Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/201657
A la Carte By Lori Masaki, WAC Pastry Chef | Photography by Luke Rutan Starting something Sweet New pastry chef brings cultural influence to flavor creations M Y FIRST MEMORY OF COOKING OCCURRED WHEN I WAS AROUND 6 YEARS OLD. My dad worked a lot, so it was a real treat when we were able to spend time together in the kitchen. Once in a while we'd make homemade light and crispy waffles. I remember measuring out the ingredients and how my dad made sound effects and joked about the odd shapes the batter formed. After a while, I started making waffles—or at least trying—on my own every Sunday. With that, my passion for cooking, and later for baking, began. I was born and raised in Honolulu and moved to Seattle after attending culinary school in Portland, Oregon. Much of my inspiration in the bakery comes from the pastries and other foods of my childhood and from my Japanese heritage. Growing up, I loved watching my grandparents cook with simple ingredients and magically, it seemed to me, make them taste delicious. New Year's Day is a big deal in my family, and my grandparents would spend the whole day preparing a feast. We started the day with traditional mochi soup. It includes a clear seafood-based broth with clams; fish cake; shiitake mushrooms; and mizuna, a delicate salad green. Then the real feast began. It usually involved shrimp and 12 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2013