Iron Chef’s Masaharu Morimoto: Drinking Rules
Food Network star Masaharu Morimoto, who just opened his long-awaited Las Vegas restaurant, talks about his favorite drinks.
Courtesy Of MGM International
Is there a spirit or cocktail that you no longer drink? “Now that I’m older, I can’t drink as much as I used to. But I still drink everything.”
Describe your hangover cure. “The best way to avoid a hangover is not to drink too much. If I end up with [one], I try to stay active and work up a sweat.”
You travel quite a bit. Do you have a favorite duty-free spirit that you buy in airports? “I don’t have a favorite. When I buy spirits at duty free it’s usually as a gift, so it depends who it’s for. I always wonder what to get.”
Do you ever have a drink before shooting Iron Chef? “I don’t drink before going out to compete on Iron Chef.”
What about a cocktail afterward? “I like to start with a beer to quench my thirst after sweating a lot at the filming and then continue on to other types of drinks.”
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Do you ever go out for drinks or dinner with the other Iron Chefs or competitors? “I haven’t had a chance yet, but it would be nice. We don’t see each other very often because everyone is very busy. Once in a while, I get to see them at events, so I’d like to ask them out for drinks or dinner next time.”
How do you think you would fare on an Iron Chef–like show for bartenders? “If it’s all about bartending, it would be very difficult for me. Pairing drinks with food, that sounds fun.”
Your new restaurant, Morimoto Las Vegas, is in the MGM Grand. Is there a signature drink we should order? “The must-have cocktail is Fool Me Once. To prepare the drink, you torch hibiscus and pink peppercorns in a bowl and place a rocks glass on top to catch the smoke. Combine and chill Iichiko Kurobin Mugi Shochu [shochu made from barley] with Amaro Averna and a dash of walnut bitters. Pour the mixture into the rocks glass and garnish with a wheat sprig.”
What is the perfect music to listen to while enjoying a drink? “I’m Japanese, so I sing and listen to Enka (traditional Japanese ballads).”
How do you keep your liquor cabinet stocked at home? “I don’t have much in the liquor cabinet of my New York home, as I rarely drink at home. My places in Hawaii and Japan have a full-range bar set.”
It’s the end of your shift: What is your go-to drink? “Beer. It’s cool and refreshing. Japanese people often say ‘Toriaezu beer,’ which means, ‘Let’s start with beer.’ It’s typical.”
The long-awaited Morimoto Las Vegas restaurant in the MGM Grand opened last week and Morimoto’s book Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking comes out on Nov. 8.
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