The prefecture of Okinawa at the southern tip of Japan once flourished as the independent Ryukyu Dynasty, and its unique and colorful culture remains to this day. Ayaka Yamamoto is a legendary chef who draws on the traditions of the Ryukyu Dynasty for modern Ryukyu cuisine, and in this two-part special she will introduce us to Ryukyu cuisine. In this first episode, she will be preparing three dishes. The first of these is minudaru, a dish made by topping steamed pork with plenty of black sesame. This dish is representative of Okinawa's food culture, and was once served as an appetizer to foreign dignitaries visiting the Ryukyu Kingdom, as a way of demonstrating hospitality. The second dish is stewed pork spareribs, considered the finest delicacy. Finally, her third dish is rúyìzomin, a beautiful clear soup made with somen noodles, with a name representing its auspicious meaning.

Washoku, or Japanese cuisine, has been registered a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO for its combination of visual beauty, healthiness, and delicious flavors, which have come to be loved around the world. Rika Yukimasa is the host of the program Dining with the Chef, and she's visiting Los Angeles on the west coast of the US, a city that has long helped to share the joys of washoku with the world. Over 130 years ago, people left Japan to start new lives in the United States, and Los Angeles was a place where Japanese people could depend on one another in their new home. Beginning with the construction of a single Japanese restaurant, first-generation Japanese immigrants began to move into the area that soon came to be known as Little Tokyo. Sushi owes its worldwide popularity to the invention of the California Roll in Los Angeles, and the city is second only to Japan itself for the most up-to-date ramen, sushi, and washoku scenes. Today, all sorts of Japanese cuisine is well known around the world, and Los Angeles is the perfect place to experience the freshest and newest in Japanese cuisine for yourself. Our host Rika Yukimasa will be visiting Los Angeles to rediscover the front lines of Japanese cuisine, where it has been influenced by L.A.'s top chefs and the latest trends, and has influenced culinary traditions from all over the world.