Shota Nakajima

Shota Nakajima is a Japanese-American chef best known for competing on the eighteenth season of Top Chef in Portland, Oregon.

Shota Nakajima
Shota Nakajima
Born	Tokyo, Japan
Education	Tsuji Culinary Arts School
Culinary career
Current restaurant(s) Taku, Seattle, WA (2020; 2021–present)
Previous restaurant(s) Naka / Adana, Seattle (2015–2020) Banzai Teriyaki, Cle Elum, WA (2022)
Television show(s) Iron Chef Gauntlet (2017) Beat Bobby Flay (2018) Top Chef: Portland (2021) Bobby's Triple Threat (2023)
Website	shotanakajima.com

Early life and education

Nakajima was born in Japan, and raised in Seattle, Washington.^[1] At 18, he moved to Osaka to attend the Tsuji Culinary Arts School [ja].^[2] There, he apprenticed with chef Yasuhiko Sakamoto.^[3] He later returned to Seattle and worked for chef Taichi Kitamura at Sushi Kappo Tamura from 2011–2012.^[2]

Television appearances

Nakajima appeared on Food Network's Iron Chef Gauntlet in 2017, where he was the fourth chef eliminated.^[4][5] In 2018, he appeared on Season 16, Episode 4 of Beat Bobby Flay. Nakajima won with his signature dish, tempura.^[6][7] In 2020, Nakajima competed on Top Chef: Portland, where he was one of three finalists.^[8] He was also voted Fan Favorite of the show.^[9] In Season 4 of Tournament of Champions, Nakajima reached the quarterfinals before losing to eventual winner Mei Lin.^[10][11]

Chef and restaurateur

In 2014, Nakajima opened a catering business, Kappo Kitchen and later Naka, a kaiseki restaurant, in June 2015.^[2] In February 2017, Naka Kaiseki rebranded as Adana.^[2] In March 2020, Nakajima opened his restaurant Taku, an Osakan kushikatsu concept, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle.^[12] Adana and Taku closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Taku reopened in May 2021 as a karaage restaurant.^[13]

In late 2021, Nakajima began bottling his own teriyaki sauce, known as Make Umami, and selling it at Taku, Uwajimaya grocery stores, and on Amazon.^[14] In February 2022, Nakajima announced he was opening a teriyaki restaurant, Banzai Teriyaki, in Cle Elum, Washington.^[15] On June 23, 2022 Nakajima said he was no longer part of the Cle Elum project.^[16]

Awards and accolades

• James Beard Foundation, Semifinalist, Rising Star Chef of the Year (2018)^[17]
• Eater, Young Guns Winner (2018) ^[3]
• James Beard Foundation, Semifinalist, Rising Star Chef of the Year (2019)^[17]
• James Beard Foundation, Semifinalist, Rising Star Chef of the Year (2020)^[17]

References

1. "Here Are All the Chefs Competing on 'Top Chef' Season 18 in Portland". Food & Wine. from the original on 2021-06-29. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
2. "Shota Nakajima". Chicago Gourmet. from the original on 2021-06-29. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
3. Róisín, Fariha (2018-07-19). "Why Shota Nakajima Turned From Fine-Dining to 'Homestyle' Japanese Cooking". Eater. from the original on 2021-05-18. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
4. Russo, Maria. "The Journey to the Gauntlet: Chatting with Challenger Shota Nakajima from Iron Chef Gauntlet". Food Network. from the original on 2021-05-18. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
5. Russo, Maria. "One-on-One with the latest Iron Chef Gauntlet Challenger to Go Home". Food Network. from the original on 2022-05-24. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
6. ""Beat Bobby Flay" Sprung a Leek (TV Episode 2018) - IMDb". IMDb. from the original on 2021-09-04. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
7. "Top Chef Finalist Shota Nakajima Dishes on the Competition - Exclusive Interview". 3 September 2021. from the original on 4 September 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
8. Clement, Bethany Jean (July 1, 2021), "Is Seattle's own Shota Nakajima the new 'Top Chef'? We talked to him about Thursday's finale", The Seattle Times, from the original on July 2, 2021, retrieved July 2, 2021
9. Gualtieri, Jacqueline (July 1, 2021). "Who Won 'Top Chef' Season 18?". Distractify. from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
10. Struble, Cristine. "Tournament of Champions Season 4 episode 7 recap: Final four battles set". foodsided.com. from the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
11. Selasky, Susan (2023-04-10). "Dearborn native Mei Lin wins Food Network's 'Tournament of Champions' competition". Detroit Free Press. from the original on 2023-04-16. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
12. Guarente, Gabe (2020-03-10). "Star Chef Shota Nakajima's New Restaurant Taku Brings a Taste of Osaka to Capitol Hill". Eater Seattle. from the original on 2021-06-29. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
13. "Shota Nakajima Will Reopen Taku as a House of Fried Chicken". Seattle Met. from the original on 2021-06-29. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
14. Sakaki, Denise (15 December 2021). "Chef Shota Nakajima Helps You 'Make Umami'". 425magazine.com. from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
15. Stewart, Jade Yamazaki (2022-02-08). "Shota Nakajima of 'Top Chef' Is Opening His First Teriyaki Restaurant". Eater Seattle. from the original on 2022-03-05. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
16. Stewart, Jade Yamazaki (2022-06-27). "Shota Nakajima Is Pulling Out of His Restaurant Project in Cle Elum". Eater Seattle. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
17. "Profile: Chef Shota Nakajima". Jamesbeard.org. from the original on 2021-12-07. Retrieved 2022-03-26.