About

Sometimes I wonder whether my life led me to become a doctor in order to support my eating habit and restaurant bills.  Although I feel passionate about medicine, my true day to day passion is in food.  I love the way a well thought out menu activates my salivary glands.  I love the way a beautifully organized and garnished plate makes my heart race with excitement.  I love the way unique flavor combinations and textures make me purr with contentment.

I love that I can make others feel the same way too.  A perfect evening for me is inviting friends over to my house for a nice dinner.  Shopping at the farmer’s market and getting menu inspirations, prepping in the kitchen, setting the table, lighting the IMG_0742candles, choosing the music, polishing the silverware, drying the wine glasses…I find myself smiling the whole time as I prepare for these special occasions.

Cooking in the kitchen is my form of meditation.  It’s the only time that my mind is truly free and light, completely devoid of distracting thoughts.  My kitchen is my bubble, and my bubble is safe, warm and peaceful.

Such is the power of food.  It delights, pleases, comforts, excites, fascinates, nourishes, stimulates…

My other passion is travel.  I have an unyielding curiosity for foreign cultures, historical sights and exotic customs.  I’ve ridden camels through the barren deserts of Mauritania, scuba dived in the Great Barrier Reef, sipped frozen daiquiris at El Floridita in Havana, and splashed my face with the cool waters of the magnificent Iguazu Falls.  I’ve witnessed poverty and death, but also triumph and joy in countries like Liberia, Laos, Vietnam and Haiti through my humanitarian medical work.  It’s a diverse and complex world, and I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to explore its many sides.

Join me on my journey as I travel and eat my way through this wonderful world that we live in.

 

* All photographs on this blog are the sole intellectual property of Tomostyle, and are not to be duplicated or used in any form or matter without the written consent of Tomostyle.

91 thoughts on “About”

  2. Cool site, Tomo~! Kyubei no chu-toro cho~ oishisou~! Next time you’re back, check out my Grandma’s yakiniku-yasan 🙂 When you’re up this way, let’s go gurume-no-tabearuki! Thanks for listing my site! Mata nei~, Nao

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  3. Wow Tomoko! This is a very impressive food blog!!
    All the pictures of the food look so yummy.
    You’re a great writer 🙂

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  5. Hello. My name is Brian Redzikowski. I am Executive Chef of Thompson Hotel, BondSt Beverly Hills. I absolutely love your site and pictures and love the write up of Benjamin. I worked with him at Robuchon and glad he is doing so well. I would love to invite you to Thompson Hotel and experience the food. I have added a link to my blogsite for you to view.
    Thank you for your time and hope to hear from you in the near future.

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  7. Dazzling blog and also a breath of fresh air. It was a pleasure meeting you first then checking out your site.

    Did you enjoy the Verhaeghe Echt Kriekenbier?

    Looking forward with great anticipation to future entries.

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  9. Tomo dear…what a wonderful, wonderful blog! I even went back into the archives a bit and I so enjoy your fresh, honest and lively reports. Your photography is artistic and mouthwatering-even the meat/fish dishes, and since I am a die-hard vegetarian, that is quite a feat.
    Blessings to you!
    Renee

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    • Thank you so much for reading my blog Renee! I really hope that you start one too, you have so many insightful thoughts and artistic talents that the world needs to know about! xoxo

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  10. Hello Tomo,

    I was searching for Burgundy articles and I found your beautiful website. Next time you visit Burgundy I would like to meet you and share a nice glass of Burgundy together.
    Cheers,

    Cristina

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    • Hello Cristina,
      thank you for reading my blog! Do you live in Burgundy? If so, it would be a pleasure to meet you on my next trip back there. A tour of my cousin’s winery and wine tasting there will be in order for sure!
      A bientot, j’espere!

