How Sushi Legend Masa Designs Each Dish - Immersed

Welcome to IMMERSED, where we dive into the world of individuals so dedicated to their food-related passions and hobbies that one might even call them obsessed.

In this episode, we discover that Masa Takayama, one of the world’s greatest sushi chefs, has been quietly designing the plates for his restaurant Tetsu for the past twenty years. Chef Masa has been doing this unbeknownst to many of his customers, and he writes his ideas on paper towel rolls, which he always carries with him.

We sat down with Chef Masa at Tetsu in Tribeca to learn about how he draws inspiration from the food he cooks, and how he pictures it on the perfect plate. Then, we followed him to Masa Designs, his storage unit in Chelsea, to explore the hundreds of handmade plates, drinkware, and cutlery he houses there.

Follow Munchies here:

[shieldren]

I was shooketh by the design studio. Damn. This guy is a bona fide artist

[shnng]

it's like his cooking skill tree is maxed, so he used excess skill point for pottery.

[davidkwak]

I can relate to almost everything that masa is saying. I am a full-time potter myself and the food that I envision is a major force into how the vessel is created. The road to designing a new line of work is such a grueling and long process. I can only respect Masa for doing this as well as immersing himself in cooking.

[hxtsu]

This chef can do so many things... from Japanese 3 star cuisine... to turning leftovers into a phenomenal dish... to giving his own delicious take on burgers... and now he can make

[PiggyChop]

This was fascinating to watch. More like this!!! I love the documentary style videos keep them coming!

[TrollzonedHD]

God I love his vision, his passion. It goes beyond aesthetics, beyond taste. Hes more than just a multimedia chef, to him the act of cooking and sculpting isnt two seperate mediums. It's one essence

[spiritparty]

dude this video was so sick, its like a guitar player making his own strings

[static]

This guy has so much passion for his craft I love it, what a guy.

[voidless]

Anything with Masa on this channel is great!

[curacao]

I like seeing chefs who's life is entirely dedicated towards cooking and their food, as it can show the love that has become immersed in every dish...

[Dannydrinkbottom]

This why I love YouTube. Seeing videos like these. So inspirational.

[SaintDre]

Metaphorically speaking each plate is a unique time travel device for him.

[fiapritchard]

Masa just walking around with a scroll...
I will never NOT be impressed with this guy

[Lowcountryyankee]

I want a scroll of that crinkly paper towel! So inspired. I love artists without borders.

[romanticbaldy]

This is art on a different level. I have no words to describe this man.

[Btossman]

Amazing, thank you for burning your light, life and soul into this world.

[DarkandSilentSky]

The imperfections of the plate actually make them perfect. Totally agree, it gives them a characteristic of uniqueness that cannot be replicated compared to the perfect edged, perfected rounded plates. Masa is a true artist

[BigWolsky]

Masa and Anthony Bourdain seemed to have a pretty close friendship. Miss that guy. More than showing us amazing food he taught us instead how to interact with different cultures and people. Lots of good life lessons. Masa is a legend. Great video

[MrTurtleThief]

I'm always most impressed by artists who are involved in many different art forms, especially if they factor into the art they deliver. If you're a recording artist, it's very impressive when you have a vision for not just the music, but the fashion, cinematography, marketing strategy, etc. and are able to play a hands-on role in acting on that vision. In the same vein, Masa is probably involved in every aspect of his restaurant experience. It's always nice to be inspired by these kinds of people.

[winfriedbauer]

Not all people are equal! There are levels, and Mr Takayama is Top Level! Very inspiring!