Kato is closed until further notice like most other restaurants, but follow them on IG to keep in touch and support the team: instagram.com/katorestaurant and instagram.com/Jonyao. Thanks for watching!
A chef who's not overflowing with ego, just pure passion, and enjoyment in what he does while having pride and respect for his chefs? First time I've seen one.
It's just satisfying to see entire place run by only young people. With young energy, enthusiasm, and passion. It seems like staff has great chemistry, everybody are just on the same wavelength.
Just goes to show that when people complain about millennials, it’s not about a generation, it’s about them as individuals and some of them clearly had great parents and have a great work ethic. By “work ethic,” I don’t mean working for somebody else. I think the younger generations understand that they don’t want to work themselves to death for somebody else, but if they have their own enterprise, they’re passionate about it. Seems like sanity to me.
The restaurant I used to work at we joke around and use smartphones while on duty in the kitchen. We watch youtube videos while prepping dishes and cooking. Good times man.
Love his use of language too. This is “our” way of doing this dish. “We” do it this way. Instead of “my” recipe or “my” restaurant. Love that he extends ownership of the restaurant and dishes to all of the staff.
The chef's not gonna like my opinion, but its fine dining with Chinese flavors. Not really Chinese food. Fine Dining is it's own thing. Like I would even argue French people wouldn't say French Fine Dining is French food as they normally know it.
Jack Xiao I guess that makes sense. You wouldn’t really call the opposite spectrum, like Panda Express or fast food, Chinese food either. But it’s clear that he’s trying extremely hard to keep it in line with his cultural upbringing and keeping that identity front facing in his dishes.
Probably because he has over-bearing parents, if you hear him (a Michelin Star chef) mention how he doesn't want to disappoint them for example. A lot of younger Asian people I've met have been extremely easy-going when others make mistakes, simply because their parents were way too tough on them. This one kid I knew in high school, straight A's in Advanced Placement courses, a gifted pianist, the moment he left for college turned into a huge laid-back stoner. Definitely better than being stressed out all the time on the verge of snapping or developing anxiety issues.
Honestly, I paid 95 dollars (price might be different now) for a tasting menu at Kato. This was pre michelin, where the restaurant was BYOB. My wife and I were blown away and knew the place would do well. I'm glad to see it did. It really is amazing.
@@CptShiba So they started using more expensive ingredients like caviar and abalone and increased prices. While those are amazing, The meal that I had didn't need those ingedients. They were great on their own. It would as if your favorite pepperoni pizza was $20, but now they started putting fancier pepperoni on it and start charging $35. It was incredible as it was, it didn't need the caviar, and I really don't want to pay for it.
This guy is like the best boss ever He communicate well with his employees, believe in what he do and has create a fun environment where mistakes are accepted in the pursuit of the most effiecient way of doing things. Furthermore, he genuinely care about everyone
3:55 a trait shared by every bad manager I’ve ever had is that if you mess up they refuse to let you do it again and berate you for it, whereas the best managers I’ve ever had push you to keep doing it till you get it right. Chef is dead on.
I've had the pleasure to work under good managers. Even if it's a small & busy pizza chain, that still counts. I never get discouraged while I was there.
It makes me sad to think there are so many people who don't get that attitude is bad. If someone isn't good at something, you have them do it until they are. It's just practice.
@@OxBlitzkriegxO because those people are thinking short term. "Oh if he doesn't do it, he can't mess up this current situation." rather than "This guy can help improve my situation even more in the future."it's all about the long game that gets the best rewards.
Chefs of the old-guarde way of thinking, expect you to practice at home, on your own dime, like preparing for a test. The only time at home is to sleep, because your soul-bound to learning while your their.
@@cattoO_O small tract of land in most sprawling urban landscapes (california in particular) where there's a bunch of low-quality mom and pop shops or afterthought chain restaurants (like chuck-e-cheese or red lobster). A mall that is typically in a strip format.
Kato is relocating to downtown Los Angeles to a much larger location. Congratulations to Jon and the rest of the Kato team on continual growth even in this very uncertain and difficult time.
This guy absolutely deserves all the success that he's achieved so far. The way he treats his staff and his passion for the food that he serves is outstanding.
"We had to buy extra fish for a while because I would F them up..." It's nice to see Chef realizes the importance of people.... and allowing them to make mistakes so they can learn.
@@Aarondsouza5 Or managers in general. Though there is an apocryphal story about IBM - a guy screwed up, lost $11M, tendered his resignation. Boss says "resign, we just spent $11M on your education". Mistakes are part of learning, don't let somebody else get the benefit.
You can tell this dude is a really nice young man, who just happens to be an incredibly talented chef. He lives with half of his staff and you can see how much they respect him. When he gets into the zone, tasting the food and critiquing it, that's when he the Michelin star master.
@@BlankManj5 no chef tries to bring down their employees, they make or break your restaurant, most people often mistake criticism for trying to bring chefs down, this guy is nicer and less tough because he’s employees are trained and proven to be great, and always hit their mark, hence why he doesn’t have much to criticize other than just bit a bit more
Most places run by competent friend groups always do well. Went to a local steakhouse and everyone there including the owner were all friends from middle school. The food was great, the service was fast, and they were nice to us as guests.
Man having this kind of safe environment, well-mannered employees and employer, with so much passion and enjoyment of what they are doing I bet I would never go late in my time card because of healthy relationship we have with each other. Cheers to more years of good service guys!
@M R who would love to stay and have tolerance in a toxic environment by the way? I was watching Hotel Hell before watching this and there are a lot of incompetent workers and employers which made their restaurant offer gross foods because attitude reflects what they serve compared to this one which has a healthy environment, good food and good soul.
