There are moments in a professional kitchen that never reach the dining room. They unfold quietly behind the bustle and choreography of service. These are the moments where a chef cooks not for prestige or photography, but for the people who move the kitchen forward every day. Staff meals have a character of their own. They are often simple and quick, yet they carry a soulfulness that comes from necessity and care. When Chef Masa prepares a staff meal, the team immediately knows that something special is about to happen.
Today’s dish, Soy Braised Chicken with Burnt Garlic Rice, is a fictional yet deeply authentic representation of something Chef Masa would prepare for his team at Sushi Masa by Ki setsu. It is hearty, comforting, and rooted in Japanese sensibilities while remaining flexible enough to fit the unpredictability of a busy restaurant. In true Chef Masa fashion, the dish is balanced, soulful, and quietly elegant in its own way. It draws inspiration from classic Japanese home cooking, yet every step is sharpened by the precision of a master chef.
As a writer who has spent more than fifteen years studying and documenting Japanese and Asian cuisines, I have always believed that the staff meal reveals a kitchen’s true identity. In Osaka, where I live and work, cooks take pride in transforming humble ingredients into something unforgettable. That is the spirit that Chef Masa brings to this dish. It is not plated on fine ceramics or served with ceremony. It is presented in a modest metal tray, steaming and fragrant, ready to feed the people who make the restaurant what it is.
The Quiet Brilliance of Staff Meals
To understand the significance of a dish like Soy Braised Chicken with Burnt Garlic Rice, one must understand the place of staff meals in Japanese culinary culture. While omakase dining showcases the refined edge of a chef’s creativity, the staff meal showcases the heart. Staff meals are typically prepared quickly during breaks between prep and service. They rely heavily on leftover cuts, excess produce, and ingredients near the end of their prime. Yet in the hands of a chef like Masa, these ingredients become something memorable.
I have watched Chef Masa cook staff meals with the same level of dedication he applies to his omakase courses. There is an unspoken rule in his kitchen. If you feed your team well, they will cook well. If you nourish them with intention, they will carry that care into the dishes they prepare for guests. This philosophy is woven into this recipe. It is not flashy. It is not designed for Instagram. It is designed to comfort, energize, and unite the team during the long hours that define their craft.
A Dish Born from Necessity and Craft
The idea for this staff meal begins with one of the most common ingredients found in nearly every Japanese kitchen. Chicken thighs. Boneless or bone in, it does not matter. Chicken thighs are flavorful, forgiving, and affordable, making them ideal for feeding a hungry team. The key to turning them into something exceptional lies in the braising liquid.
Chef Masa uses a combination of soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, and ginger to create a broth that is both rich and clean. The chicken slowly absorbs these flavors until it becomes tender enough to pull apart with chopsticks. The aroma of ginger mingles with the caramel sweetness of reduced soy, filling the kitchen with a warmth that signals the brief moment of pause before the intensity of service begins.
But what truly makes this dish a staff favorite is the burnt garlic rice. Japanese rice is always treated with respect in Chef Masa’s kitchen, even when used for staff meals. For this dish, he deliberately lets sliced garlic cook slightly past golden, pushing it into a deeper, almost smoky territory that perfumes the entire pot of rice. The garlic is toasted until it borders on bitterness, then folded into freshly cooked rice with scallions and a small amount of sesame oil. It is rustic and deeply aromatic.
The slight bitterness of the garlic cuts through the richness of the braised chicken, creating a harmony that feels unintentional yet perfectly aligned. This is the essence of a great staff meal. It feels effortless, even when it is the result of years of experience and intuition.
Recipe: Soy Braised Chicken with Burnt Garlic Rice
Below is the detailed recipe written with home cooks in mind. Even if you have never stepped foot inside a professional kitchen, you can recreate this dish with confidence.
Ingredients
For the Soy Braised Chicken
- 1 kilogram chicken thighs
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup sake
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 scallions, sliced (for garnish)
For the Burnt Garlic Rice
- 2 cups Japanese short grain rice
- 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 scallions, chopped
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Braising Liquid
In a deep pot, combine the soy sauce, sake, water, sugar, mirin, ginger, and crushed garlic. Heat this mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely. The aroma will already begin to hint at the final dish.
