okuchi

Discover comforting homestyle Japanese American cuisine with 100 unique, simple, and tasty recipes from the owners of the innovative Brooklyn restaurant Shalom Japan

Steaming sukiyaki. Pillowy, soft shokupan. Springy ramen noodles. These famed Japanese dishes, as well as modern interpretations and evolutions, are all part of Love Japan, a collection of beloved family recipes from the married owners of Brooklyn’s Shalom Japan.

Like many of us, chefs Sawako Okochi and Aaron Israel lead busy lives and often find themselves short on time in the kitchen. Their secret to getting nourishing, delicious food on the table for their family? The Japanese-inspired dishes that Sawako grew up eating. While not rigid in tradition, these recipes are all rooted in the Japanese flavors and techniques taught to Sawako by her mother, with influences from Aaron’s Jewish heritage as well as the menu at Shalom Japan.

Through years of practice in their own home and in their Brooklyn restaurant, Sawako and Aaron have distilled these recipes for maximum flavor and minimum fuss, including Japanese staples and inventive, delicious fusions like:

- Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)
- Smashed Cucumber and Wakame Salad
- Roasted Cauliflower with Miso and Panko Butter
- Hiroshima-Style Okonomiyaki with Ramen Noodles
- Home-Style Matzoh Ball Ramen
- Omurice (Omelet Fried Rice)
- Slice-and-Bake Matcha Cookies

Through Love Japan’s user-friendly recipes and gorgeous photography, Sawako and Aaron demonstrate that Japanese cooking can be everyday cooking--even (or especially) if you’re short on time, space, or energy. These satisfying dishes will open up a world of possibilities in your cooking routine.

Sawako Okochi is co-chef and co-owner of Shalom Japan in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, Aaron Israel. Sawa’s vibrant culinary background is rooted in her upbringing in Hiroshima, Japan. She has worked at some of the finest restaurants in New York City, including Chanterelle, Annisa, and The Good Fork. She also produced the Otakara Supper Club, which was featured in the New York Times, and appears in Women Chefs of New York and The Jewish Cookbook.
Aaron Israel discovered his passion for cooking while earning his BFA at Maryland Institute College of Art. After graduating, he worked at August in the West Village with chef Tony Liu. He later cooked with chef Andrew Carmellini, and helped open Torrisi Italian Specialties. He has co-owned and operated Shalom Japan in Brooklyn with his wife, Sawako Okochi, since 2013.
Gabriella Gershenson is a James Beard Award-nominated food writer and editor based in New York City. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Saveur, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. She was an editor of The 100 Most Jewish Foods and On the Hummus Route. She is currently on staff at Wirecutter.