Axios Denver Spotlight: Meet chef Makoto Okuwa
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Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Courtesy of Makoto Vail.
Acclaimed chef Makoto Okuwa's modern Japanese food infuses dishes with traditional sushi techniques and his own personal touch.
The big picture: Okuwa brought his lauded cuisine to Colorado earlier this year, opening Makoto Vail in a town known for its luxury as much as its skiing.
Zoom in: The master sushi chef specializes in creating premier dining destinations, with other restaurants including Makoto in Miami's ritzy Bal Harbour Shops and Love, Makoto in Washington, D.C.
The vibe: The Colorado restaurant's lighter tone — its wooden accents are a sandy brown — is a shift from his other eateries, Okuwa told local broadcast program Vail Valley Live in February.
- "[It] makes me really feel like home," Okuwa said.
Between the lines: Makoto Vail, located inside Grand Hyatt Vail, offers a menu including raw and cooked dishes like sakura pork tonkatsu and a Koji butter-aged steak, which he recommends.
- Drinks include a gin highball cocktail with a piece of Colorado blue spruce, a native tree species.
We recently caught up with the chef about his daily routine and current favorites.
📧 First click of the day: Email.
🎵On repeat: "Classic or smooth jazz most of the time, and some Japanese stuff or popular American pop music."
- Oldies too, like music from the 70s and 80s, are his favorite.
🖼️ One thing on his desk: Pictures of his three kids: His son Kanta (23) and daughters, Sara (7)and Hina (4).
📺 Streaming: He doesn't watch TV, just YouTube or Netflix, but he does turn it on "for background noise" and to relax. His daughters usually make the picks.
📖 Reading list: "Elon Musk" by Walter Isaacson.
- "I enjoy reading biographies [about] legends like Elon Musk. I admire his trajectory and visionary mind."
🎨 Favorite museum: The Smithsonian Museums in D.C.