Tokyo Cult Recipes

House and Garden, November issue: “If you enjoy Japanese food, but have been put of trying to cook it by its apparent complexity, read Tokyo Cult Recipes. Tokyo-born and raise Maori Murota shows that everyday Japanese cooking isn’t complicated once you have learnt a few basic techniques and bought the right ingredients. Chapters are organised by meal type, including breakfast, bento, oyatsu (snacks - most of which are sweet), izakaya (tapas bar) and ohiru (lunch).”

Maori Murota grew up in Tokyo and was inspired to write this book by her mother’s cooking and memories of growing up in Tokyo, cooking at home, and eating out. Her mission is to demystify Japanese food, to make it accessible and understood by anyone and everyone interested in learning about a food culture and eating well.

Maori left Japan when she was 17 to live in New York, and also spent time in Indonesia. In 2003 she settled in Paris, where she worked as a stylist, before exchanging the world of fashion for food in 2009. Completely self-taught, Maori became chef at Parisian restaurants Do and Bento at La Conserverie. Now an event caterer and private chef, she also gives classes in authentic Japanese home cooking.