On February 25, Naoko celebrated the release of Simply Donabe with a special dinner at Rintaro in San Francisco. The evening marked a meaningful reunion — Rintaro was the site of a dinner for her first cookbook ten years ago, and Naoko had also attended the restaurant’s opening night more than a decade ago.
On the day of the event, Naoko spent time with Chef Sylvan Mishima Brackett and his team finalizing the menu and prepping in the kitchen together.
The chefs prepared five dishes from Simply Donabe alongside their regular menu, and the restaurant was filled late into the evening with guests who came to enjoy the dinner and celebrate Naoko’s Simply Donabe.
We are deeply grateful to Sylvan and the entire Rintaro team for their generous hospitality, and to everyone who joined us for this special night.