@M R Like what Cesar Diaz said, why the hell would you want to surround yourself with toxic people? It makes no sense at all, it just makes your life and everyone else's life harder than it needs to be. It makes going to work every day a pain in the ass, but if surround your life around passionate like minded people, it just makes it more enjoyable and reason to keep on pushing yourself to be the best that you can be.
Interned here shortly before this was filmed. Nothing but immense love and admiration for these guys. Probably one of the coolest work environments I've had the pleasure of experiencing. #TeamDara
This is pretty cool. It's a testament to the fact that when you create an environment where people want to come to work, and an environment where you can actually learn, you'll be able to accomplish a lot more.
Wow! This chef isn’t screaming, yelling, acting eccentric or demeaning his staff. Seems good natured and enjoying life. Hats off to you sir. Wish you all the success.
Not gonna lie his kitchen are pretty chill compared to other restaurants they tend to be aggressive and most of the time they have bad days and dealing with angry chefs isnt fun
@Brian For Most Asian families. Parents have extreme expectations for their children. They consider high paying jobs with high involvement like doctors lawyers and engineers to be sucessful jobs. My parents are like this tho, but some of my friends have depression because of their parents having this mentality
@Brian Well...that's not how Asian family works, bro 😂😂 regular job is definitely not a choice. You can only be a doctor, scientists, engineer, any job that you can make big money with. A "regular" job sounds like picking up trash job in Asia ( Not disrespecting the janitors )
I religiously watch every single "Mise en Place" and this is the first chef that I've seen have true respect and camaraderie with his fellow chefs. The part at 3:44 really blew me away. His understanding and empathy towards other people that are passionate about food is unrivaled. I wish this guy the most success.
Straight up respect for him allowing Alex the leeway to hone his skills, I've never known a restaurant aside from where I currently exec at to do this. Huge ups to you, chef.
This dude and his crew are arguably the most entertaining non-wannabe-elite michelin starred bunch Ive ever seen. Damn. This is so real and non-pretentious.
Several different analogs here. 1. A boss doesn't need to be a hard ass or cruel or loud, just determined and smart. 2. Hiring enough employees makes life easier and better for everyone involved, even if it means you run out of room 3. Learning on the job is important, allowing that environment only makes your employees more committed
@Snus Fika Lol, sounds like they're a bad boss then. If your staff isn't determined, find out why. It's very likely wage related, but it might also be supervisors or the job itself. They might be understaffed, supervisors might be micromanaging, etc. Being a hard ass will just force them to work as though they're determined, and then they'll quit. You can't shout your way to a good worker. You can only make them pretend, and humans can only pretend for so long.
@@andreasbernardi3654 Exactly man. Also I always follow this adage. "If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame. But if his orders ARE clear, and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their officers" -Sun Tzu
1. It's easier to be a hard ass, cruel or loud than to be determined or smart. 2. Not nessecarily. Sometimes hiring employees can be detrimental to a business. He's lucky to have found such a great team of friends. 3. Learning doesn't equate to commitment, however encouragement does.
@james b dude where did sex even come into play here, plenty of male bosses and ceos are complete swikes that keep their own interests in mind when running a place,
@james b I believe that's been your experience. Have you had bad experiences where the leader was male? I think the current global crisis has certainly shown there are plenty of capable and arguably superior leaders who are female. www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/25/why-do-female-leaders-seem-to-be-more-successful-at-managing-the-coronavirus-crisis
@@SolWake bruh i dont think germany's doing too well. that and shes basically hated as much as US hates trump according to every german I know. New Zealand, Norway, Iceland, Slovakia and Denmark have increadibly low pop density that youd have to try to spread the virus. Basically, its not a matter of gender but more on the fact that some countries are less dense in pop than others
if that the character and works environment he put through in his business, all of his staff would definitely eager to opened the restaurant again. heard they closed during pandemic.
@@sirv8708 i mean charging rent when no business can open would be a dickmove anyway. Killing the shops in your mall aint the greatest business decision
The respect he has from his crew is to wish for ... see how everyone is taller and look older than him in the kitchen but when he is tasting the food, they listen intently to learn from him
There’s also cameras around… They’re his friends as well, so they aren’t going to back talk him in a promo video for the restaurant they all work at. Of course they’re going to be respectful and make it look like that when they are actually getting some press.
They should do a day to day show with this guys, they are all funny as hell and do a great job. It feels like looking a group of best friends working together in a sunday afternoon, just having fun.
Man this dude is like a joy to work with. I love how he was still willing to have his sous chef practice breaking down fish until he learned it correctly.
That's how I feel whenever managers say something good about me,the power they have and maybe at times don't even know when it comes to positive reinforcement
I love his balance between the boss and the friend. Able to taste the food, say what needs to change without softening any blows, direct his staff, teach them so they work like a well oiled machine, but then play heads up with them before the rush. A beautiful working relationship to see
He’s so down to earth love that and he said something which is very true “if you mess up a fish in any other restaurant they won’t let you touch it again in months but expect you to suddenly be better 2 months later in something they don’t allow you to work on
He’s the first Michelin chef I’ve watched here that wasnt one wrong dish away from being a serial killer Like foreal, if you’re a Michelin chef, Something from your childhood made you into one of the best chefs in the world instead of being the most dangerous serial killers. There’s a real fine line
J O H N S O N C O He means most Michelin chefs look like they’re on the verge of a psychotic breakdown at all times. I assume it’s the stress of the job that does that to people lol. I assume the guy from the video seems more relaxed because his restaurant is kinda small
"We're always willing to at least make that investment in letting someone get better. Cause other places if you f*** up once, they're like, gimme that, you're not gonna do this for at least two months and then you get to revisit it and like, how the f*** are you supposed to get better in another two months, right? Everyone gets to touch everything." - THIS! what he said it's GOLD!!
