Velouté de Champignons

This isn't about finding the hottest new spot in town. This is about a ritual.

For my wife’s birthday, I step into the Tatekitchen to prepare a four-course experience designed to maintain "freshness" in our lives. We don't do commercial anniversaries; we do technique and high-grade ingredients.

Inside this year’s birthday protocol:

Antipasti: A French-style mushroom soup inspired by a summer trip to Helsinki.
Primo: Hand-made 100% semolina pappardelle with sushi-grade seafood and sea urchin.
Secondo: Denver steak seared in cast iron and finished in the oven, wrapped in caul fat.
Dolce: Siena Farm apples elevated by Madagascar vanilla bean vodka.

No dress code, no crowds—just the kids in their pajamas and the best food in Boston, served right at our table.

TatekitchenTateki MatsudaFebruary 1, 2026Pescatore, sea urchin, Clam, Shrimp, Squid, Mushroom, Steak, caul fat, Baked ApplesComment

Veal with Maitake Cream Sauce

This isn't just dinner. This is a statement. Four courses. Japanese fish market ingredients. My daughter Lumi as sous chef. Proper plating. Perfect timing.

Appetizer through dessert—each course planned to show up for the person who shows up for me every day. Kihada maguro is so beautiful, I could sell it for $200. Homemade pescatore with fresh shellfish. Veal with maitake cream sauce. Basque cheesecake to finish.

This is what love looks like in the Tatekitchen.

TatekitchenTateki MatsudaJanuary 31, 2025Pescatore, sea urchin, Clam, Shrimp, Squid, Mussels, Tuna, Capriccio, Avocado, Black ink pasta, Veal, Maitake, Cheese cakeComment

Grilled Artichoke Salad with a sprinkle of reindeer bone broth

It's my wife's birthday. What she wanted: drop the kids at daycare, get coffee at Copley, and just exist. That's luxury for a busy mom. Then I bought fresh seafood from Eataly and cooked her a proper four-course Italian dinner at home. Duck magret, pasta al pescatore, insalata di artichocchi grigliati, mousse al limone. The real gift? Time, effort, and three hours where she wasn't "Mom." Just herself, being served.

TATEKITCHEN