Summary: As the owner, head chef, and mastermind behind her restaurant <a href="http://n-naka.com/">n/naka</a>, Chef Niki Nakayama serves up coveted kaiseki dinners, a structured multi-course meal that emphasizes seasonality and extreme technical prowess. Niki truly straddles the line of tradition and innovation, sourcing local ingredients and employing centuries-old techniques. And she just may be the only woman in the world who does it. But while Niki is the master of her kitchen and craft, getting here was a struggle. In this episode, we tell the story of how she risked it all to launch her restaurant in one of the most cutthroat industries: food. And we learn that a commitment to your creative vision, even if it’s doing it the hard way, can sometimes take you to the top. <br><br>The Venture is hosted by Ashley Milne-Tyte<br><br>This episode features:<br>Niki Nakayama, owner and head chef at <a href="http://n-naka.com/">n/naka</a> restaurant<br>Carole Iida-Nakayama, sous chef at <a href="http://n-naka.com/">n/naka</a> restaurant<br>Besha Rodell, restaurant critic at <a href="http://www.laweekly.com/authors/besha-rodell-2127716">LA Weekly</a><br>Eric Rath, history professor at The University of Kansas <br><br>Special thanks to:<br>Dan Allen, <a href="https://farmscapegardens.com/">Farmscape</a><br>Sarah Rathbone, <a href="https://docktodish.com/">Dock to Dish LA</a><br><br>To learn more about The Venture, go to <a href="http://virginatlantic.com/theventure">virginatlantic.com/theventure</a><br><br><br><br>