I love the way that Jon interacts with his staff and compliments them, you can tell he takes a lot of pride in their skills and values them. It's crazy to me though that these guys can spend all day working together in a high pressure environment and then still be roommates and not be totally sick of each other.
i've eaten at Kato and wow; as someone who's asian, it was really cool to see touches of my culture in the dishes. also wow! i'm so happy that the kitchen is close and so friendly!!
Holy crap this is the most calm composed non hurried Michelin star chef. I like how he said that if they do it theyll never learn. But from michelin stsr chef for them theyll want a chef that knows everything already. I like his attitude towards having people learn.
This is what happens when you don't lose sight of who you are and what you're trying to achieve. There is no ego on display here at all. It's awesome to see.
it's cool how he can be so chill but then when he's tasting everything his knowledge comes out and he knows immediately what can be done to improve the dish.
I don’t know if it’s just me but I love that he uses terms “like” we or “our” and not just me and my because he knows that’s it a team effort honestly small things like that just put a smile on my face
The fact that they do this with only one fridge and a small kitchen just blows my mind. I have worked in giant kitchens with millions in equipment that couldn't come close to this level of quality and ingenuity.
Veronica Gray usually a line/cluster of stores in on block. Similar to a mall, but most of the time all the stores face the same direction and is usually much smaller than a typical mall
I personally would never eat about half of the stuff on his menu because I didn’t grow up eating those foods, but his presentation and his passion for making the foods translates for me, into wanting to try every single menu item at his restaurant. Kudos Bro! Much Respect & you’re right about Ralo; El es tan, pero tan guapo! 😉
I fell into a hole of binge watching so many of these Eater, Michelin starred videos and this one is most definitely my favorite. I love the interactions they have with each other or brotherhood they exemplify, goal they share, and willingness to learn amongst the group
I'm willing to bet the strip mall contributes to this. Rent is a big chunk of restaurant operating expenses. Especially in big cities with sky-high property values like LA.
@@jsickness21 plus tip or was the tip included? Because if we go with 20 percent tip thats roughly 24 Dollars tip, so around 100 dollars for this kind of food is perfect. Otherwise with 120 plus tip it would be about 150 $ and that kinda hurts in me pocket
Terena Rosa it’s a tasting menu of like 12 courses, you only have one option (unless they got their liquor license since October, then there’s probably a more expensive option with wine pairing).
I watched this video when I started out as a manager and now, coming back, I find that the chef taught me how to be chill and still get the most out of the team.
Kato is closed until further notice like most other restaurants, but follow them on IG to keep in touch and support the team: instagram.com/katorestaurant and instagram.com/Jonyao. Thanks for watching!
Great
@@Vincent-ib6yc cuz of corona virus pandemic
@@Vincent-ib6yc you serious??
@@Vincent-ib6yc prolly some covid-19 idssue
Gordan ramsie (i knoe i spelt his last name wrong),he would be pissed watching this video he hates caned food
A chef who's not overflowing with ego, just pure passion, and enjoyment in what he does while having pride and respect for his chefs? First time I've seen one.
Oh, right. He's Asian. Understood.
Gordon Ramsay: awe that's cute a lil bit more seasoning
First time?
Thomas Keller fits your description.
Massimo Bottura says hi
The way he hypes his sous chefs is the most wholesome thing ever.
Dude you got a like from the channel ☺️
@@poopoogamer1232 great you're here again? ugh ffs
that has to be the most down to earth michelin star chef i've ever sen
really reminds me of my boss in Vår, Odense. Not a star, but on the guide though.
I still think Hawker Chan is as down to earth as him
Massimooooo Bottura
Johan Sadewa the uncle in singapore is it?
Yes, the cheapest Michelin meal I believe
It's just satisfying to see entire place run by only young people. With young energy, enthusiasm, and passion. It seems like staff has great chemistry, everybody are just on the same wavelength.
Just goes to show that when people complain about millennials, it’s not about a generation, it’s about them as individuals and some of them clearly had great parents and have a great work ethic. By “work ethic,” I don’t mean working for somebody else. I think the younger generations understand that they don’t want to work themselves to death for somebody else, but if they have their own enterprise, they’re passionate about it. Seems like sanity to me.
Not once did I hear him say "I"... He always said "we" when pertaining to the restaurant. Respect 🤙🏼
Communist detected on American soil. Lethal force engaged.
We gottem boys
He did though ok
@@tortellinifettuccine when pertaining to the restaurant
Comen on, that's so calculated
This guy should be a role model for all chefs, calm, composed, knows when to joke and knows when to work. I tip my hat to you
And he plays heads up with his employees before work.
The restaurant I used to work at we joke around and use smartphones while on duty in the kitchen. We watch youtube videos while prepping dishes and cooking. Good times man.
@@johnboona4048 we do the same where I work, you're more with your coworkers than your family when you're a chef, so you better be cool with them :p
And he compliments and really shows his appreciation for his chefs
John Boona that sounds awesom e
Love his use of language too. This is “our” way of doing this dish. “We” do it this way. Instead of “my” recipe or “my” restaurant. Love that he extends ownership of the restaurant and dishes to all of the staff.
Those simple words are very effective, makes everyone feel like they have contributed
He's a person who knows that he isn't the center if the world. He was raised right by good parents. He's a good respectful person
The chef's not gonna like my opinion, but its fine dining with Chinese flavors. Not really Chinese food. Fine Dining is it's own thing. Like I would even argue French people wouldn't say French Fine Dining is French food as they normally know it.
Jack Xiao I guess that makes sense. You wouldn’t really call the opposite spectrum, like Panda Express or fast food, Chinese food either. But it’s clear that he’s trying extremely hard to keep it in line with his cultural upbringing and keeping that identity front facing in his dishes.
