James Beard "Rising Star Chef of the Year" semifinalist and "Top Chef: Portland" finalist — and fan-favorite — Chef Shota Nakajima was a breath of fresh air on the show, adding a punch of levity and brightness on a season that sometimes felt a bit heavy with the stress and pressure of the competition.
His sharp, unique dishes, deft culinary skills, imaginative dishes and on-camera charisma made him a formidable competitor and after appearing in every episode of that season. He's since returned to the show repeatedly (and he's obviously on the "All Stars 3" shortlist for many, many fans.)
Born in Japan and raised in Seattle, Nakajima attended culinary school in Osaka, Japan before moving back to Washington state and working his way up through many different kitchens. After appearing on a few different food competition shows, he competed on Top Chef in 2020, the same year he opened Taku in Seattle.
Nakajima recently spoke with Salon about his go-to soy sauce brand, his "Top Chef" experience, unique uses for soy, a particularly memorable cooking experience and much more.
Hello! For those unaware of your journey since competing on "Top Chef," can you break it down for them?
I met a lot of amazing people during my time on "Top Chef," and the work I did on that show definitely opened the doors for me to explore more TV opportunities. Since 2021, I have loved competing and judging on a number of Food Network shows like "Tournament of Champions," "Guy’s Grocery Games," "Bobby’s Triple Threat" and more. I opened a second restaurant in Seattle. I’ve traveled and cooked all around the country meeting so many awesome people.
I’ve lent my time to raise money for many different causes including World Central Kitchen, the devastating Maui fire, Seattle’s International District, and more. And I’ve spent as much time as I can foraging for mushrooms with my dog Dodger and making sure I stop, breathe, and take all this in. I try to make every single day count and stay positive about any hurdles that come my way.
Do you have a number one favorite ingredient to work with?
Without a doubt, Kikkoman Soy Sauce.
If yet another "All Stars" were to be planned or another opportunity to compete on the show arose, would you be open to round 2?
For sure! I love working with the "Top Chef" team, and Kristin is killing it as host!
What was the biggest lesson or takeaway you gleaned from competing in "Top Chef?"
The biggest lesson I learned from "Top Chef" is the importance of trusting my instincts while staying adaptable. Cooking on that level, with so much pressure and so many unknowns, taught me to stay grounded in my identity as a chef, especially when I was challenged to step out of my comfort zone.
What has your experience been like on other food competition tv shows since "Top Chef?" How do they differ? How are they similar?
Since "Top Chef," my experiences on other food competition shows have been equally challenging but in different ways. Each show has its own vibe and pacing. For instance, on "Tournaments of Champions", it’s more of a head-to-head battle, which pushes you to think on your feet and deliver something spectacular in a short timeframe.
"Top Chef" feels more like a marathon where you need endurance, creativity, and strategy over time. What they all share, though, is the incredible camaraderie between chefs. Ultimately, the best part is being surrounded by other ambitious dreamers — it’s a unique kind of energy and a great reminder of why I love what I do.
It was great seeing you for a moment in the Fish Boil episode this past season. How was that for you?
Being part of the Fish Boil episode was such a blast! It was fun to step back into the "Top Chef " world in a more relaxed capacity and watch the other chefs navigate such a unique challenge. But honestly, I couldn’t help myself — I wanted to jump in!
I thought I’d enjoy just relaxing and observing, but nope, the adrenaline kicked in, and I found myself itching to be part of the action. That’s the magic of being around all of that passion— it pulls you right back into the excitement and reminds you why you love it all in the first place.
Is there a particular dish from your "Top Chef" tenure that you are still especially proud of? I was such a fan of so many of your inventive, delicious-sounding dishes.
The Tillamook cheese competition was really rewarding to win. I don’t often cook with cheese and making it five ways and then winning the challenge was an exciting and proud moment. I worked hard for that one!
What did the "Top Chef incubator” teach you? I spoke with Buddha just after his win last year and he referenced how it can be so great to singularly focus on cooking — not bills, not customers, not the daily minutiae of running or working in restaurants, etc.
The "Top Chef incubator” taught me how transformative it can be to focus solely on the craft of cooking. Being free from the constant pressures of bills, customers, and the daily grind of running a restaurant unlocks a different kind of creativity. It’s almost meditative to have that singular focus, where you’re thinking only about the dish in front of you and how to push yourself as a chef.
That environment reminded me why I fell in love with cooking in the first place, and it gave me the space to refine my style and dig deeper into the stories I want to tell through my food. It’s a rare opportunity, and I’m so grateful for it.
What are your favorite uses for soy sauce?