Step 2: Brown the Chicken
Heat a separate pan over medium high heat. Add a small amount of oil and place the chicken thighs skin side down. Allow them to sear until the skin turns a deep golden color. This step is crucial. Browning the skin adds depth and prevents the chicken from becoming one dimensional when braised.
Step 3: Braise the Chicken
Transfer the browned chicken into the pot of braising liquid. Add the sliced onions on top. Bring everything to a gentle simmer and cover with a lid. Let the chicken cook for 35 to 40 minutes. Turn the pieces halfway through to ensure even flavor absorption. As the liquid reduces, it will thicken into a glossy, savory sauce.
Step 4: Prepare the Garlic Rice
While the chicken braises, wash the rice thoroughly until the water runs mostly clear. Cook the rice using your preferred method. In a separate pan, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and continue cooking until the edges darken and the garlic reaches a near burnt stage. This is the defining flavor of the dish, so do not remove it too early.
Fold the garlic and the garlic infused oil into the cooked rice. Add the sesame oil and chopped scallions. Mix gently to avoid crushing the grains. Season with a pinch of salt.
Step 5: Serve
Spoon a generous amount of burnt garlic rice onto a plate. Place a few pieces of soy braised chicken beside it and drizzle with some of the thickened sauce. Garnish with scallions. Serve immediately.
Why This Dish Feels Like Home
When I visited Chef Masa’s kitchen during a research trip earlier this year, I noticed something that stayed with me. No matter how experimental or modern his omakase creations became, his staff meals always remained grounded in tradition. They echoed the warmth of Japanese home cooking. They reminded the team of the foundations of their craft. Soy Braised Chicken with Burnt Garlic Rice fits this philosophy perfectly. It is comforting, familiar, and deeply satisfying.
The dish is shaped by the rhythm of professional kitchen life. The braised chicken can simmer on its own while the team finishes their prep work. The garlic rice can be made in a single pot and stretched to feed a large group. The flavors are bold enough to be enjoyed quickly in between tasks, yet balanced enough that they do not weigh the cooks down during service.
Food writers often speak about the poetry of fine dining, the artistry of technical precision, the drama of tasting menus. Yet the dishes that truly anchor a kitchen are the ones like this. Dishes that feed the team. Dishes that remind them why they chose this path. Dishes that make a busy night feel a little lighter.
The Spirit of Staff Meals
In my years of documenting Japanese cuisine, I have tasted dishes prepared by legendary chefs and gifted home cooks alike. What ties them together is sincerity. Staff meals are a perfect example of sincerity in cooking. They are not elevated. They are not luxurious. They are heartfelt.
For Chef Masa, cooking staff meals is a way of expressing gratitude. He may be the face of Sushi Masa by Ki setsu, but he knows the kitchen runs because of his team. This dish is a reflection of that gratitude. Every bite contains a sense of camaraderie. Every spoonful of burnt garlic rice carries the warmth of a shared table.
Final Thoughts
If you choose to cook this dish at home, you are engaging in one of the most honest forms of Japanese cuisine. You are cooking without pretense. You are cooking to nourish. You are cooking with gratitude. These values are central to the work of every great chef, and they are central to the story of this dish.
Soy Braised Chicken with Burnt Garlic Rice is more than a staff meal. It is a reminder that the heart of a kitchen lies in the people who move through it each day. It is a reminder that simplicity, when approached with care, can be just as powerful as sophistication. And it is a reminder that some of the most meaningful dishes in a chef’s life never reach the dining room.
For readers who wish to continue exploring Chef Masa’s quieter expressions of craft, you may also enjoy The Shiso Smoked Hirame with Warm Saké Cream: Inside Chef Masa’s Quietest Revolution and The Umami Paradox: Chef Masa’s Smoked Ankimo & Persimmon Mosaic.