Pat on the head.
The nicest and most supportive kitchen I’ve ever heard of. Really shows how you don’t need to abuse and insult each other to have excellence
It’s like a home kitchen. Just a family having fun cooking together and making great food
jjdjss. ds. dsndnshdhdhm
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j cdjg👍
When he said he was happy letting people make mistakes so they can get better, that hit hard. Not a lot of jobs give new people room to improve
@@fedoratheexplora7180 AMERICA, f**k yeah ✌
That does hit hard, joining any workforce you're pressured into not making mistakes
@@fedoratheexplora7180 Just waiting for the inevitably cynical person to come in here like, "WhAT??? AmEriCa SuCkS! I HaTe AmEriCaNs!"
Probably because he has over-bearing parents, if you hear him (a Michelin Star chef) mention how he doesn't want to disappoint them for example. A lot of younger Asian people I've met have been extremely easy-going when others make mistakes, simply because their parents were way too tough on them. This one kid I knew in high school, straight A's in Advanced Placement courses, a gifted pianist, the moment he left for college turned into a huge laid-back stoner. Definitely better than being stressed out all the time on the verge of snapping or developing anxiety issues.
@@cooperkummerow4217 idk they spend too much money on armies and are in huge debt so, america hell no. I quess its otherwise a pretty decent place.
He seems like the chilliest guy ever like someone who is cool to hangout with
They all seem chill asf
Certainly. No ego.
That aint sexual harassment
@@slickblaster6054 edgy
Gavin Menchaca i wish he can cool down gordon ramsay
This place has such a good vibe, just seems like a bunch of friends hanging out in a kitchen.
they could make a show outta this...
Damn I jealous of them
I would visit them every weekend if I lived close by. Honestly this guy is incredibly down to earth and he’s also good at what he does.
But they are actually good
True
Honestly, I paid 95 dollars (price might be different now) for a tasting menu at Kato. This was pre michelin, where the restaurant was BYOB. My wife and I were blown away and knew the place would do well. I'm glad to see it did. It really is amazing.
they're still BYOB! tasting menu is now $150, but theyre still doing amazing!
@@CptShiba So they started using more expensive ingredients like caviar and abalone and increased prices. While those are amazing, The meal that I had didn't need those ingedients. They were great on their own. It would as if your favorite pepperoni pizza was $20, but now they started putting fancier pepperoni on it and start charging $35. It was incredible as it was, it didn't need the caviar, and I really don't want to pay for it.
@@agrious39 But maybe the more expensive ingredients is what got them the Michelin star.
@@user-kk6ht1id5e they got it before the switch.
BYOB? Bring your own beef?
This guy is like the best boss ever
He communicate well with his employees, believe in what he do and has create a fun environment where mistakes are accepted in the pursuit of the most effiecient way of doing things. Furthermore, he genuinely care about everyone
@john smith yes, i too have seen the video
Tai Thang Cong and thats the difference between a boss and a leader he’s not a boss he’s a leader
@@benjaminyang7318mind blown
Yeah... Like Gordon Ramsay
Aga Acebedo i don’t think gordon care about all his staffs
3:55 a trait shared by every bad manager I’ve ever had is that if you mess up they refuse to let you do it again and berate you for it, whereas the best managers I’ve ever had push you to keep doing it till you get it right. Chef is dead on.
I've had the pleasure to work under good managers. Even if it's a small & busy pizza chain, that still counts. I never get discouraged while I was there.
It makes me sad to think there are so many people who don't get that attitude is bad. If someone isn't good at something, you have them do it until they are. It's just practice.
@@OxBlitzkriegxO because those people are thinking short term. "Oh if he doesn't do it, he can't mess up this current situation." rather than "This guy can help improve my situation even more in the future."it's all about the long game that gets the best rewards.
Chefs of the old-guarde way of thinking, expect you to practice at home, on your own dime, like preparing for a test. The only time at home is to sleep, because your soul-bound to learning while your their.
I have a manager like that, I personally don't like his behaviour.
Looks like a bunch of friends making michelin-star level food in a strip mall and loving it
Yeah it's so cool 💪🏼
That's because that's exactly what they're doing
What is a strip mall?
There also all fkin each other in the bums
@@cattoO_O small tract of land in most sprawling urban landscapes (california in particular) where there's a bunch of low-quality mom and pop shops or afterthought chain restaurants (like chuck-e-cheese or red lobster). A mall that is typically in a strip format.
Kato is relocating to downtown Los Angeles to a much larger location. Congratulations to Jon and the rest of the Kato team on continual growth even in this very uncertain and difficult time.
glad to hear that the restaurant still running. thanks for the info!
Good for them ! I hope we get more promo vids like this one
Yeah, I saw that they “re-entered” the Michelin Guide, so I assumed they must have moved. Congrats to them!
This guy absolutely deserves all the success that he's achieved so far. The way he treats his staff and his passion for the food that he serves is outstanding.
Right
All these "michelin" videos all start with caviar. So lame that all you need to be a michelin restaurant is caviar on your menu.
everybody is nice on camera
@@Name-jw4sj right, let’s ignore every other expensive ingredient they have
This is the most wholesome resto ever. For real, not everyone bonds with their employees like that.
e fred what does that mean?
i will put some money aside to go
It stems from the Chef! It all starts with his in house culture!
"We had to buy extra fish for a while because I would F them up..." It's nice to see Chef realizes the importance of people.... and allowing them to make mistakes so they can learn.
That's the attitude of a chef I would love to work for
Very hard to find chefs like him
@@Aarondsouza5 Or managers in general.
Though there is an apocryphal story about IBM - a guy screwed up, lost $11M, tendered his resignation. Boss says "resign, we just spent $11M on your education".