1. When slow braising, I love to use Kikkoman Soy Sauce as it levels-up the tender meat and the flavor of the charred soy sauce is umami at its best.
2. Don’t knock it until you try it, but soy sauce and eggs are truly an unbeatable breakfast combo.
3. I also love charring sautéed vegetables on high heat with soy sauce, using that nice, charred aroma to flavor them. This is also a super easy technique for home cooks looking to level up their weeknight meals.
Have you used soy sauce in sweet, pastry or dessert contexts?
I really love making an affogato with a dash of soy sauce. There’s a sweetness and bitterness to the soy sauce, plus umami, and it cuts really nicely through the creaminess of the ice cream. The soy sauce also adds a nice richness to the coffee.
For sweet recipes, try swapping a pinch of salt with a drizzle of soy sauce for added depth, rich umami deliciousness, a hint of saltiness and added caramel notes. And I promise it won’t taste like soy sauce.
What are some general tips for working with soy sauce?
1. One of the easiest ways to unleash the power of umami in dishes is to swap out table salt with soy sauce. Since Kikkoman Soy Sauce slowly ferments for months, the traditional brewing process develops umami – the extra boost of savory, mouthwatering flavor known as the “fifth taste” — something salt can’t deliver alone. When seasoning food during cooking, I’d encourage home cooks to try a splash of soy sauce instead of reaching for salt.
2. When cooking with soy sauce, try reserving a bit of the fresh soy sauce and add it in incremental amounts as the dish cooks. This will help layer the umami flavors and provide depth to any dish you’re working with.
3. In terms of storing your soy sauce, keep in mind that soy sauce oxidizes, so once it’s open and left out in the warmth, it’s a completely different product – fresh soy sauce has a clean soybean flavor with umami, and as it oxidizes, it evolves into a darker, thicker product.
What stands out for you as a formative moment that got you into cooking or food at large?
A formative moment for me was when I stopped going to school and started working in restaurants. The first time my mom visited the restaurant where I was working, I saw her look happy and proud. In that moment, I realized this could be my path — it gave me a sense of purpose and confidence that I could do this for the rest of my life.
What would you say are your three most used ingredients?
1. Whatever cuisine I go into, the dish turns a little Japanese, and I always finish everything off with Kikkoman Soy Sauce. It’s my way of cooking.
2. Rice is also a go-to and one of my favorite ingredients.
3. Bonito flakes, which are made from dried bonito fish that is grated into flakes. They’re great finishings for dashi and sauces or crumbled into salads, and are very versatile.
What is your favorite cooking memory?
One of my favorite memories of cooking was when my chef took us to a river, and we fished for ayu. We built a makeshift grill out of rocks and enjoyed freshly grilled ayu alongside peaches that had been chilled to ice-cold perfection in the river water. It was simple, yet incredibly delicious — a beautiful reminder of how nature and food can come together to create unforgettable experiences.
Are there any unique uses or methods for soy sauce that you’re especially fond of?
One of my favorite ways to use soy sauce is for charring. When you’re grilling fish over charcoal, dump your soy sauce right over the charcoal and then put a lid on it so that the fish captures that nice aroma.
For those who find soy to be very salty, is there a way to tamp that down in cooking?
Substituting half the amount of table salt in a recipe with the equivalent amount of soy sauce can reduce sodium while enhancing the flavor of the overall dish.
If you find that your dishes are too salty for your preferences, try seasonings and sauces that contain less sodium. Kikkoman has many low-sodium varieties of their classic products including Less Sodium Soy Sauce and 50% Less Sodium Gluten-Free Tamari Soy Sauce.
Are you a fan of any of the recent soy sauce-involved trends or viral recipes?
As a loyal fan of both rice vinegar and soy sauce, the viral cucumber salad definitely caught my attention.
I love the Taku menu. Can you talk a bit about the restaurant, its appeal, its ethos?
I opened Taku to create a little bit of Osaka in Seattle. I loved my time working in Osaka as a young chef and grabbing late night eats and drinks at one of the food stalls in the Shinsekai district. Taku is fun, it’s laid back, the drinks are cold and the fried chicken is fresh and hot.
The food was inspired by my mom’s cooking from my childhood – karaage, rice balls, miso soup, creamy mac salad, fried rice – the comfort foods we would eat daily and the food I liked to eat after a long shift at the restaurant. I added things like French fries with furikake, a lineup of my favorite dipping sauces, potato mochi, ramen specials and more to have a little fun with different flavors.
What's next for you, ideally?
I’ve got some fun things in the works that I’m excited to share soon! People can catch me at South Beach Food & Wine in February with more events to come!
