This dining discipline is based on gratitude and appreciation for the finest and freshest seasonal ingredients, painstakingly put together to create meals that flow from one exquisite dish to the next in a natural sequence that meticulously balances taste, texture, and presentation.
Kaiseki is also about incorporating the mood of season, time, and place in the cuisine, and one of the ways n/naka reflects this is through a dedication to sustainability, with 70% of ingredients sourced locally.
It has been said that n/naka is a kaiseki restaurant that could only exist in California. Its unpretentious exterior in LA’s Culver City neighborhood foreshadows the philosophy and aesthetic approach found inside, namely an avoidance of unnecessary glitz and glamour to encourage guests to focus on the food.
In May 2024, the interior was extensively remodeled by a team of Japanese and American architects, designers, and artisans, who handcrafted much of the furniture. The result is a look and feel that perfectly reflects the restaurant’s cuisine: a harmonious blend of Japanese tradition, local influences, and the chef’s personal sensibility.
Born and raised in LA, Nakayama’s first working experience after graduating from culinary school in Pasadena was at Takao, a renowned Japanese restaurant in Brentwood. Here she learned from esteemed chef Takao Izumida.
This was followed by three years touring and working in Japan, where she studied the art of kaiseki under the mentorship of chef Masa Sato at Shirakawa-Ya Ryokan.
Returning to Los Angeles, Nakayama opened the Azami Sushi Café on Melrose Avenue, which she ran for several years before finally taking the opportunity to present her own personal take on kaiseki to the world with the opening of n/naka in 2013, which she now runs with her partner in the kitchen and in life, chef Carole Lida.
In 2015, Nakayama starred in an episode of Netflix’s Chef’s Table, in which she talks about her approach to cooking, the obstacles she has had to overcome as a female chef in the world of Japanese cuisine, and the effects of success on her mindset.
In addition to its two Michelin stars, n/naka has garnered a string of awards and recognitions over the years. The prestigious rankings in which it appears include Food & Wine’s World’s Best Restaurants, the Los Angeles Times’ 101 Best Restaurants, La Liste’s Top 1000 Restaurants, and Eater’s list of America’s 38 Essential Restaurants.
