We invite you to join Japanese chef and West Acton resident, Aya Hashimoto, for an intimate Okazu style dinner at Orange Door Kitchen. Unlike an elaborate Japanese restaurant style dinner, okazu refers to dishes that are casually cooked and shared around the family table. Translated from Japanese, okazu means “side dish,” because these well seasoned (read: delicious) dishes are eaten in between bites of cooked rice. Catch up with friends next to our cheery fire and then tuck into an authentic Japanese feast prepared with chef Hashimoto’s passion for telling the story of her cultural roots through food.

MENU (subject to change) Okonomiyaki Medallion (savory pancake) // Sesame Cabbage and Arugula Salad // Yaki-Kabocha (roasted Kabocha squash) // Karaage (fried chicken) // Kinoko Gohan (mushroom pilaf) // Sweet Potato Mont Blanc

Tickets include this five-course meal. Beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.

ABOUT THE CHEF Aya Hashimoto, born and raised in Japan, has been a resident of West Acton for 5 years. Drawn to researching and writing about food and the food industry, she attended school in New York with the goal of becoming a food critic. Despite that goal, Hashimoto soon discovered that she loved cooking more than commenting on someone else’s food and decided to pursue a career as a chef. Over the years, she has worked at Debra’s Natural Gourmet (Concord, MA), Craigie on Main (Cambridge, MA), and 80 Thoreau (Concord, MA). She currently works as a cook for a health care company and as a personal chef for a Japanese family. When Aya has free time, she enjoys practicing yoga, exploring restaurants, cooking at home, and taking care of her two dachshunds.