Originally from Kobe, Japan, chef Masako Morishita grew up immersed in her family's nearly 100-year-old bar and restaurant, learning to cook Japanese comfort food from her grandmother and mother. Growing up, she was interested in dancing and cheerleading, and in 2013, she moved to Washington D.C. to be an NFL cheerleader for the Washington Redskins.

Unable to find the food she grew up eating, Morishita decided to start OTABE, a pop-up concept driven by her childhood memories in 2019. It soon caught the attention of others in the restaurant industry, and she became Maxwell Park’s executive chef in 2021. The following year, Morishita was selected as a D.C. StarChef Rising Star and named executive chef at Perry’s. She has since retooled the nearly 40-year-old legendary Adams Morgan establishment with her signature style of authentic Japanese comfort food. Eater DC named Masako 2023 Chef of the Year, an Iconoclast Dinner Honoree, and a 2024 James Beard Award winner in the category of Emerging Chef.

Morishita has been selected to join the American Culinary Corp, an initiative led by the U.S. Department of State to aid with public diplomacy through food, hospitality, and the dining experience.

James Beard Award Food & Beverage, Chef, Food industry, Food, Hospitality, Restaurateurs, Restaurants & Dining, Japanese Heritage,