« Episode: Off-Ramp for January 30, 2010

Providence Restaurant's Michael Cimarusti goes to Japan, brings back knowledge, respect

Courtesy Michael Cimarusti

Michael Cimarusti, teacher, and rice.

Michael Cimarusti, owner/chef of Providence, the two-star Michelin restaurant, is a damn good chef. But he's a humble one, and came back from a fellowship to Japan with a new respect for the thousands of years behind Japan's cuisine. Come inside as he gives Off-Ramp an exclusive travelogue of his trip.

The backstory: Before Thanksgiving, I interviewed a series of LA chefs about the holiday. Michael was a little sad because he'd be out of the country -- specifically, he was taking a cook's tour of Japan. It was a fellowship designed to show him the breadth and depth of Japan's traditional cuisine. When he got back, he immediately agreed to sit down and tell us all about it. I knew it'd be something special, because he was so enthusiastic.

Above, you'll see the long version of our interview. That's for sitting back and immersing yourself as one of the world's best chefs tells you what he learned on a magical trip.