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    • hello Tomo,

      I have visited your cousin’s domaine and I have a couple of their wines in the cellar. Thank you for your invitation. Me and my partener, we both live fulltime here in Burgundy, he works for Chandon de Briailles and me for TasteBurgundy.com and Camille Giroud.
      Contact us next time you’re here.
      Cheers,

      CC

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      • Bonjour Cristina! I looked at your website, and I love the concept and idea behind your business. If I had known about this, I would have recommended it to many others who visited Burgundy recently. If you are familiar with my cousin’s domaine, you must also be familiar with Jean Grivot? It is run by Mariel, Patrick Bize’s sister. And Comte Lafon- Dominique is a good family friend. I am hoping to go for the harvest next year, and I hope to see you then!
        Bien cordialement, Tomo

  11. (not for publication)
    Hi Tomo!
    Hey it was nice meeting you at Wallys, and my goodness, this site is really impressive! I had no idea you were this serious. And the look of the site is gorgeous too. I look forward to perusing your past material, but even the amount of time I’ve spent so far made me want to ask you a million questions…like did you hear Jonathan Gold’s review of the Breadbar when Ludovic Lefebre cooked Ludobites there (from Good Food in August):
    http://www.kcrw.com/etc/programs/gf/gf090808wine_flights_ludo_bi
    or…when you were in Lyon, you didn’t go to Paul Bocuse’s farmhouse? I’ve been to Lyon twice. Anyway, write me and say hi, and if you need a companion to hit a restaurant with, keep me in mind. 310-866-7787
    Talk to you later!
    Cameron

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    • Hi Cameron, thanks for your comment! Interesting that you ask me about LudoBites. He’ll be making a short 13-day appearance in December at Royal-T in Culver City. I’m excited to taste his food again. As for Lyon, I was only there for a weekend, but I’ll be sure to do more exploring on my next trip!!

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  14. Tomo –

    I am making a trip to your city, and of course I thought to visit your blog! Need some recommendations as to where to go (only have 6 hours of free time for a dinner somewhere). Trying to hit up The Bazaar but seems restaurant week has filled it up. Looking for the best contemporary tasting menu in LA. Thanks and appreciate it!

    Cheers,
    HH

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  15. Tomoko genki? Wow!! I wish I would have known about your page motto maeni!! I agree…you are an amazing cook. Just that one dinner party you had several years ago has me drooling right now. I know who to call!! lol

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  16. You stole my perfect day! Give it back and I won’t press charges . . . Nice birthday pics, looked delicious. Heading to a all day pig kill and butchering class up here at the end of March. Miss the restaurants down there, but NoCal is hard to beat if you cook at home 😉

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  18. Wow! That is just incredible writing and the pictures look great. Too bad we don’t have the technology share the aroma or taste yet. Though, with your detailed writing, it might not be necessary.

    I now know what my blog needs to aspire to……

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    • Thank you for your comment! Maybe you can work on developing a new program to transmit cyber scents and tastes. Virtual meals online! Or perhaps a scratch and sniff iPhone App? Maybe not though…it will never compete with an actual meal! Good luck on your blog- I will be following it as well.

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  19. Tomoko, I love reading your blog. We have similar backgrounds and passions! Keep up your writing and culinary adventures, as well as your humanitarian philanthropic journeys. What a nice balance! Tabemasho!

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  20. unexpected i found your blog when i searched Sangrina, too my surprised you having same habit as me, i love cooking, visiting market and eating, i keep traveling country by country to discover gastronomic.

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  21. Tomo, First off, I love your Blog. It is beyond fantastic. My wish however, is that you could use your considerable skill to seek out and advise on mid-tier restaurants, one’s that deliver exceptional value far beyond the prices they ask. Those are the true diamonds in the rough!

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    • Thank you for your comment Charlie! You’re right, I tend to get very excited about the higher end restaurants on my post, but I will take your suggestion and start on those ‘diamonds in the rough’. Actually, one of my recent posts on Si Laa is a true diamond in the rough. Do you live in Los Angeles?

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  23. Thank you very much for including me on your blogroll. I’ve never had my foodblog “adored” before. I’m very flattered. Looking forward to more of your posts!

