Today I’m very excited to launch the Brewzakaya website and share about my new journey in life. The purpose of this site is to capture my journey of learning about the history, culture, and cuisine of Izakaya dining. From Yakitori and other small plates to sake and other Japanese drinks I hope to share my passion of Japanese food culture with friends, family, and the online community. On this site I will be posting stories about the food and drinks found at Izakayas as well as the masters (the Japanese way of saying head chef) of these establishments. Because I believe everyone should be able to eat good food, I will also be posting recipes and other cooking related content in hopes that anyone following my work can recreate some of my favorite dishes in the comforts of your own home. So what is Brewzakaya? Like sake or beer, good things that can be enjoyed with family and friends are slowly brewed over time with great Kodawari (meaning care and attention to detail). Brewzakaya is my dream of brewing an Izakaya from scratch. I’m working on this dream by hosting Izakaya parties and pop-ups where people can come together and enjoy a relaxed night with my Kodawari Yakitori and Japanese cocktails. Maybe one day I’ll be running my own physical Izakaya or possibly multiple establishments around the world. However I’m not thinking too far out yet because Brewzakaya isn’t really just about my desires and isn’t tied to a physical location. Already, friends have started Yakitori parties on their own based on recipes, techniques, and cooking tools I’ve shared with them. Brewzakaya has the potential to be part of a global movement where Izakaya dishes can be enjoyed by everyone anywhere. And that’s a dream I’m super thrilled to be a part of. Why am I passionate about Izakaya and Yakitori culture? Izakaya simply is the Japanese word for a drinking establishment that serves food. Whether at a restaurant, pub, or a party at home, coming together with friends and family to enjoy food and drinks is something every culture has their version of, and anyone should be able to get behind. Yakitori is one of my favorite food items along with ramen and tacos. Ever since my 2018 New Years resolution to learn how to make Yakitori, I have eaten Yakitori at least few times a week, every week, and I have not missed a beat. The smoky smell from the char, the sizzling sound of the oozing juices, and the flavors of the perfectly skewered chicken in my mouth is something I obsess about everyday. When executed at the highest level like a complex bowl of ramen or a precisely pressed nigiri, the perfect Yakitori has the potential to be a dish that will blow the minds of any diner within the first bite of the skewer. I’m still new on this endeavor but I’ve been eating at delicious Izakayas and meeting amazing Yakitori and sake masters this year. The world needs to know about these places and people. Did I mention that I’ve been cooking up lots of Yakitori this year? I’m getting pretty decent at it too, especially when the Yakitori masters have been very awesome about sharing their techniques with me. I want to share all these experiences and stories with you too! Until recently, my career has been in developing and connecting with product users from around the world as a community manager for tech startups. While in that career, I realized the part of the job which I enjoyed the most is the role of a facilitator that brings together the diverse group of users sharing the same interest for that product. It’s the same relationship for Izakaya masters and their customers. Instead of talking about app updates and Bluetooth connections, with Brewzakaya I'm bringing together the community through my Kodawari cooking and discussions about Japanese food and drinks. Irrasshai mase! And welcome to the Brewzakaya kitchen. I’m ready to serve you! To see new menu items in development for the next pop-up check out @brewzakaya and to see other behind the scene things I’m working on, make sure to follow @yakitoriguy.
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