Japanese Kaiseki Makes its Way to America

Kaiseki can be tricky. It doesn’t translate neatly to an American dining style, nor does its imperfect English translation (“pocket stone”) offer much in the way of explanation. But as a starting point, kaiseki is a highly ritualized multicourse meal of small, seasonal, artfully composed dishes served in a specific order that enhances each course’s natural beauty and flavor. 

While “local” and “seasonal” are de rigueur...