    -Eddie

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    • Thank you for your comment Eddie! What is there not to adore about your epic blog? As a fellow offal and strange foods lover, your blog is always a joy to read.

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  24. Hey Tomoko! I didn’t know you had such a passion. Beautiful website and photos (are you taking them? you are a great photographer!). I want to goto all the places you are writing about!!!

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    • Thank you for your comment! Yes, all of the photos are mine, and eating good food is my passion! Let me know if you are ever in Los Angeles. I would love to take you out to all of the wonderful restaurants here.

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  25. Hi Tomo! I stumbled onto your blog rather randomly, and I hogged the computer for the last few hours reading it from beginning to end! You have a way with words in describing your experiences with food and life that is so engaging, and your food pics are mesmerizing! I can’t wait to see what/where you eat next! 🙂 Take care!

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  27. Wow! Somehow your blog on wordpress was automatically linked to my blog article from May 2010 about London Gastropubs. That’s how I found you. Isn’t the internet great? We have the same passions! I have subscribed to your blog and will tell you about my own travel (fiction) blog at http://www.timothytravel.wordpress.com. Keep up the good work!

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  28. Wow I just discovered your site randomly by searching for ‘Moules de Bouchot’. My search stopped right there, I have been reading your blogs non-stop since this morning! Great job, great knowledge-sharing and insight, especially since I live in LA. Looking forward to your future adventures!

    Thank you!

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    • Thank you for your comment Alain. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoy my blog. It’s always interesting to hear how people arrive at my blog, in your case mussels! Happy eating!

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    • It was wonderful meeting you too Lesley! I hope we get to share a meal again very soon- please come to LA or Tokyo so I can show you around!

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  32. Enjoyed your recent post on Atelier Crenn. Came across your blog a couple of years ago after your wrote about LudoBites 2.0 at Royal/T. I’ve enjoyed every post since. Royal/T is hosting a pop up with Andrew Zimmern on January 13, 2012. This one-night only event is sure to be bizarre and delicious. We hope you will join the fun 🙂

    Thank you for sharing your experiences.

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    • Thank you so much Sophia! I heard about Andrew Zimmern’s pop-up at Royal-T. I so wish that I could be there, but I will be out of the country!

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  33. Hello Tomoko,
    I came across your blog while searching for images of Tokyo fine dining for an upcoming feature story in our magazine. Please email me directly to discuss as I was unable to locate your email address. ryan.mundt@tac-club.org
    Thanks a lot-
    Ryan

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  34. I am friends with one of the guitar players from a band I love from down under “the church” .
    I brought some local Pennsylvania sparkling wine (Maki) for after the show. He loves the real stuff from Reims.
    In a nutshell I was searching for Petrossian with the intention of yelling the band when they hit #1 download on iTunes , we will celebrate at petrossian . I used bing to search petrossian and your site/ blog appeared and I never knew about the hibiscus champagne .
    I read the rest of your site and I said wow there are others out there who respect indigenous foods/cultures yet it doesn’t have to be low grade. Quality can come from the street, the home , or any of the best Michelin chefs.

    Just a note of props that your attention to detail hit home.

    Sincerely

    John Sheehan

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  35. I love your pictures of Soba Noodle making – I am hoping you might allow me to use one I have found on the wed to promote a trip to Japan. Thank you for your help

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      • I also have a blog about restaurants in Japan tokyofooddiary.com (if you’d like to check it out 🙂 ) looking forward to more posts from you !!

      • Beautiful and interesting blog- thanks for the link! Kyubei is my go-to sushi place, and I enjoyed your post.

