Morimoto to commemorate 20 years as Center City staple

Morimoto restaurant is celebrating 20 years in Center City.

What's happening: Award-winning chef Masaharu Morimoto will be at his Japanese restaurant on Saturday for a special demonstration to commemorate two decades in business on Chestnut Street.

State of play: Morimoto restaurant, which arrived long before countless sushi spots opened in the city, remains a staple of Philly's food scene and has won several awards over the years.

• Restaurateur Stephen Starr, who has opened dozens of restaurants in the city including the new LMNO in Fishtown, partnered to open Morimoto back in 2001.

What he's saying: The Iron Chef told Axios that one of the top challenges of maintaining a restaurant in the city for so long is ensuring "consistent customer satisfaction to keep our guests happy and coming back for more!"

• Morimoto didn't give any direct insight into his future plans, but he hinted that he was lucky to have opportunities to open more restaurants and brands.
• "We'll see!" he added.

What's next: On Saturday, the restaurant is offering an exclusive, one-night-only omakase menu — or a menu left in the "chef’s hands," Morimoto said.

• The dinner, which is available only from 5-8:30pm, costs $200 a person, with an optional beverage pairing for an additional $85 a person.