Japanese Food in America

Japanese food in America began with humble beginnings in immigrant communities then expanded into Americanized versions of Japanese food found on Teriyaki menus. With entrepreneurial chefs like Nobu Matsuhisa popularizing the pervasive sushi in LA in the early 1980s, traditional Japanese foods have become more accepted and are now found throughout the United States. Celebrity chefs from Japan like the Iron Chef’s Masaharu Morimoto have continued this trend, and have further encouraged the serving of not only traditional Japanese foods, but also a fusion of both our culture’s cuisines.

Sushi is still perhaps the quintessential Japanese dish to most Americans. Thanks to many advances in technology such as flash freezing and a huge expansion of the shipping industry, sushi can be found even in cities distant from any ocean in the US. Recent health concerns, relating to mercury levels in the fish used for sushi, has dampened some of the enthusiasm for this food. Nonetheless, it remains a popular Japanese food in America and served to introduce a variety of other flavors from Japan to the US.

Ramen, initially appearing as a cheap food for students, has increased in stature and in taste in recent years. A staple food for the Japanese, ramen in various forms can now be found in many stores in fresh or dried varieties. Noodle houses that hand make their noodles for daily service can also be found in some cities in the United States.

Clearly Japanese food in America is here to stay, there is still a massive amount of flavors from Japan that have yet to make their mark here in the US.

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