Art & Life with Sonoko Sakai

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonoko Sakai.

Sonoko, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I am a Japanese cooking teacher, noodle maker, heirloom grain enthusiast, food writer, film industry veteran: I’ve had a diverse career path that has provided me with multiple outlets for expression. I was born in New York but raised around the world — Tokyo, Kamakura, Mexico City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

I wrote two Japanese cookbooks based on my experiences growing up in the kitchens of my mother and grandmother: “The Poetical Pursuit of Food: Japanese Recipes for American Cooks” and” Rice Craft.”

I worked in the film world for 25 years, as a film buyer, seller, and producer. In 2009, I transitioned my focus 100% back to cooking, studying noodle making in Tokyo. Today, I teach a variety of cooking classes. My new cookbook Japanese Home Cooking: Simple Meals, Authentic Flavors is coming out in November. (Roost Books, Pengui Random House distributors). Along with my sculptor husband, Katsuhisa Sakai I split my time between Highland Park, Los Angeles, and Tehachapi in the high desert east of Mohave.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Today, I teach a variety of cooking classes. My new cookbook Japanese Home Cooking: Simple Recipes, Authentic Flavors is coming out in November. (Roost Books).

I went from being a multi-tasker in the busy world of film buying, selling and producing to teaching about slowing down and restoring the quality of our lives through food, especially home cooking.

Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
I reinvented myself as a cooking teacher and cookbook author after being in film for more than two decades. I spent a good ten years trying to find the right path. There were a lot of financial concerns but I managed by trying to focus and get better at what I love doing: Cooking, teaching and sharing food with people. You have to make a lot of sacrifices but spiritually, I feel much richer and happier as a person.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Come to my workshops. They are listed on sonokosakai.com.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1900 North Avenue 52, Los Angeles
• Phone: 310-600-4263
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: sonokosakai
• Facebook: sonokosakai
• Other: sonokosakai.com

Image Credit:
Rick Poon – many of the photos are featured in Japanese Home Cooking: Simple Meals, Authentic Flavors (Roost Books). Cookbook will be published November 19, 2019
Emil Ravelo – Personal photo

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