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This is the story of how nojo came to be...
When I lived in Atlanta, I worked at a well-known restaurant named
Bacchanalia. One night after work, Chef Cliff took a few of us out
to his friend's restaurant, Yakitori Denchan. We descended into this
subterrain restaurant and there, behind the counter cooking skewers
and cracking jokes, was this white guy with a Japanese headband.
Before we knew it beer and sake were flowing and out came these
little grilled tasty treats of various parts of chicken, skewered and
dipped in an incredible sauce. Needless to say, I was hooked! I would
go back as often as I could until, sadly, Dennis sold his shop - it
would be years before I ate yakitori again.
Sushi, who doesn't love sushi? But there is something about the
flavors of cooked Japanese food that appeals to my soul. That was
what I wanted to learn more about and so I left Atlanta and moved
to Napa Valley, where I worked for a Japanese chef, Hiro, of Terra.
He spent years teaching me about Japanese cuisine, techniques
and philosophies. When Hiro asked me to be his Executive Chef at
ame, in San Francisco, I jumped at the chance. Ame was an amazing
opportunity to take everything I learned about Japanese food and
elevate it.
That was the start, but it wasn't until I was sitting at a dark and
boisterous neighborhood yakitori shop in Osaka, Japan, drinking
local sake and eating perfectly grilled chicken skewers, that I realized
what I really missed was yakitori - this was what I wanted to cook
and that was where nojo was born. I left ame and traveled Japan
from Sapporo to Fukuoka exploring regional izakaya, sake breweries
and yakitori shops sampling the amazing food that is found all over
Japan.
At nojo, I want to offer the best of both cooking styles - yakitori with
it's emphasis on the high quality ingredients, the chef's deft hands,
and the special tare sauce, as well as and izakaya, where creative and seasonal small plates are offered in a fun relaxed and lively environment.
At nojo in Hayes Valley my idea has come to fruition - the name
came with the help of my friend Kinko, who, when I asked her for the
Japanese word for farm, she told me 'nojo'. Without the best quality
ingredients from the farms and ranches in the Bay Area, nojo could
not be. So get out and support your local nojo!
greg dunmore
chef/owner nojo restaurant
Service at nojo
At nojo, we practice a different service style than most. In my years in
the restaurant business, the divide between the front and the back of
the “house” has always frustrated me. It never felt right and it was not
until I went to Japan and happened across the solution.
In Japan, many of the shops and restaurants are family owned and
operated, staff members work together, doing everything that needs
to be done, like, well like a family. ...I loved it. It created a communal
environment that brought another level to the dining experience.
The Japanese have something that is deep within their culture called
Kikubari, it is hard to translate, but the best way to define this is a
care, consideration and attention that is given to every facet of life.
Here at nojo we use kikubari to define our cuisine and our service
style. Our goal is to be a neighborhood restaurant where everyone
works together like a family to make our guests comfortable and at
home. So get out and support your local nojo.
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