By ETHAN HUANG
In a particular backyard garden covered head to toe in succulents lies a “secret” only made known to those invited. As one squeezes their way through the tight alleyway, they may accidentally glance past the kitchen and bar hidden within the greenery.
Decorated with string lights and a chalkboard-style menu, this humble setting is dubbed the Shokudo, or “cafeteria” in Japanese. Located in Del Rey, it is both a place to eat and a space to rediscover heritage, especially for illustrator Jon Kenzo Okeya, the owner and chef of the Shokudo.
Inspired by Netflix’s “Midnight Diner,” Okeya is the host of “The Shokudo Series” on YouTube, where each episode focuses on unique food, from simple Spam musubi to traditional ozoni soup.
Each installment invites guests from the local community, including chef John Nishio, local business owners and even members of Okeya’s family. Over dinner, they dive into conversations about Asian American culture and identity with food as a catalyst for discussion.
But it did not start that way. What was once Okeya’s father’s architecture tool shed was initially designed to be an office to work alone.
“It got really crazy at one time in the house, just because there’s eight people and I have massive attention deficit disorder, so I can’t concentrate,” he said. “Throughout the quarantine, I was in that office learning how to draw and getting better at that, and around that time, I fell in love with Japanese cooking.”
In the midst of the pandemic, community groups like the Grateful Crane Ensemble were looking for ways to reach out to their audience virtually. That was when Michael Murata, who was working with GCE at the time, got connected with videographer Luke Uyeda, Okeya’s long-time friend. One thing led to another, and the trio started “The Shokudo Series” with GCE executive producing.
The vision behind the show is rooted in their identities as Yonsei, or fourth-generation Japanese Americans. Murata, the current producer and co-host of the show, hopes that this series can bridge the generational gap.
“We were just trying to think of ways to tell those stories of why the community is built the way it is… as [Yonsei] are coming up into positions of leadership and community organizing,” says Murata.
According to Uyeda, the best place to have these discussions is at the dinner table, where conversations can flow naturally over food.
“We can’t get those stories off of a phone call. It only happens when we’re actually sitting, eating and talking and being able to ask those questions in an intimate place like this,” says Uyeda. “It’s what happens candidly and organically here at the Shokudo.”
This also comes down to the food they feature, including childhood favorites and those significant to Japanese American heritage.
Okeya recalls one episode in which he learned to make pakkai, a sweet and sour pork dish. It was a local favorite of Far East Cafe in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo, one of the few restaurants that served Japanese Americans post-World War II.
“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m learning so much. This isn’t just sweet and sour pork. This is what people ate during that time,’” says Okeya. “It wasn’t just learning the recipes. Those were great, but it was learning the context of those recipes. I was like ‘Oh, this is important. I’m learning important food.’”
The Shokudo team feels that their perspective as Japanese Americans can also be valuable to the broader Asian American community. Although different people are at different points of their immigrant journeys, issues like language barriers and cultural preservation can be universal. Murata reflects on a conversation with a Shokudo guest that struck close to home.
“[Rachel Lo] had mentioned she makes something, and she can’t communicate with her grandma because she doesn’t speak fluently in the language, but that recipe is her way of communicating, and it’s kind of for us too,” said Murata.
The team released the Season 1 finale of “The Shokudo Series” in June, the second half of a feature on ozoni soup. With Season 2 being filmed right now, they look to broaden their reach beyond Venice and L.A.
While the project is a far cry from the place of solitude Okeya envisioned, he is excited for what comes next.
“We’re run by pure enthusiasm,” Okeya jokes. “So far, I love the adventure, I love the camaraderie, I love meeting all sorts of people that live right next door.”
Although their ambitions are small, their simple dishes and moonlit conversations share an honest look into an experience that resonates with Asian Americans of all walks of life.
By itself, chewy mochi and flavorful mackerel are just food to enjoy. But it is the people who prepare and eat them that imbue them with story. At the Shokudo, food is a time capsule to be opened and history is brought to life.
“The Shokudo Series” is available to watch on the Grateful Crane Ensemble’s YouTube channel. Follow “The Shokudo Series” on Instagram for more.
Photos by ETHAN HUANG