Masaharu Morimoto
With eight restaurants across the globe under his belt and an instantly recognizable face, chef Masaharu Morimoto has come a long way since his humble Hiroshima beginnings. The resilient Iron Chef was recently at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental to cook up a storm, saving a few breaths to tell Adele Wong about the realities of being that dreaded term: the celebrity chef.
On Fame
When I walk from my apartment to my restaurant [in New York] each day, it takes about 25 minutes, [and] someone will say, “Hi!” [along the way]. People also recognize me when I’m working [at my restaurant] and will ask, “Can I take a picture? Can I have an autograph?” I’m working, you understand. But they’ll say, “But I’m coming from—wherever—just to see you. ”It’s like when you go to Yankee Stadium to watch baseball, and tell Alex [Rodriguez], “Come! Can I take a picture with you?” The same thing happens to me. The restaurant business is more casual than baseball or basketball or professional sports, but I’m still a professional chef working in my field.