Mistakes are part of learning, don't let somebody else get the benefit.
Im your 1k like
@@rubendelacruz7395 awesome!!!!!
This is the most chill kitchen that I've ever watched on RUclips.
You can tell this dude is a really nice young man, who just happens to be an incredibly talented chef. He lives with half of his staff and you can see how much they respect him. When he gets into the zone, tasting the food and critiquing it, that's when he the Michelin star master.
ayeeeeeee ynwa
that has to be the most down to earth michelin star chef i've ever sen
And his observations are stated to improve the food and not bring his employees down and they seem to know that. That’s a good work environment.
"If you're gonna play, you might as well win."
God damn, he spittin.
@@BlankManj5 no chef tries to bring down their employees, they make or break your restaurant, most people often mistake criticism for trying to bring chefs down, this guy is nicer and less tough because he’s employees are trained and proven to be great, and always hit their mark, hence why he doesn’t have much to criticize other than just bit a bit more
such a cool guy and very appreciative of his crew. and the food looks incredible.
i like this guy..he appraise his staff skill so much and love it!
He is and it is!
He's asta with no hair😁😁
And that is a true leader, not being a boss, but giving examples and leads the way for good.
Best leader is the leader that takes care of their people.
The sous chef was cutting the fish and he said I hope you go viral. He’s the boss and wants the Sous Chef to go viral. Need more bosses like him.
This restaurant is basically just a friend group.
A roomate group
Ted mosby: we should buy a restaurant
Boy group with girls
Most places run by competent friend groups always do well.
Went to a local steakhouse and everyone there including the owner were all friends from middle school. The food was great, the service was fast, and they were nice to us as guests.
It's like a rock band. Live together, jam together, climb the charts together.
Man having this kind of safe environment, well-mannered employees and employer, with so much passion and enjoyment of what they are doing I bet I would never go late in my time card because of healthy relationship we have with each other. Cheers to more years of good service guys!
@M R who would love to stay and have tolerance in a toxic environment by the way? I was watching Hotel Hell before watching this and there are a lot of incompetent workers and employers which made their restaurant offer gross foods because attitude reflects what they serve compared to this one which has a healthy environment, good food and good soul.
@@cesardiaz8997 Ignore M R.
The sous chef was cutting the fish and he said I hope you go viral. He’s the boss and wants the Sous Chef to go viral. Need more bosses like him.
@DaFuzzBearYT there are lots of Michelin starred restaurants that have stressful environments but still are not toxic awful places to work in.
@M R Like what Cesar Diaz said, why the hell would you want to surround yourself with toxic people? It makes no sense at all, it just makes your life and everyone else's life harder than it needs to be. It makes going to work every day a pain in the ass, but if surround your life around passionate like minded people, it just makes it more enjoyable and reason to keep on pushing yourself to be the best that you can be.
Love how the chef seems so in touch with his whole team, uplifting and praising everyone. Seems like a very humble and hardworking fella!
He seems like such a nice person!
yeah I can tell the atmosphere is different from other Michelin-star restaurant
Agreed
And they're like roommates!
Interned here shortly before this was filmed. Nothing but immense love and admiration for these guys. Probably one of the coolest work environments I've had the pleasure of experiencing. #TeamDara
#TeamDara
Carlo Forteza you interned here doing what?
@@Jsalcedo23 worked in the kitchen
Carlo Forteza I love cooking and food and would love to make a career out of it , how did u intern here? How did u apply?
was it a paid internship?
Really like how the owner seems really down to earth and gives his employees complements in a really relaxed way
This is probably the only Michelin star restraint owner that plays heads up with his staff and lives with his workers. Imagine living with your boss
*Restaurant*
What's a Michelin Star Chef?
Yep
The cereals needs more salt
Imagine the home meals
This is pretty cool. It's a testament to the fact that when you create an environment where people want to come to work, and an environment where you can actually learn, you'll be able to accomplish a lot more.
Hopefully he practiced breaking down a cheaper fish
@Brian theyre roommates thats why tgeyre so close
Wow! This chef isn’t screaming, yelling, acting eccentric or demeaning his staff. Seems good natured and enjoying life. Hats off to you sir. Wish you all the success.
WHERE IS THE LAMB SAUCEEEEEEEEE
Yeah, unlike the Asian chef in Masterchef Canada who is full of ego.
The fact this restaurant is located in strip mall actually makes it more lovely to me.
Not gonna lie his kitchen are pretty chill compared to other restaurants they tend to be aggressive and most of the time they have bad days and dealing with angry chefs isnt fun
Bob Bobby food must be prepared with love to taste good 👍🏼
He hired most of his buddies
@@rynny_weather yah the chances is very high
also its a very different setting, most restaurants dont get to prepare most of the food before customers start coming in
Rye Rye po o
you can see how much respect his people have for him
And vice versa
"I just wanna not disappoint my entire family"
man if that isn't the biggest asian mood ever
I can relate to this so much
Are you doctor yet?
Dad, im 12.
Talk to me when you doctor.
@Brian For Most Asian families. Parents have extreme expectations for their children. They consider high paying jobs with high involvement like doctors lawyers and engineers to be sucessful jobs. My parents are like this tho, but some of my friends have depression because of their parents having this mentality
Man... The story of my life.
@Brian Well...that's not how Asian family works, bro 😂😂 regular job is definitely not a choice. You can only be a doctor, scientists, engineer, any job that you can make big money with. A "regular" job sounds like picking up trash job in Asia ( Not disrespecting the janitors )
I religiously watch every single "Mise en Place" and this is the first chef that I've seen have true respect and camaraderie with his fellow chefs. The part at 3:44 really blew me away. His understanding and empathy towards other people that are passionate about food is unrivaled. I wish this guy the most success.