  37. Hi Dr. Tomo!
    My name is Jackie Sayet. I live in Miami, FL and my brother turned me on to your Instagram which is pretty incredible! My friend Steve and I are going to be in Japan March 25-April 11 and specifically in Tokyo for about 4 days (Kanazawa and Kyoto for the rest.). We are avid food people and travelers. I am in the restaurant business (director of marketing for James Beard Award winning chef Michael Schwartz…) We have some great recommendations for Tokyo from American friends and chefs who have traveled there but would be forever grateful for your take on what hotel to stay in ($200-300 USD/night) while we are in town and also if you were interested to meet up one day for a food tour of sorts led by the expert: you! Hope to hear from you soon and thanks for the help in advance!!
    With regards,
    Jackie

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    • THank you for your message. Unfortunately I will likely be in Los Angeles in March & April, so I won’t be able to meet up with you, but I am certain that you will have a wonderful time in Japan. http://www.apahotel.com and http://www.tokyoapartments.jp offer great apartment-style accommodations with concierge services for a reasonable price, and might be worth looking into. Also, http://www.japantourist.jp is a great website for visitors to Japan, and include a full list of hotels to stay at. March-April is cherry blossom season in Japan, and I hope you get to see them in full bloom!

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  38. Hey Tomo:
    Susan and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing and listening to you (and the rest of the panel) espouse on travel and food…or should I say food and travel (in that order for me at least) at the LA Times Travel Show this past weekend. Its too bad you couldn’t have shown some of your lovely pictures from TomoStyle during that presentation. I’m sure it would’ve further conveyed your passion for food, especially that of Japan. If you ever set up some sort of Kaiseki meal at one of your favorite LA Japanese eateries, Sue and I would surely be interested. It was great seeing you. I look forward to more of your musings on TomoStyle. Best to you!

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  39. Hello Tomo:
    Thanks so much for the great recommendation on Eater National! Your blog is terrific…we’ll be following along with you going forward. Next time you’re in, please introduce yourself. I’d love to thank you in person.
    Best,
    John, Giuseppe and Nicola @ Pizzeria il Fico

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  41. This is an AMAZING food blog! You should have a proper website for your food travels, what an education & exp it is! ❤

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  42. Hi Tomo,

    I’m with Zócalo Public Square, an L.A.-based publication, and I wanted to get in touch for your thoughts on the new law here that requires chefs to wear gloves–and what that means for sushi chefs. I’m at sarah AT zocalopublicsquare DOT org.

    Thanks,
    Sarah

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  46. Hi Tomosyle.Your pics are so amazinng.I would like to use some of them in a wordpress theme i am creating and its for commercial use.Am i allowed from you to do that or not?

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  47. Love your blog Dr. Tomo.. Got me drooling whenever you post pics on ur instagram. Can you recommend me 3 sushi place in Tokyo.. There are too many choices yet too little time for me. Thanks..

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  48. Tomo-san,

    I wonder – how do you find / elect restaurants to visit in Japan?
    Do you have a particular source or is it just 口コミ？

    よろしくお願いします

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  50. Best Dr. Tomo,
    I am very glad I found this amazing blog. I am a food enthusiast myself and your blog with its pictures and descriptions is making my serotonin level skyrocket. The best thing is that I noticed that you used to work for MSF -and so do I! Actually I am in the field right now, spending this week’s only evening off by reading this blog. I recognize myself from your description; food is passion, love, meditation, relaxation, bliss and happiness for me!

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  51. Hi there,
    Glad found other person with medical background who had a passion about culinary,
    i considered my kitchen is my sanctuary after a hectic days in the hospital and my clinic
    two thing that made me happy, smiles of my patients and smiles of my dinning guesses….
    keep sharing and inspiring my friend!

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  55. Hello, I found your blog during a search for meishan (or meishanton) Pigs and Japan. I am working to save the remaining genetic pool of these amazing hogs in the US and I am trying to locate accessible pools of genetics world wide. The blog post was about Japan and a restaurant in Japan that produced specific dishes from specific crosses of swine. Specifically what I am looking for is a contact in Japan who might be able to direct me towards farms that still breed pure meishans there. Our website is http://www.godsblessingfarm.com if you would like to know more about our farm.I am also the President of the American Meishan breeders Association.My phone number is 865-388-5712 if that would be more convenient for you. Thanks Rico

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