It’s safe to say that Chef Ron Elmaleh of Sherwood Park’s Kobachi takes his inspiration from his environment. Growing up, his family, especially his father, had a huge influence on his cooking. “I didn’t notice until I left home, but my family does not take shortcuts when it comes to cooking.” More recently, Chef Ron says he is inspired by minimalism. “If anything, the pandemic has taught me to cook simply with what I have and not depend on exotic or rare items from Japan.”
Playing with seasonal vegetables and authentic flavours helps keep Kobachi’s menu exciting, but simplicity is at the heart of all the dishes, especially the Kobachi Set: “It’s three simple small plates that capture the variety of Japanese flavours.”
For those looking to venture into Japanese cooking, Chef Ron suggests having mentsuyu on hand. “It’s a very versatile condiment to have at home from eating noodles with it, making dressings, and even stewing.” At Kobachi it’s made with sugar, salt, vinegar, mirin, and soy sauce – if you’re making it at home, you can adjust any of these depending on the flavour you are trying to achieve.
Ochazuke (‘marinated in tea’) is a comforting, filling dish, and one that can use up leftovers in the fridge. The recipe that Chef Ron shares here is a simplified version of what is sometimes served at Kobachi. “This is a very simple dish but if there’s one thing to point out it would be to pour the broth on the rice rather than the toppings. This way when enjoying it you can enjoy different flavours rather than a watered-down version of the flavour.”