Photo by Steve Nagano
From left: Roy Yamaguchi, Adrian Valdez, Bryan A’hearn, Julia Chen, Carmen Arevalo, Cynthia Hetlinger, Ray Hayashi, Charles Namba, Paru Frances, Chris Ono, Gary Matsumoto, Jarrod Mori, Ryan Saeki.
“He didn’t just build restaurants, he built family.”
By MIYA IWATAKI
It was a tribute. “An Evening in Celebration of Chef Akira Hirose.”
It was a once-in-a-lifetime event. Noted Japanese American chefs coming together to honor an icon, a mentor, a friend – Chef Akira Hirose.
The tribute. It was an idea they’d been talking about since his funeral, which drew over 800 people. Including a large contingent of chefs dressed in their chef’s whites, filling nearly half of the pews on one side — a visually stunning and emotional presence. A display of respect and a final farewell to a treasured friend and colleague.
Akira Hirose, the storied chef who at the young age of 18 moved to France to start his journey at the Grand Monarque Hotel in Azay-le-Rideau in the Loire Valley. He moved to Paris, where he honed his culinary skills at Maxim’s de Paris, a three-star Michelin restaurant. This set him on the path to work with and ultimately become lifelong friends with the legendary Joel Robuchon (awarded the most Michelin stars of any chef) at the renowned Nikko Hotel.
Photo by Chucho Fotos
The Hirose family. From left: son Philip, wife Jo Ann, and daughter Michelle.
Chef Akira was invited to Los Angeles to join the kitchen at the groundbreaking French restaurant L’Orangerie. As his reputation grew, he served as opening chef of The Belvedere at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, where he became an early innovator of Asian-fusion cooking.
After marrying Jo Ann Maehara, they opened Azay-le-Rideau, introducing French cuisine in Kyoto. In 1998, he debuted his cherished Maison Akira in Pasadena, which became a highly acclaimed institution for over 20 years. When Maison Akira closed, he brought fine French dining to Little Tokyo with Azay, where he continued mentoring new talented Japanese American chefs.
Over the years from Maison Akira to Azay, Akira was known for his generosity and support of community; most recently seen during the dark times of the pandemic and the Altadena fires, feeding our seniors and those who lost homes. His commitment to community lives on at Azay and Anzen with his wife Jo Ann and son Philip. Little Tokyo is richer for Chef Akira and his culinary skills, cultural legacy and community spirit.
In the kitchen, chefs prepare amuse bouchet.
In the kitchen, chefs prepare the third course by Chef Charles Namba: Duck breast, duck fat bearnaise, Kyoto carrots, Szechuan peppercorn.
Photo by Mike Okamura
And finally now, March 15, 2026 at Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center/James Irvine Japanese Garden in Little Tokyo, seven prominent chefs, each a star in his/her own right who was mentored by, influenced by or cooked with Akira Hirose, presented a Michelin Star-worthy five-course tribute to the legendary chef. Each of the courses was inspired by or was an original recipe of Chef Akira to honor their friend and mentor. The chefs: Ray Hayashi, Julia Chen, Chris Ono, Charles Namba, Roy Yamaguchi, Gary Matsumoto and Carmen Arevalo.
While rehabbing from my recent knee replacement, I became an avid fan of cooking tournaments. I watched a parade of Michelin Star- and James Beard Award-winning chefs create fabulous dishes prepared with taste, technique, texture; works of art I longed to sample. And now to be at Akira’s tribute, enjoying five courses that could stand up against any celebrity chef. A foodie dream come true!
About the Menu and Chefs
Amuse by Chef Ray Hayashi: Cold smoked salmon, English peas, crème fraiche, buckwheat cracker, lemon
Amuse by Chef Julia Chen: Pink lady apple, ahungiku, almond butter dressing
Amuse-bouche is a complimentary, single-bite, chef-selected morsel served immediately before a meal to showcase skill and prepare the palate. Chef Chen’s Amuse was a nod to Japanese spring vegetable and American fruit. She is currently a sushi chef at Miki Sushi & Sake, and is at Joint Seafood as lead fish butcher.
Photo by Steve Nagano
First course by Chef Chris Ono: Maine scallop sashimi, late citrus, fennel variations, yuzu kosho-infused glace de volaille.
First Course by Chef Chris Ono: Maine scallop sashimi, late citrus, fennel variations, yuzu kosho-infused glace de volaille
Artistically plated scallop sashimi infused with a reduction of aromatics with a yuzu kosho “flavor bomb,” garnished with citrus and fennel flowers. After graduating the California Culinary Academy, Chef Ono held positions at Mori Sushi in L.A. and RyuGin in Tokyo. The former Eleven Madison Park and Citrin chef joined the team at Azay after helming the kitchen at Hansei at JACCC. Now, Chef Chris, who has referred to Akira as “the godfather of the dining scene in L.A.,” is looking forward to opening his own place.
Photo by Miya Iwataki
Second course by Chef Ray Hayashi: Miso-marinated Chilean seabass, Provencal vegetables, tomato dashi consomme, basil.
Second Course by Chef Ray Hayashi: Miso-marinated Chilean sea bass, Provencal vegetables, tomato dashi consomme, basil
Maison Akira was noted for its miso-marinated sea bass, a spectacular dish he served to the emperor and empress of Japan in 1994. Chef Ray prepared a perfectly cooked contemporized version inspired by Chef Akira. The tomato consomme was prepared with freshly made tomato water and a rich stock clarified by using a mixture of egg whites (a French technique); the consommé was ringed by a bright green circle of freshly made basil oil – so delicious it had all of us drinking every last drop from the plate. The Provencale vegetable was a roulade of thinly sliced zucchini and nasubi rolled around sticky rice, a reinterpretation of Akira’s ratatouille.
