Master Chef

With the arrival of the Moses Lake Mitsubishi Flight Test Center and AstaReal, Inc. comes a new demand for excellent and authentic Japanese cuisine. Chef Takeyuki Suetsugu and his wife Minae recently moved to Moses Lake to serve the burgeoning Japanese employee population. He will be sharing his knowledge and training as head instructor to a culinary program run in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, Columbia Basin Job Corps and Washoku Satsuma Inc.

Originally trained in Osaka and France, Chef Tak is one of very few Certified Master Chefs in the country. Takeyuki and Minae have lived in the United States for many years. Chef Tak was an organizer of Seattle's Japanese Restaurant Association, and he and Minae previously operated the Nikko Restaurant in Seattle's Westin Hotel and most recently Bistro Satsuma in Gig Harbor, WA.

At the Bento Box Factory near the Port of Moses Lake, Chef Tak’s students are learning how make traditional Japanese bento box lunches, which are sold to employees at Mitsubishi Aircraft and AstaReal. 

“It’s not a business for profit,” Chef Tak said with a smile. “It is one of learning discipline, Japanese culture and skill in making dishes. It also helps support the school.”

The Bento Box Factory meals - featuring Kara-age Chicken, Ginger Miso Makerel, Salmon Teriyaki, Fried Prawns and other delicacies - are available to the general public with a minimum purchase of five orders. For more information or to order from Bento Box Factory online, go to www.washokusatsuma.com.

Full story here.