The diversely talented cooking teacher, soba expert, and Japanese food advocate Sonoko Saikai will be back at Tortoise to promote her new cookbook, Japanese Home Cooking: Simple Meals, Authentic Flavors (recently listed in the 2019 holiday gift guide by the LA Times).
In her latest book, Sonoko breaks down the fundamentals of Japanese cuisine into easy-to-understand cooking elements, and explores high-quality seasonal ingredients with simple preparations that can be used in a variety of dishes.
With around 10 years of experience teaching cooking classes under her belt, Tortoise is proud to be one of the first places where Sonoko began teaching.
Born in New York, but raised by Japanese parents, Sonoko had an interesting childhood growing up in San Francisco, Kamakura, Mexico City and Tokyo. Sonoko's rich cultural upbringing shows up in her cooking, but also appears in her innate natural ability to engage people from all walks of life in conversations about food that breaks down barriers and creates community.
Sonoko is already the author of two books, Rice Craft (Chronicle, 2016) and The Poetical Pursuit of Food (Potter, 1986). In addition to writing books and teaching, Sonoko works as a recipe developer, producer, creative director and lecturer on food. Currently Sonoko lives in Los Angeles and Tehachapi, California with her sculptor husband, Katsuhisa Sakai.
Come join us for a special book-signing event with Sonoko, November 24th, Sunday 1 PM - 3 PM and get a signed copy from Sonoko herself for you and a friend! In addition to signing books, Sonoko will have her famous curry bricks for sale (currently featured in the New York Times) - $10 for serving of 4, and will be giving out samples of Ume Shu (plum wine) and plum juice from her new cookbook.
Homemade curry and Sonoko's cookbook can be a great addition to a Thanksgiving meal or a post-Thanksgiving treat, so come and join us!
