Wagyu is a lifelong fascination. The unctuous richness, the sophisticated, complex flavor, and the actual flavor in addition to the marbling have never left my sense and taste memory. It’s truly a delight.

Don’t stress the beef. Wagyu is a delicious product, and the sky’s the limit in terms of creativity. Have fun with it and enjoy yourself!

The first Wagyu I ever saw was a 30 oz. New York Strip, boneless, glistening with marbled glory. Wagyu beef is an incredible building block to create truly fantastic, inspiring cuisine.

Wagyu was treated almost like foie gras when I first was introduced to it. The richness is intended to be savored in small portions. Preparation should be minimal, and the fattiness requires delicate contrast with acidity.

Wagyu knocked me out of my socks! Wagyu represents the entire spectrum of Japanese beef, and is suited for all types of preparation across different grades.

Growing up in an Italian household, my first Wagyu was truly magical. It remains the definition of pleasure for me—the very finest beef in the world.

Food is life changing, and Japanese Wagyu is one of the most compelling foods I know.
As you get into exploring different cuts of beef from Japanese Wagyu cattle, you’llreally develop a keener appreciation for every aspect of beef eating. I love eating the rich, intense beef of Japanese Wagyu. The flavor is second to none, and the texture is absolutely sublime.

As a red-blooded, steak-eating Texan, I remain in awe of Wagyu’s texture, flavor and marbling. It’s the star of any dish, and must be prepared carefully— don’t be afraid to undercook it. Tataki is my favorite.

Wagyu is the most fatty, unctuous meat on the planet. Caramelizing this fat and enhancing the juicy, tantalizing depth of flavor of the meat is crucial. Wagyu encompasses many Japanese brands from different farms, and the differences between the cattle makes cooking with it really exciting.

Growing up on a beef farm, my first experience with Wagyu was life changing. I’d never seen beef with so much marbling. The taste is like none other, and the melting, marbled texture is supremely tender and juicy.

Super succulent, moist, creamy, buttery, juicy and ultra beefy. The journey of Wagyu cattle and the process behind this product is truly inspiring for all chefs.

When I first tasted Wagyu I was blown away— the unctuous bites that melted in my mouth. After learning about the love Japanese farmers put into production, I was further impressed by the sheer appreciation that goes into the lives of Wagyu cattle. I’ve been a fan ever since.

Wagyu is something that has to be showcased, because it’s one of the best products to come out of Japan. At Shibumi we highlight traditional Japanese techniques alongside the quality of the ingredients. Our restaurant’s ethos is focused on understanding the cuisine of the Tokugawa period, when Japan didn’t allow imports or trade. This kept the cuisine very pure, and the heritage of Wagyu provides a perfect avenue for exploring unadulterated product and maximizing its potential.

Beef is what’s for dinner, and high-grade Wagyu is an awesome product. There’s a natural reverence with Wagyu, which can be intimidating, but when it’s prepared by someone with confidence, it absolutely shines. At our restaurant in midtown Manhattan, we have many guests who want an unforgettable experience, and putting prime Angus beef next to Wagyu on a wooden block, the excitement is palpable on their faces. It’s absolutely beautiful and an honor to serve high-quality Wagyu from Japan, where tradition and heritage matter so much.

Wagyu has never been a staple on any of my menus, but I’m honored for the experience to expand our repertoire and put our own twist on the product. I realize many guests understand and recognize Wagyu, and associate it with quality. This project raised a great deal of awareness with me and my team, in regard to Wagyu pedigree and heritage that goes back over 100 years. I was also compelled to investigate further to see what is available in terms of quality distributors. It was a very positive experience.

Utilizing the whole animal and taking advantage of non-loin cuts is one of the foundations of Gozu. Subverting expectations and creating new experiences are at the core of our philosophy. Relationships are also important to us, and we take pride in unraveling some of the enigmatic aspects of Japanese cuisine and presenting them for American guests. We want to build on those relationships and our understanding of Japanese cuisine, including Wagyu and the pedigree and dedication involved, to continue acting as educators in the culinary world.

I began working with Wagyu before it was common stateside, and I’ve always been impressed with the passion, production, heritage, flavor and even the packaging and care the product is handled with. I try to take our team to Japan once a year to learn directly about this incredible product. As a high-end restaurant, we relish the opportunity to introduce American consumers to real Wagyu and share its heritage. There are a lot of imposters on the market, and we value serving real Wagyu from Japan.

Previously touring in Japan visiting Wagyu farms was a special experience for me. I really love to learn about the culture and how they raise the cattle. I really enjoy working with Wagyu, especially at very high quality levels. Wagyu is all about personal experience and heritage for me, and we try to provide that for our guests. Many chefs around me are expressing increased interest in the product, and I’m hoping to continue promoting it. Wagyu is more than just beautiful product— for me, it’s about sharing and creating new experiences.

Wagyu remains ever popular and it seems we are constantly engaged with the product in new ways. We’ve worked with it for many years, and currently feature A5 New York strip and ribeye. I first tried a shoulder piece when working under Wolfgang Puck and was blown away— this was in an era when it was nearly impossible to get. In the future, I’d like to visit a Wagyu production farm to further explore the heritage of the product and the sustainable, ethical rearing methods.