I like how half of them don't know the names of things yet they're doing things that could take years to learn. This chef is a true teacher/master
I've watched this video more than 5×,yet this is the best observation yet😂😂
“I hope we go viral” Damn I hope these guys get the recognition they deserve
Sadly their business is probably destroyed from covid now
Enoch Hopefully after covid they can get back on their feet just and can grow even more
Cryptic Input I mean they’re Michelin starred so I’m pretty sure they’re doing well like all other Michelin restaurants
@@MM-jc7uv They are closed as of now, like many other restaurants. Its in their Twitter I think
Elly Richardson yeah but the guy said destroyed when I’m pretty sure they’ll recover since they’re high end
"If you're gonna play, you might as well win."
God damn, he spittin.
wait he said play i thought he said plate
like if you gonna plate might as well win guess I was wrong
Asian parents be like
discord.com/invite/mrKxegBxHn
That's Asian for ya
"I've covered wars you know?"
Straight up respect for him allowing Alex the leeway to hone his skills, I've never known a restaurant aside from where I currently exec at to do this. Huge ups to you, chef.
This dude and his crew are arguably the most entertaining non-wannabe-elite michelin starred bunch Ive ever seen. Damn. This is so real and non-pretentious.
Several different analogs here.
1. A boss doesn't need to be a hard ass or cruel or loud, just determined and smart.
2. Hiring enough employees makes life easier and better for everyone involved, even if it means you run out of room
3. Learning on the job is important, allowing that environment only makes your employees more committed
And these should not be that hard to accomplish yet they're rare to come by.
@Snus Fika Lol, sounds like they're a bad boss then. If your staff isn't determined, find out why. It's very likely wage related, but it might also be supervisors or the job itself. They might be understaffed, supervisors might be micromanaging, etc. Being a hard ass will just force them to work as though they're determined, and then they'll quit. You can't shout your way to a good worker. You can only make them pretend, and humans can only pretend for so long.
@@RyanKaufman respect is earned not forced 👍😊 everyone may not followed their boss, but everyone will definitely followed their leader.
@@andreasbernardi3654 Exactly man. Also I always follow this adage.
"If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame. But if his orders ARE clear, and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their officers" -Sun Tzu
1. It's easier to be a hard ass, cruel or loud than to be determined or smart.
2. Not nessecarily. Sometimes hiring employees can be detrimental to a business. He's lucky to have found such a great team of friends.
3. Learning doesn't equate to commitment, however encouragement does.
I really hope businesses like these will have survived the pandemic...
Yeah my work just closed I’m dead sad no more ale soaked steak and beef for free on my dinner
don't know if you're kidding but very unlikely
these businesses have bosses who are multimillionaires, worry about the smaller businesses instead.
let these businesses crash then people realized all these fine dining crap are non essential
Agree totally .
Heads up game warmup genius. Warms up talking to each other & recognizing speech for fast line kitchen service.. genius
this has to be the best kind of leadership i've ever seen in a restaurant
He don't need to lead!
He's just that good people will do anything for him, too easy.
@james b dude where did sex even come into play here, plenty of male bosses and ceos are complete swikes that keep their own interests in mind when running a place,
will he really thought saying “no offence” would make his opening statement sound better 😂
@james b I believe that's been your experience. Have you had bad experiences where the leader was male? I think the current global crisis has certainly shown there are plenty of capable and arguably superior leaders who are female. www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/25/why-do-female-leaders-seem-to-be-more-successful-at-managing-the-coronavirus-crisis
@@SolWake bruh i dont think germany's doing too well. that and shes basically hated as much as US hates trump according to every german I know.
New Zealand, Norway, Iceland, Slovakia and Denmark have increadibly low pop density that youd have to try to spread the virus.
Basically, its not a matter of gender but more on the fact that some countries are less dense in pop than others
The crew is so chilled and owner is non pretentious. I would love to eat at his restaurant someday.
if you got money....
@@ikhwansaloot How much is it for a dinner for 2 here? What is the ballpark usually?
ncode03 $70 a plate
Stiff Mayonnaise not too bad
@@TD04_Trav that's pretty good for a Michelin star restaurant. If the service is as good as the food I see that as a worthy spend.
I sure hope this guys business is still alive through this pandemic.
if that the character and works environment he put through in his business, all of his staff would definitely eager to opened the restaurant again. heard they closed during pandemic.
Hope they make it through as well! My parents own a mall store and they didn’t charge rent for two months to show support
@@sirv8708 i mean charging rent when no business can open would be a dickmove anyway. Killing the shops in your mall aint the greatest business decision
Hey Yang gang
The iDOLMOLESTER but then you’re gonna have to consider the mall OWNERS. How will they pay their bills?
The respect he has from his crew is to wish for ... see how everyone is taller and look older than him in the kitchen but when he is tasting the food, they listen intently to learn from him
There’s also cameras around… They’re his friends as well, so they aren’t going to back talk him in a promo video for the restaurant they all work at. Of course they’re going to be respectful and make it look like that when they are actually getting some press.
The fact he says “our” food instead of “my”
Humble af
Rachelle H. Communism
@@bobbjoeey8404 Comradeism
*Uraaaaaaa*
I think he’s just referring to the restaurant
_USSR Anthem plays_
They should do a day to day show with this guys, they are all funny as hell and do a great job. It feels like looking a group of best friends working together in a sunday afternoon, just having fun.
Richard Martínez these dudes seem so chill
That's just what they show you, could bet there's internal drama just like any other workplace
Agreed
I love how he compliment his crew, and the crew secretly smile. Really refreshing vibe in the kitchen.
Man this dude is like a joy to work with. I love how he was still willing to have his sous chef practice breaking down fish until he learned it correctly.
