef Angel was named one of Food & Wine’s “Best New Chefs.”
Nando and Fernando Chang
Chef-Owner, Itamae AO | Miami, FL
IG: @itamaeao
Peruvian-Japanese Inspiration
In Peru, Nikkei cooking combines influences of Peru and Japan, and these days, one of the best places to experience the cutting edge of Nikkei cuisine is at Itamae Ao, Chef Nando Chang’s seasonally inspired tasting-menu concept. The restaurant has been named to almost every “Miami’s best restaurants” list and received recognition from the Michelin Guide.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEFS NANDO AND FERNANDO
Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu
Chef-Owners, Jun | Houston, TX
IG: @jun_bykin
Exploring Chinese and Hispanic Roots
At Jūn in Houston, chefs Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu celebrate their Chinese and Hispanic roots in what they call “new Asian American cuisine.” For both chefs, Kikkoman has been a household brand and a kitchen staple for as long as they can remember—and it’s a brand that’s still inspiring their cooking today in signature dishes, drinks, and desserts.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEFS EVELYN AND HENRY
Christine Ha
Chef-Owner, The Blind Goat and Stuffed Belly | Houston, TX
IG: @theblindcook
Southeast Asian Fusion Visionary
Chef Christine Ha is a blind cook known for winning MasterChef Season 3. A three-time James Beard Award nominee, she specializes in Southeastern and modern Asian cooking, pulling flavors and techniques from Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Indian cuisine. Her cookbook, Recipes from My Home Kitchen, was a New York Times best-seller.
Roberto Perez
Chef-Owner, Del Mar Ostioneria | Los Angeles, CA
IG: @delmarostioneria
Contemporary Mexican-Japanese Seafood
Chef Roberto PĂ©rez is one of two chefs behind Del Mar Ostioneria, a game-changing Los Angles food truck serving high-end seafood in the style of Sinaloa, Mexico, with a Japanese touch. The menu includes ceviches, aguachiles, oysters, sashimi, tacos, and more. PĂ©rez is a self-taught chef, born and raised in Chicago with roots in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Yuu Shimano
Chef-Owner, Restaurant Yuu | Brooklyn, NY
IG: @yuushimano
Upscale French with Japanese Style
Chef Yuu Shimano is the chef behind Restaurant Yuu, a Brooklyn restaurant featuring traditional Japanese omotenashi and high-quality French cuisine. He graduated from Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka, Japan, and Lyon, France and worked at Guy Savoy in Paris. He was also executive chef at Mifune, an upscale French-Japanese restaurant in Manhattan.
Lon Symensma
Chef-Owner, ChoLon | Denver, CO
IG: @lonsymensma
The Meeting of Southeast Asia and Europe
Chef Lon Symensma opened ChoLon in Denver, CO in 2010 after extensive culinary travels across Asia. ChoLon’s menu plays on interpretations of traditional Southeast Asian dishes combined with nods to Lon’s classical European training. In its first year, ChoLon was a semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation Award for “Best New Restaurant” in the nation.
KITCHEN CABINET 2023
Erik Bruner-Yang
Chef-Owner, Maketto | Washington DC
IG: @erikbruneryang
Pushing Culinary Boundaries
Born in Taiwan and raised in the United States, Erik Bruner-Yang is a three-time James Beard Foundation award nominee and chef-owner of Maketto, a communal marketplace located in Washington DC, combining retail, restaurant, bar, and cafe experiences. He is a multiple-time James Beard finalist and was named StarChefs’ Rising Star DC Restaurateur 2018.
Adrienne Cheatham
James Beard Nominated Chef, Cookbook Author | New York City, NY
IG: @adrienne
Connecting Cultures Through Cuisine
From her time as executive sous chef at Le Bernardin to leading the kitchen at Red Rooster, Harlem, Chef Adrienne Cheatham has built a reputation for excellence and creativity and a passion for soulful, elevated cuisine. She wowed audiences as the runner-up on Top Chef Season 15 and is a James Beard Foundation Award nominee for her cookbook, Sunday Best.
Robbie Felice
Chef-Owner, pastaRAMEN | L.A., Miami, New York, Seattle & Montclair, NJ
IG: @robbiefelice
The Wafu Italian Whisperer
Robbie Felice is the Chef and Restaurateur of Viaggio, Osteria Crescendo, and pastaRAMEN pop-ups in Montclair, NJ, Miami, Seattle, New York City, and Los Angeles. Wafu is a Japanese word meaning “Japanese-style,” and Chef Robbie specializes in Wafu Italian cuisine, a popular style of cooking in Japan that reimagines Italian dishes through a Japanese lens.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEF ROBBIE
Ray Hayashi & Cynthia Hetlinger
Chef-Owners, RYLA | Hermosa Beach, CA
IG: @eat_ryla
Asian Fusion, Izakaya-Style
Husband-and-wife chef duo Ray Hayashi and Cynthia Hetlinger are the culinary minds behind RYLA, a modern izakaya redefining the concept of Asian fusion to reflect the chefs’ own backgrounds and points of view. Hayashi was born in the US to Japanese parents. Hetlinger is half Taiwanese and was born in Taipei. They opened RYLA in Hermosa Beach, CA in 2022.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEFS RAY AND CYNTHIA
Ray Li
Chef Raymond Li (Lis Dim Sum) | Coral Gables, FL
IG: @chefrayjr
Chinese-Latin Fusion with a Miami Twist
A first-generation American of Latin-Chinese descent, born and raised in Miami, Chef Raymond Li is known for his passionate, avant-garde, and precise approach to Modern Asian Cuisine. His culinary training includes The Ritz Carlton and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel as well as Michelin-starred restaurants, such as Benu and l’Atelier de Joël Robuchon.
Angelo Sosa
Chef-Owner, Tia Carmen, Carmocha & Kembara | Phoenix, AZ & Indian Wells, CA
IG: @chefangelososa
Modern Global Flavors
Chef Angelo Sosa seamlessly fuses his Dominican and Italian heritage into his innovative approach to global cuisine. His creative flair earned him recognition as a standout competitor on Top Chef. His culinary vision comes to life at Tia Carmen; Carmocha, a global tapas restaurant; and Kembara.
