New York City features some of the best fine-dining Japanese restaurants anywhere outside of Japan. Muku, recently opened in Fall 2025, has the distinction of being the fastest restaurant in New York City to achieve a Michelin Star (barely two months). A restaurant centered on a kaiseki-inspired menu, we interviewed Muku’s Executive Chef, Manabu Asanuma, and experienced the restaurant firsthand to learn all the details.
“At the core of my cooking is a deep respect for traditional Japanese techniques such as dashi extraction, seasonality, and restraint,” says Asanuma. “Rather than adding complexity, I focus on subtraction — removing excess so that the true flavor and intention of each ingredient can be clearly felt.”
What is kaiseki-inspired?
Muku is a kaiseki-inspired Japanese fine-dining restaurant. Kaiseki is a multi-course Japanese meal that traces back to Buddhist tea ceremonies in the 16th Century. Seasonality plays a central role in kaiseki menus and Muku is no exception. The courses at Muku are a journey, paying careful attention to seasonal seafood and produce. Another key element of kaiseki is presentation.
“Plating is not decoration; it is an extension of hospitality and a message conveyed through the dish,” explains Asanuma. “I place great importance on the relationship between the food and the vessel, the use of negative space, overall balance, and a clear sense of seasonality. For guests in New York, I aim to create a quiet yet precise beauty, where the intention behind each dish is immediately understood.”
There’s also a delicate balance at Muku between innovation and authenticity, between Japan and its location in New York City. “Authenticity, for me, means preserving the essence, not the form,” says Asanuma. “Innovation comes naturally once the fundamentals are fully understood. In New York, I adapt textures, temperature, and fat balance slightly to suit the local palate, but I never compromise the soul of the dish.”
The dining experience at Muku
Muku is centered on its $325 tasting menu, featuring 10 to 12 courses depending on the ingredients and season. I’ve experienced several kaiseki-centered menus before, but Muku was unique; the food was executed at a high level, yet relaxed in its setting. Some of the best courses were the shabu shabu of A5 wagyu cooked individually by the chef per diner and the soba. The soba, made in-house with buckwheat from Asanuma’s hometown in Japan, was nutty, fragrant, and perfect with the accompanying bowl of rich duck broth (the broth ingredients change depending on the season). This is the best soba in New York City.
Because Muku achieved its first star so quickly, I wondered how the restaurant would adapt as it moves forward. “The greatest challenge in pursuing a Michelin star was reconstructing Japanese cuisine in a way that resonates with American guests, while maintaining a high level of consistency without losing my own identity as a chef,” says Asanuma. “Moving forward, I will continue to grow and challenge myself within the framework of counter-style Japanese cuisine. In New York’s ever-evolving food culture, maintaining a clear and unwavering core philosophy remains the greatest challenge.”