3:28 when he says "he's really good at it" and the chef has a small smile, jesus that's wholesome
That's how I feel whenever managers say something good about me,the power they have and maybe at times don't even know when it comes to positive reinforcement
Blink Twice if ur in danger. 😂😂😂😂
Team of buddies together in biz
😇✨💫
@@cazvee I'm pretty sure he's just fooling around, bromance you might call it
@@noxregall3599 Yeah it's great to see a manager/owner have good banter like that
I love his balance between the boss and the friend. Able to taste the food, say what needs to change without softening any blows, direct his staff, teach them so they work like a well oiled machine, but then play heads up with them before the rush. A beautiful working relationship to see
They are really strong and covered in spikes... **shoves knife through lobsters head in act of dominance**
Dr. Jordan Peterson would be proud
@Edie Beacon yea, you go down on that lobster and eat it's children fresh from the tail
Eat the eggs in front of the lobster while it's still alive
@@epiclepticseizuresswag971 shut up you physco
@Edie Beacon no one askec
this is probably the best michelin starred chef i've ever seen lol
This guy will definitely have 3 stars by the time he retires.
_And when the world needed him most_ he opened a Michelin-starred restaurant
Omg 😂
@@poopoogamer1232 one punch man reference I guess
Avatar hahaha
LMAOOOOOO
@@poopoogamer1232 I can't tell if you're kidding or not... If you're not we mean avatar as in the animation not the blue people
This guy is a great leader. Wish every boss in the world was like him
Leader and boss are two different things.
Joey Bisnar but the guy in the video is both
Mike Oxlong no cap
Great leader for sure!
The Last Airbender has finally mastered the four elements: Salt, Fat, Acid and Heat. 😅
Sagar Behera underrated xd
Bruhhhh 😂
oh helllll noooooooooo lmaoooo
GG
LMFAO
UNDERRATED COMMENT
Ate here on 07.16.2021. Absolutely worth it. Chef Jon walked by, and I was starstruck. I also made some life-changing decisions while eating here.
He’s so down to earth love that and he said something which is very true “if you mess up a fish in any other restaurant they won’t let you touch it again in months but expect you to suddenly be better 2 months later in something they don’t allow you to work on
The expectation is that you go home and work on it yourself to show your dedication
@@Ghgddgbn where you can possibly continue to make the same mistakes because you don't have someone with experience to guide you
@@ashleymccracken1906 exactly
@@ashleymccracken1906 you act like phone calls don't exists for communication 😭😂 your statement was god awful
@@YT_AloeiPanda you agreed with her a month ago dumbass
He’s the first Michelin chef I’ve watched here that wasnt one wrong dish away from being a serial killer
Like foreal, if you’re a Michelin chef, Something from your childhood made you into one of the best chefs in the world instead of being the most dangerous serial killers. There’s a real fine line
Haaahaaahaaahaaa!!! So stupid. lol
Lmao im starting too see chiefs in a different light now
Literally every episode of Hannibal and his cooking style
Your gonna have to further explain I’m interested in what you have to say. Not in a rude way but I genuinely want to hear more about that.
J O H N S O N C O He means most Michelin chefs look like they’re on the verge of a psychotic breakdown at all times. I assume it’s the stress of the job that does that to people lol. I assume the guy from the video seems more relaxed because his restaurant is kinda small
dude's presenting his michelin star restaurant like it's a high school presentation that he did not prepare for enough
honestly thats a big phat mood and i respect him for it
I think that’s part of the charm
Stop hating
@@uberxdropoffz1780 nice! love.
fine by me
It just hit me.. I hope these guys are doing OK with all this coronavirus situation.
look at the "watcher", he was recently featured there as a guest
The restaurant temporarily closed due to covid unfortunately. But it may have reopened now that rules are relaxing
He was recently on Watcher with Steven Lim
Who cares let them all go under stupid rich people places
@@geert574 ok Staline. Don't forget to move to Venezuela.
It's rare to see chefs who are as humble and down to earth as him, without those big egos. I fully respect this man.
Huh. So you're here too. There's never a place where I can't find you.
do you have a mustache?
normally chefs are chill but we only know the ones from kitchen nightmares
Stop being everywhere dude
YOURE EVERYWHERE
We need more Michelin starred chefs to use the phrase “they go apeshit over it” lmao
LMAOOOO FR
I though I heard wrong lol, he did say that haha. Awesome!
Gordon Ramsey wants to know your location
Abhigyan De three feet left of the lamb sauce ;)
He wants to make his parents proud still, and he has a Michelin star. Like dude, relax you are literally at the top.
I LOVE the environment they’ve created. So low pressure, so accepting, always ready to learn.
1 min in :
That guy is so cool
4 mins in:
Those guys are so cool
All the way in:
Literally everyone in this video is so cool
4:00 Your story checks out
Good team=better food
@@ryanyi8996 "Literally" Lol
after the whole thing, i am now more relaxed due to watching this
"We're always willing to at least make that investment in letting someone get better. Cause other places if you f*** up once, they're like, gimme that, you're not gonna do this for at least two months and then you get to revisit it and like, how the f*** are you supposed to get better in another two months, right? Everyone gets to touch everything." - THIS! what he said it's GOLD!!
Precisely! I cannot fathom being part of that and then going somewhere lesser. It'd be like going to prison.
leader mentality. we should all be this way. itll make the world a better place
Yep I agree, that stood out to me as well. What a great mindset, natural leader
“If you’re going to play, you might as well win.” Dang son lol Asian tiger upbringing right there. Much respect to your art.
I love the way that Jon interacts with his staff and compliments them, you can tell he takes a lot of pride in their skills and values them. It's crazy to me though that these guys can spend all day working together in a high pressure environment and then still be roommates and not be totally sick of each other.