I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Wagyu production facilities in Japan through my lengthy experience working with all different cut from the product. The idea of getting more off-cuts and non-streamlined cuts to the US was a central idea behind my journey. It was an honor to introduce fellow chefs to the product through this experience. You can jazz Wagyu up however you want, but the product shines brightest in the simplest preparation. The level of quality and appreciation has deep roots, and that’s what keeps me coming back.

The Japanese obsession with quality and devotion to heritage and pedigree has inspired me throughout my journey as a chef. At Scampi, my inspiration from Southern Italian cuisine, particularly Sicily and Calabria, has provided a perfect vantage point to incorporate Japanese culinary techniques. Both cultures have a “less is more” mentality when it comes to delivering exciting cuisine, and the focus on quality above all else remains inspiring for my whole team. Japanese dedication to excellence is awe inspiring, and working with Wagyu gives us even more opportunity to diversify our menu and explore new ideas.

Respect for the whole animal is how I always approach utilizing product. As a predominantly seafood chef, the sourcing and logistics aspect of running a kitchen is a focus for me, and exploring new avenues in Wagyu beef is very exciting. Working with Japanese Wagyu directly is educational for me. In turn that allows me to educate my team and our guests about the whole-animal aspect and how sustainable farming should be. The transparency and pedigree of Wagyu beef is upper echelon, which is what I like to offer as a chef.

I have nothing but positive thoughts on Wagyu in general, from the way the cattle are taken care of, to the dedication of Japanese farmers and the respect they put into their product. Japanese chefs always find ways to elevate even secondary cuts, and I wanted to do an American take on maximizing the tri-tip here at Otium, which is something we’re not entirely used to. But thanks to the quality of the Japanese product, it totally worked.

Wagyu is a product I have great pride in as a Japanese chef. It represents a long history of refined heritage made possible by humble farmers who work tirelessly to ensure the product is upper-echelon quality. Some Americans have misled conceptions of Wagyu, and many people still think Wagyu comes from one place. In fact, Wagyu beef comes from all across Japan, representing each region’s traditions and heritage. I am honored to be a part of the project to promote Japanese Wagyu beef in the US.

Wagyu is raised with ethical consideration for reach head of cattle and epitomizes the ideal structure for beef industry production. A phenomenal pedigree refined over generations has led to some of the best-tasting and sought-after beef on the global market, and it’s always exciting to work with Wagyu beef. The meat’s appearance, with mesmerizing intramuscular fat cascading in intricate layers, matches perfectly with my own “raw and refined” culinary vision. No matter how it’s prepared, Wagyu defines excellence, and it’s an honor to prepare and serve.

I’ve spent time in Kagoshima and visited a number of Wagyu farms to see how the cattle are raised first hand. It was an exceptionally formative experience that defined my conception of the product to this day. From how the very finest genetic lines are maintained, to the consideration for the welfare of the animal—it’s a model that all farms should really take in terms of cattle production. We educate our guests on each head of Wagyu that passes through our kitchen, and it’s an honor to be closely involved with Wagyu to this day.

Less is more with Wagyu. Japanese beef is the focus of our restaurant, and we work exclusively with Japanese product to show the nuance and versatility of the animal.

Wagyu shoulder clod has more texture compared to a tenderloin or a ribeye. Shoulder clod is slightly tougher than those luxurious cuts, but it also has heightened beefy flavor. Because the shoulder clod specifically is such an unusual cut of meat, I believe it’s even more bold in the beef flavor department. Overall this was a scintillating cut to work with, and we’re obliged for the opportunity to craft a recipe that pays respect to Japanese Wagyu heritage.

I chose the chuck tender, which is a center cut from one muscle group in the shoulder clod. Personally, this is my favorite cut because it’s so flavorful and beefy. This particular part of the chuck is very tender as well, making it very versatile. The Wagyu chuck tender had a perfectly distributed lacy appearance, and the marbling throughout the whole cut makes it very tender.

The shoulder clod actually has a few other small cuts inside of it. When breaking it down, you can trim off the flat iron, which is one of my favorite beef cuts that’s very tender. It was fun to break the shoulder clod down into two different cuts. When preparing the Wagyu, this allowed me to serve one guest using one piece, and the next guest using another. But they were all from the same large muscle group, which I think is beautiful. Working with this Japanese Wagyu beef was very enjoyable and rewarding.

Wagyu shoulder clod is a beautiful cut. The muscles are quite large, making them great for slicing out super thin on a meat slicer, or cutting into really nice steaks. Wagyu shoulder clod also holds up really well when braised. The marbling in the shoulder clod is exceptional, and I love how lean it is, while also remaining fatty. This makes it highly versatile, and wonderful in a different way than some of the more luxurious Wagyu cuts, like sirloin.

My first bite of Wagyu, I knew how special it was. Today, our restaurant focuses on this unforgettably delicious culinary experience, emphasizing off-cuts that pay homage to each individual head of Wagyu cattle raised with care.