Morihiro

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Morihiro | Chef Morihiro Onodera's Michelin-Starred Omakase in Los Angeles

Chef Morihiro Onodera’s Omakase

Michelin-starred Chef Morihiro “Mori” Onodera brings four decades of culinary mastery to his intimate counter in Los Angeles. His story begins on his family’s farm in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, where he learned to prepare meals from scratch—making his own soy sauce, tofu, and cooking with the rice they grew. That early connection to seasonality and ingredient purity defines the Japanese cuisine at Morihiro.

After honing his skills in Tokyo and arriving in Los Angeles in 1985, Chef Onodera spent two decades at seminal restaurants including Matsuhisa and Katsu. He later helmed his own celebrated sushi bar in West Los Angeles, earning a Michelin star. At Morihiro, he continues that tradition, receiving a Michelin star in 2021 and retaining it each year through 2026.

Rice and Ceramics

Rice is the soul of Chef Onodera’s sushi. At Morihiro, he uses a specific strain grown in his hometown of Iwate, Japan. The rice is hand-milled daily in the restaurant—fresh milling, he believes, is essential for achieving the ideal moisture content. He personally measures each grain’s caliber and moisture to ensure it meets his rigorous standards.

The presentation is equally personal. Inspired by the Japanese artist Rosanjin, Chef Mori creates his own handmade ceramics, designing and firing plates in the back of his previous restaurant. Each dish at Morihiro arrives on pottery shaped by his hands.

The Omakase Experience

The multi-course omakase, offered at both the chef’s counter and tables, combines the best of California and Japanese produce. The Fall menu opens with Chef Mori’s signature tofu made from Kyoto soy milk and freshly grated wasabi. Courses progress through seasonal specialties like Hokkaido snow crab sunomono, matsutake mushroom dobinmushi, and Kyoto eggplant with Hokkaido uni.

The sushi course features Chef Mori’s Akitakomachi rice alongside hirame, buri, akami, chutoro, and Santa Barbara and Hokkaido uni. A LA Times review noted that “every piece of nigiri shaped by Mori Onodera’s hands reminds me to appreciate the humbler beauty beneath the shiny overlay.” The meal closes with Japanese musk melon, daifuku, and hojicha panna cotta.