I like how for a Michelin star restaurant, they're so relaxed. Also Gordon Ramsey would be proud.
*Ramsay
Who’s Gordon Ramsay
@@MaxRollison he’s one of the most respected chef in the food industry. you can watch videos of him criticizing chefs in a show called hell’s kitchen
They’re food looks good but it’s so little I fell like it wouldn’t fill me up at all why do they do small servings ?
@@marcosflores9075 I think there's a youtube video about why michelin star restaurants have small servings
i've eaten at Kato and wow; as someone who's asian, it was really cool to see touches of my culture in the dishes. also wow! i'm so happy that the kitchen is close and so friendly!!
ginaheartscupcakes was it really expensive?
Respect to this guy he doesn’t take all the credit.He gives most of the credit to his staff and praises which motivates them more
This guy literally just told his friends "come on guys you're gonna be my michelin star sous chefs" and they just said "dope"
Holy crap this is the most calm composed non hurried Michelin star chef. I like how he said that if they do it theyll never learn. But from michelin stsr chef for them theyll want a chef that knows everything already. I like his attitude towards having people learn.
Chef: This is Lalo he’s very handsome
Lalo: 🥰
Martin Sanchez he is pretty handsome tho 😳
I meannn
Timestamp please
Nvm found it 2:54
“I hope we go viral” 3 million views in 1 week, they did go viral damnn happy for the dude
He actually said, "I hope YOU go viral for this dude", not we. That makes him that much more endearing. He genuinely seems to care about his staff.
This is what happens when you don't lose sight of who you are and what you're trying to achieve. There is no ego on display here at all. It's awesome to see.
i feel like we need a whole show of this restaurant
I agree!
Not enough drama...broken plates and insults sell...
Kid is the most super chill chef EVER much less a Michelin Star Chef
Nah let them be. They didn't need tv to become successful they don't need it now.
@@cadena06 Neither did Angry British guy and flam shirt fried food man.
I would blow a load to it
“If you’re gonna play, you might as well win” - every asian parent ever.
Lmfaooooo
So true
hi
Facts
periodss
Its so wholesome when he compliments his staff and then the staff smiles
I like how he isn’t trying to impress us with crazy dishes or act like the stuff is out of this world. Really respect this level of humility
it's cool how he can be so chill but then when he's tasting everything his knowledge comes out and he knows immediately what can be done to improve the dish.
I don’t know if it’s just me but I love that he uses terms “like” we or “our” and not just me and my because he knows that’s it a team effort honestly small things like that just put a smile on my face
This guy sure knows how to talk to "his" workers and thus makes them "his" people. Glory will be served to people like him.
The fact that they do this with only one fridge and a small kitchen just blows my mind. I have worked in giant kitchens with millions in equipment that couldn't come close to this level of quality and ingenuity.
Imagine telling a person “I’m taking you on a date to a Michelin Star restaurant” and pulling up to a strip mall
What’s a strip mall?
Veronica Gray usually a line/cluster of stores in on block. Similar to a mall, but most of the time all the stores face the same direction and is usually much smaller than a typical mall
well its an award named after a tire manufacturer, so....
antcantcook! I honestly found that out like a year ago and I was utterly shocked.
I would be so confused
I feel like they were just smoking weed and said “dude, we should start a gourmet restaurant” and then they crushed it.
no cap this was the funniest commend read in a while
Yeah he look stoned in this clip though
Underrated comment. Also, I really hope that’s true.
I personally would never eat about half of the stuff on his menu because I didn’t grow up eating those foods, but his presentation and his passion for making the foods translates for me, into wanting to try every single menu item at his restaurant. Kudos Bro! Much Respect & you’re right about Ralo; El es tan, pero tan guapo! 😉
it was the right weed
They always said the Avatar would return.
Fr I thought I was staring at Avatar for the first 5 mins smh.
underrated comment
now i realize why he looked so familiar
The master of 4 Michelin star
It's Caillou with sick tats
I fell into a hole of binge watching so many of these Eater, Michelin starred videos and this one is most definitely my favorite. I love the interactions they have with each other or brotherhood they exemplify, goal they share, and willingness to learn amongst the group
He is super supportive of everyone, they’re all relaxed and concentrated. What an environment.. Get these men a big fancy restaurant!!
You can tell his crew loves him, cuz everytime he compliments them they get this embarassed smile on their faces
Btw, the tasting menu only costs 55 dollars, which is quite cheap as most cost upwards of 100
Well then if I'm going to America that's where I'll eat.
That’s INSANE considering how much stuff like omakase menus cost
What the heck, it's steal of the century.
I'm willing to bet the strip mall contributes to this. Rent is a big chunk of restaurant operating expenses. Especially in big cities with sky-high property values like LA.
Raised it now to $118 lol
Such a positive group of people. Chef Yao seems so young yet speaks with such confidence and experience.
Kato is the best restaurant in LA. Had to be one of the best meals I had in my life. When things go back to normal, GO THERE
jsickness21 how much did your meal cost?
Alex Upton I wanna say $120 with tip? Definitely not an everyday but really worth it
@@jsickness21 plus tip or was the tip included? Because if we go with 20 percent tip thats roughly 24 Dollars tip, so around 100 dollars for this kind of food is perfect. Otherwise with 120 plus tip it would be about 150 $ and that kinda hurts in me pocket
@@jsickness21 what the hell did you get?
Terena Rosa it’s a tasting menu of like 12 courses, you only have one option (unless they got their liquor license since October, then there’s probably a more expensive option with wine pairing).
"The two star restaurants don't do that" Love this guy
if there was a show for types of chefs/crew/restaurant like this. i would binge it hardcore
I watched this video when I started out as a manager and now, coming back, I find that the chef taught me how to be chill and still get the most out of the team.