SAPPORO, JP

The Beginning

1972

Kai Togami became an orphan when a tsunami washed his remote fishing village into the sea off the coast of Okinawa in 1978.

When the Red Cross ships arrived to provide assistance, Kai slipped on board during the confusion of the rescue mission. The only things he brought were his grandfather’s camera and the family sushi knife.

TOKYO, SEOUL, HONG KONG, SHANGHAI

ODD JOBS

1998

Starting at the bottom, Kai washed dishes and chopped vegetables at local mom and pop eateries in the port cities where ever he could afford the steerage.

During his eighth year at Chotto Kai, he befriended ramen shop owner Rei Fukui. Chef Sakamoto had stopped by her front stall for a quick dinner and fell instantly in love with her take on the springy yet soft noodle. Every ingredient was meticulously prepared, just like each kaiseki course.

HONG KONG

A New Challenge

2016

Chef Sakamoto implored chef Fukui to share her methods. She said that she would only teach him the basics if he promised to bring the art of ramen abroad. He brought the proposition to his family, and his mother immediately urged him to go to Hong Kong.

The next week, Chef Sakamoto flew to the “Pearl City” and discovered that he felt more at home than ever. He knew that he could meld the umami flavors and smoky scents of Cantonese cuisine with the richness and nuances of ramen. He went back to Tokyo to learn from Chef Fukui, and with her blessing, returned to Hong Kong seven years later.