Chef Ray was mentored by Chef Akira at Maison Akira in his early years. In 2022 he opened RYLA in Hermosa Beach with his wife/partner Chef de Cuisine Cynthia Hetlinger, marrying Japanese and Taiwanese influences. He worked with Chef David LeFevre in noted South Bay restaurants, including Fishing with Dynamite and Arthur J’s; and was sous chef for Michael Cimarusti at the Michelin-starred Providence.
Third Course by Chef Charles Namba: Duck breast, duck fat bearnaise, Kyoto carrots, Szechuan peppercorns
The perfectly cooked duck breast was set atop a bearnaise sauce, made using rendered duck fat instead of butter for extra richness. Kyoto carrots were prepared with camellia/tsubaki oil, cumin, and Szechuan peppercorn adding a bright tone to the vegetables. A tablemate that evening, Margaret Narumi, remembers enjoying Chef Akira’s popular duck breast at The Peninsula in Beverly Hills 30 years ago.
Chef Namba is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and cuisine as well as classical French, and his food preparation is influenced by Chef Akira. He worked at EN Brasserie in New York and trained at Chanterelle under Chef David Waltuck. In 2017 he opened Tsubaki in Echo Park, and later the sister sake bar OTOTO. Chef Namba’s newest restaurant, Camelia, is bringing Japanese and French technique together in its DTLA location.
Photo by Steve Nagano
Fourth course by Chef Roy Yamaguchi: Carmelized beef, Asian aromatics, curry sauce.
Fourth Course by Chef Roy Yamaguchi: Carmelized beef, Asian aromatics, Japanese curry sauce, demi glace, oden vegetables
Succulent, fork-tender carmelized short rib perfectly matched with a delicious seasoned Japanese rice. The longtime friendship between Chef Roy and Chef Akira was most apparent in this course. Everything on the plate was “a nod to Akira.” He pulled from Akira’s Japanese heritage: Adding curry to the demi glace, Japanese rice flavored with lemon grass, ginger, golden raisins. Oden. Short rib.
The Hirose family expressed appreciation for Chef Roy, who flew in from Hawaii, braving the storm wreaking havoc there. “My dad didn’t just build restaurants, he built family,” says daughter Michelle.
The James Beard Award-winning Chef Roy talked story about many years of cooking together with Chef Akira for the annual galas celebrating the legendary 100th Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team. He reminisced about their friendship when he was at L’Ermitage while Akira was at L’Orangerie. “What can I say? French all the way!” he laughed.
Chef Roy is known as the Japanese American celebrity chef, restaurateur and founder of restaurants, including 30 Roy’s Restaurants in the U.S. and Guam, and he is considered the innovator of Hawaiian-inspired cuisine.
Photo by Miya Iwataki
Fifth course by Chefs Gary Matsumoto and Carmen Arevalo: Timbale Elysee Lasserre.
Fifth Course by Chef Gary Matsumoto and Carmen Arevalo: Timbale Elysee Lasserre
Chef Akira’s renowned dessert was lovingly prepared by Chefs Gary and Carmen exactly as he originally created it. A dome of gold spun sugar crowning a colorful array of fresh berries over a silky vanilla ice cream (Akira’s own special recipe), nestled in a paper-thin petalled tuille wafer. Encircled by a bright raspberry sauce adorned with hand-painted vanilla anglaise hearts – it was a show-stopper!
The dessert was served with an anecdote about a loyal diner at Maison Akira who brought in a diamond engagement ring and asked Chef Akira to put it into this dessert for a dramatic proposal of marriage!
Chef Carmen worked for 16 years at Maison Akira, and felt it was important that the Timbale was “straight out of Chef Akira’s playbook.” She also worked at Alexander’s Steakhouse and Level 8 in the Moxy Hotel, and is now a full-fledged pastry chef.
“The most poignant of the dishes was the Timbale Elysee Lasserre. It was Akira’s favorite dessert,” says Jo Ann, his wife.
Chef Gary worked one year at Azay with Chef Akira when he came back to L.A. after 30 years in Hawaii, where he worked as chef de cuisine, executive chef, and food and beverage manager. He is currently executive chef at JACCC. Gary admired the community spirit of Chef Akira and enjoyed the camaraderie among the tribute chefs and their shared mission of honoring Chef Akira.
“If food can evoke a memory, a personal reaction, that’s fulfilling,” says Gary. This night was about a “shared experience of remembering and celebrating Akira. That’s the most memorable.”
I wondered out loud with Philip, Akira’s son who now runs Azay, how Chef would have felt about the tribute.
“I think my father would have felt honored to see such a dinner be organized and take place, but I think he would have been happier to be a part of it.”
Photo by Carrie Morita
The dinner was an outpouring of love and respect by the chefs and diners for Chef Akira. It was perfect — the chefs proudly presenting their courses and Philip, our private wine sommelier. From left: Ana Iwataki, Philip Hirose, Miya Iwataki.
“I learned about Chef Akira’s sense of community through working at different events he cooked for,” said Nancy Takayama, who attended the tribute. “His dedication to community was heartwarming. And he passed it down to his kids.”
“Akira was the chef’s chef, and in an era of oversized egos, showing them all what class meant,” restaurateur Francois Renaud once said.
Azay
226 First St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 628-3431
azaylittletokyo.com
Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-1:45 p.m. last order
Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-1:45 p.m. last order
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