Chef
Niki Nakayama

Los Angeles

About Niki Nakayama

Niki Nakayama is the chef/co-owner of N/Naka. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she began her career at the renowned Takao restaurant in Brentwood, working under the guidance of esteemed chefs Takao Izumida and Morihiro Onodera. Committed to exploring new techniques, she embarked on a three-year working tour throughout Japan, sampling her way through different regional flavors and immersing herself in the essentials of Japanese cuisine, both traditional and cutting-edge.

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My Venues

N/Naka
3455 Overland Ave
Los Angeles, CA

Accolades

101 Best Restaurants 2014
LA Times
Four Stars
LA Weekly

LA's Best Sushi
Food & Wine
Must-Try Tasting Menus in LA
Zagat
Rising Star Chef 2014
Star Chefs
Best Chef: West Nominee, 2018
James Beard Foundation

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Where I Go Out

French toast

Square One Dining

$$, Modern, American, Breakfast, Little Armenia

"This is my favorite French toast in Los Angeles. They offer different toppings and sauces but my favorite is always the seasonal fruit with a variety of nuts and vanilla whipped cream. Delicious!"

Carne asada taco

Carne asada taco

$, Mexican, Food Truck, Burritos,

"This is the best taco truck near my house and the carne asada tacos and huaraches al pastor are some of the best in town. It’s the perfect spot to go after a work when I just want to fulfill a craving and be really satisfied."

Braised mackerel

Braised mackerel

$$, Korean, Koreatown

"This is one of the most delicious preparations of mackerel I’ve ever had. It’s deliciously braised with large Korean daikon radish and spicy pickled kimchee. It’s delicious with a beans with rice mix that’s red, which they call “brown rice.”"

Assorted plates

Assorted plates

Felix Trattoria

$$, Reservations, Modern, Italian, Venice

"Off to an amazing dinner @felixlosangeles thanks to @evanfunke #superchef #italianfood #sodelicious"

At My Venues

$$$$, Japanese, Reservations, Palms

"Chef Niki is doing amazing things"

Michael Voltaggio

$$$$, Japanese, Reservations, Palms

"#homemade #miso @nnakarestaurant #california #kaiseki #fermentation"

Sashimi in floral form

$$$$, Japanese, Reservations, Palms

"Sashimi in floral form 📷: @phocuscreativegroup #kaiseki #nnaka #modernkaiseki #chefstable #nikinakayama"

Seasonal otsukuri sashimi

$$$$, Japanese, Reservations, Palms

"Seasonal Otsukuri 📷: @ilkekaya #modernkaiseki #nnaka #chefstable #sashimi #kaiseki"

A5 wagyu beef and Hudson Valley foie gras

$$$$, Japanese, Reservations, Palms

"A5 wagyu beef • Hudson Valley foie gras • slow-cooked and seared over binchotan charcoal tableside, at #nnaka #kaiseki #modernJapanese 📸: @meghanpatke"

Uni served in oyster

$$$$, Japanese, Reservations, Palms

"Two of our favorites from the ocean reuniting in perfect harmony on land: #uni & #oyster | 📷: @jamesvanle 🙏🏼 #nnaka #kaiseki #ChefsTable #Japanese #modernJapanese #eatwell #eattheworld"