Charles Namba's Ginger Pork. Credit: Wyatt Naoki Conlon

Ginger Pork with Shiso and Radish Salad

Name: Ginger Pork with Shiso and Radish Salad
Prep time: 1440 s
Cook time: 30 s
Total time: 1480 s
Yield: 1
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: FOR THE PORK CHOPS; Bone-in pork chops; Shio koji; FOR THE GLAZE; Cooking sake; Soy sauce; Mirin; Freshly grated ginger; Sugar; Small shallot; FOR THE SALAD; Radishes; Sugar snap peas; Hearts of palm; Lemon; Olive oil; Salt and pepper; Shiso leaves

16 May 2025

Charles Namba

Chef

Difficulty

Challenge

Total Time

24H 40MIN

Cuisine

French

Japanese

Ingredients

FOR THE PORK CHOPS

Bone-in pork chops: 4 (170 g each)

Shio koji: 4 tbsp

FOR THE GLAZE

Cooking sake: 225 ml

Soy sauce: 225 ml

Mirin: 225 ml

Freshly grated ginger: 90 g

Sugar: 55 g

Small shallot: 1 (diced)

FOR THE SALAD

Radishes: 1 bunch (stems removed, thinly sliced)

Sugar snap peas: 100 g (halved on the diagonal)

Hearts of palm: 1 can (drained, rinsed, sliced into rounds)

Lemon: 1/2

Olive oil: 1 tbsp

Salt and pepper: to taste

Shiso leaves: 10 (thinly sliced)

Chef Charles Namba’s ginger pork is a refined take on a classic Japanese home-style dish, balancing umami-rich marinade with bright, seasonal vegetables. The shio koji tenderizes the pork overnight, while the ginger-soy glaze adds a savory-sweet finish that pairs beautifully with the crisp radish salad.

How to make Ginger Pork with Shiso and Radish Salad

01.

Marinate the Pork Chops

Rub the shio koji evenly over the pork chops and refrigerate overnight (approximately 24 hours).
Remove from the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature while preparing the remaining components.

02.

Prepare the Salad

Bring a pot of water to a boil.
Blanch the hearts of palm for 10 seconds, then transfer to an ice bath.
Blanch the sugar snap peas for 1 minute and place in the ice bath.
Once cooled, drain both. In a bowl, toss with radish, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Set aside.

03.

Cook the Pork Chops

Heat a grill or grill pan.
Grill the pork chops for approximately 3 minutes per side, or until cooked to desired doneness.
Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes.

04.

Make the Glaze

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine cooking sake, mirin, ginger, sugar, and shallot.
Reduce until slightly thickened, about 10–12 minutes.

05.

Plate and Serve

Place the pork chops in the center of a large plate and arrange the radish salad around them.
Drizzle the hot ginger glaze over the pork and salad.
Garnish with sliced shiso.

16 May 2025

The Chef

Charles Namba was born and raised in Beverly Hills after his parents moved to Los Angeles from Japan in their early twenties. Though his career took him across the country, Namba eventually returned home to open his first restaurant, Tsubaki, in Echo Park in 2017 with his business partner, Courtney Kaplan.

Having grown up immersed in Japanese culture and cuisine, Namba paid homage to his heritage with the opening of the classic izakaya and, later, its sister sake bar, OTOTO. But his path to that point wasn’t linear. “In high school, I worked at a pizzeria in Beverly Hills called Mulberry Street,” he recalls. Though he always loved Japanese food—his mother nearly had a cooking show of her own—he enjoyed exploring other culinary traditions.

In 2004, Namba moved to New York City and joined the opening team of EN Japanese Brasserie. He later shifted gears to study classical French technique at Chanterelle. “I wanted to learn more about French cuisine,” he says. “Everyone working there had been there for 20 to 30 years. It was a great family environment that I now base my restaurant culture on.” Working alongside Chef David Waltuck, Namba absorbed lessons he carries into his kitchens today.

In 2010, he returned to Los Angeles to assist Chef Thomas Keller in opening Bouchon Beverly Hills, before launching Tsubaki in 2017.

His newest restaurant, Camélia—a French Japanese bistro in Downtown Los Angeles—represents the culmination of his wide-ranging culinary journey. “The food is elevated, but the environment is comfortable,” Namba says. “Like a French bistro with a raw bar and Japanese sashimi.”

View profile