Meet the Chef: Kiko Nakata
Credit to Author: Randy Shore| Date: Sat, 01 Feb 2020 19:00:30 +0000
Kiko Nakata brings the philosophy of ningenmi to her work as a pastry chef at Miku restaurant, specifically “finding happiness in one’s life by bringing joy to others.”
Nakata grew up surrounded by food lovers. Her Japanese-born mother and grandparents fostered her love for cooking, encouraging her to pursue her culinary dreams. She studied her craft at Le Cordon Bleu in London, England, and spent two years working and learning from her mentor Thomas Haas, a skilled chocolatier.
She moved to Japan to further connect with her heritage, working at Dominique Ansel Bakery in Tokyo.
Q: What motivates and inspires you as a chef?
A: Growing up, my parents put a lot of emphasis on the importance of family and friends. Food is something that always seems to bring people together, especially really good food. The whole culture of coming together around a meal really lights the fire in my heart to work hard and produce dishes I would be proud to serve my own loved ones.
Q: How would you describe the type of food you like to cook?
A: Fine-dining restaurants and pastry shops are what I have always gravitated towards in my career, but when I’m at home it’s all chocolate chip cookies and banana bread!
Q: What might diners not know about you?
A: I am not outdoorsy, at all. As much as I love and appreciate nature, I’m happiest curled up by the fireplace with my partner and watching Marvel movies on repeat.
Q: Describe a couple of your most recent creations.
A: The most recent additions to our roster are a Fig & Mascarpone Mille Feuille; Caramelized fig compote, spiced white chocolate mascarpone cream, apricot gel, almond crumble and pear sorbet. As well as a mikan (mandarin) mousse cake which we ran as our New Year’s Eve special; white chocolate orange mousse, mandarin gelee, matcha sponge, white sesame namelaka, sesame tuile and champagne jelly.
Q: What’s your favourite local product and how do you use it?
A: Any kind of fresh fruit to make into sorbet. Summertime in B.C. is a dream, we have access to so much fresh, local produce. Peaches, strawberries, blueberries and nectarines are some of my favourites.
Q: If there’s one important piece of advice you might have for home cooks, what might that be?
A: Get a scale! There are some good, small ones for under $30, and it’s worth every cent. It’s much easier to nail a recipe when it’s down to grams rather than scoops.
Coconut Yuzu Panna Cotta
Coconut Yuzu Panna Cotta, by Kiko Nakata, head pastry chef at Miku.
1 ¾ cups (400 mL) coconut milk
1 ½ tbsp. (5 sheets) powdered gelatin
1 ¼ cups (310 mL) heavy cream
3/4 cup + 1 tbsp. (195 mL) whole milk
1 cup (250 mL) condensed milk
Place gelatin in a bowl of ice water and allow to soak until soft, or follow the instructions on the packet of gelatin to bloom. In a medium-sized pot, heat coconut milk, whole milk and heavy cream while whisking continuously. Once at a boil, squeeze any excess water out of the gelatin and add into the pot (or add powdered gelatin mixture). Whisk well and remove from heat. Add condensed milk and mix in using a spatula to avoid creating bubbles. Distribute evenly into six glasses. Set in the fridge for 3 hours minimum, overnight if possible.
Yuzu Curd
5 tbsp. (75 mL) yuzu juice
5 tbsp. (75 mL) lemon juice
3/4 cup (180 mL) granulated sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup (180 mL) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
In a large bowl, crack eggs and whisk together with sugar. Set aside. In a medium-sized pot, bring lemon juice and yuzu juice to a boil. While mixing, gradually pour yuzu mixture into the eggs. Make sure you are whisking continuously and don’t pour too fast or the eggs will cook. Once the two are combined, return to the pot over heat and cook on medium heat until thickened. Make sure to stir continuously as the bottom burns easily. Remove from heat, gradually whisk in butter. Once the butter is fully incorporated and the curd is slightly cooled, evenly pour into the glasses on top of the panna cotta. Allow to set in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. Decorate with fresh fruits and serve.
Makes 6 servings.