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A bare hinoki-wood chef's counter, a single chef in white standing behind it beside an ikebana arrangement

a memory · 10 february 2026

Our anniversary dinner

a kaiseki chef's counter · New York City

Shown to us first

A tray of raw ingredients presented to us: whole lobster, red king crab, a wooden box of sea urchin, a heap of maitake mushrooms, black truffles and yuzu
The night's ingredients, brought out before we began — whole lobster and red king crab, a box of sea urchin, maitake from the mountains, black winter truffle, and yuzu.
A whole block of marbled wagyu beef held up on a bed of hinoki greenery, the grill smoking behind
And the wagyu — a whole block of Eda Farm A5, held up to us before it met the fire.
Everything in its season, and nothing out of place.

旬 ・ 調和 ・ 生き甲斐

the grill

The meal, in order

A rustic bowl on a gold-and-blue chrysanthemum cloth, a warm savory custard blanketed in shaved black truffle

to begin

Chawanmushi

chawanmushi

A savory Jidori-egg custard with Maine lobster and Hokkaido scallop in a foie-gras dashi — blanketed in a heavy snowfall of shaved black winter truffle.

A purple-glazed plate of small seasonal bites — lotus root touched with gold leaf, salmon roe, a glass of whipped tofu and a narcissus flower

first

The seasonal plate

hassun

An assortment of seasonal delicacies, arranged like a still life: a glass of whipped tofu, jewels of salmon roe, gold-leafed lotus root, cured fish and pickles — set off by a single narcissus for late winter.

A dark-blue glazed plate of sashimi — white fish and yellowtail — with chrysanthemum petals and a ball of fresh wasabi

second

Otsukuri

o-tsukuri

The chef's selection of the day's sashimi — lean white fish and rich winter yellowtail — scattered with yellow chrysanthemum petals and a ball of freshly grated wasabi.

A lacquer bowl of clear broth with a white shrimp dumpling, a slice of bamboo shoot and a sprig of kinome

third

The clear soup

owan

The soul of a kaiseki meal: a feather-light shinjo of Montauk red shrimp with a slice of young bamboo shoot, in a clear, smoky bonito broth, finished with a sprig of kinome.

A grilled fillet of thornyhead rockfish with myoga and yuzu zest on a striped plate, with blossom-cut rice crackers and a quenelle of brown purée

fourth

Grilled kinki

kinki — yuan-yaki

Hokkaido thornyhead rockfish, grilled in a yuzu-honey glaze until the edges caramelized — with crisp blossom-cut rice crackers and a quenelle of smooth purée.

Blushing slices of wagyu in a glossy dark broth in a patterned bowl, with a coin of kumquat

fifth

Wagyu, off the grill

wagyū

Eda Farm organic A5 wagyu — the block shown to us earlier — smoked over hinoki leaf and served in blushing slices in a glossy Yame black-tea sauce, brightened with a coin of kumquat.

A guest holding up a clay donabe pot brimming with orange salmon roe, crab and rice
A sheet of nori topped with the crab-and-roe rice and a generous heap of caviar

sixth

Donabe rice

donabe gohan

Hokkaido kegani crab, ikura and yuzu rice from the clay pot — carried out brimming with roe, then spooned onto crisp nori with a heap of caviar, a little hand roll built at the counter.

A white plate of amazake ice cream with strawberry and blueberry, beside a lit candle and a note reading congratulations Kate and Najeer

to finish

Amaou strawberry & amazake ice cream

kanmi

Amaou strawberries with a quenelle of amazake ice cream and a square of jelly — and, since it was our night, a candle and a note: “congratulations Kate & Najeer.”

What we drank

A green bottle of Masumi sparkling sake on the counter
Masumi — sparkling sake, to start.
A bottle of Domaine Laroche Chablis Grand Cru
Domaine Laroche — Chablis Grand Cru “Les Blanchots,” 2020.
Two bottles — an aged Japanese sake labelled Yukimanman and a German Riesling
Yukimanman (雪漫々) — a long-aged sake — with a German Riesling alongside.
A black bottle of Tokugetsu junmai daiginjo sake with gold lettering
Tokugetsu (得月) — junmai daiginjo.
A bottle of Faiveley Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru red Burgundy
Faiveley — Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru “Aux Beaux Bruns,” 2022.
A bottle of Markus Molitor Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese with a glass of golden wine
Markus Molitor — “Haus Klosterberg” Trockenbeerenauslese, 2018, with the sweets.
The two of us at the counter, cheek to cheek
The two of us with a small candle lit on the counter to celebrate
A dark plate by candlelight with a delicate sweet

A last sweet, by candlelight.

A small confection and a bowl of Kyoto Uji matcha to close the night.

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