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The House of Umami

@thehouseofumami

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Sourcing rare heirloom Japanese ingredients for the world’s finest chefs, who in turn sustain artistry & preserve heritage.

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What a thrill and honor to have a tasting for chef @ChefWilliamBradley and @ChefJonathanBr at the 3x #MichelinStar 💮💮💮@AddisonRestaurant. Chef William Bradley said “This is special,” and was especially generous with us, sharing other chefs who would want to be first to know of our quality and rare ingredients - available for the first time in the US @TheHouseOfUmami .com (launching soon).
We are hopeful to support our farmers - struggling to survive in Japan’s declining population. We are so grateful for the opportunity, and the incredible response.🫶

#HouseOfUmami #Mikawaya #RareIngredients #Umami #HyperLocal #MicroSource #JapanFood by @thehouseofumami

Throwback to an incredible moment at the prestigious @singlethreadfarms, where we had the honor of meeting the visionary Chef Kyle Connaughton. A true pioneer in sustainable fine dining, the three Michelin stars and Green Star are a testament to his team's commitment to excellence and environmental stewardship.

Deeply grateful for the opportunity to share our story and introduce our products to this culinary legend. Thank you for welcoming us into your world-class kitchen🌟

👨‍🍳Special message from Chef Kyle:
”We are always seeking out incredible artisans and craftspeople and want to support them through the cuisine at SingleThread. Thank you to Umami Source for making these amazing connections to all of the dedicated and talented people behind these ingredients.”

Thank you, Chef, for your support! by @thehouseofumami

Not all aonori is the same. 🌿

“Aonori” covers several species of green seaweed. Most green laver powder on the market is a different species, with a flatter, brinier taste. Suji-aonori (Ulva prolifera) is the one traditionally valued and graded for its aroma.

Only part of each harvest is dried fresh enough to make the grade for this powder. Milled fine, a single pinch brings clean marine umami and vivid green color.

This isn’t only for professional kitchens. It’s for anyone who cooks with care and notices the difference one ingredient can make, whether you’re plating for a dining room or for your own table.

How to use it: add it off the heat. Heat drives the aroma away, so stir it into oil or batter, or sprinkle it over the finished plate. Try it on:
・Steamed rice
・Potato salad
・Roasted cauliflower
・Tempura batter, or a drizzle of oil for dipping

Link in bio. by @thehouseofumami

What does a balanced Japanese lunch look like? 🍱 Ichiju-sansai Vol.2

Ichiju-sansai is the classic way Japanese meals are built: one soup and three dishes, with a little protein, vegetables and sea vegetables in every meal. Here’s today’s tray 👇

🥣 Ichiju (soup): Miso soup with dried tofu and yuba, topped with funori, a red sea vegetable that softens and melts into the broth.

🐟 Main: Gindara (sablefish) miso-yaki, finished with our Sansho Miso. Sansho pepper + sweet miso = a gentle citrusy tingle. Try it on grilled fish or chicken, too.

🥩 Side 1: Wagyu saikoro(Diced) steak with avocado and edamame, tossed in our Yuzu Kosho, olive oil and a few drops of soy sauce.

🥬 Side 2: Bean sprouts and cauliflower in tosazu (bonito-infused vinegar), topped with shio kombu, a chef’s secret for an extra layer of umami.

Small portions, lots of variety, nothing heavy. That’s the beauty of ichiju-sansai.

Which dish would you try first? Tell us in the comments 👇
Save this for your next lunch idea 📌

🛒 Shop Sansho Miso & Yuzu Kosho → link in bio by @thehouseofumami

So, what is Bubu? Tiny, crispy rice pearls from Kyoto 🫧

Not beads. Not candy. Not hail… but close. Arare means “little hail” in Japanese, and now you know why.

Made from mochi rice, naturally gluten-free. Light, toasted, and quietly savory✨

Savory or sweet, they go anywhere you want a little crunch and a little sound:
・Ochazuke, soups, and sushi
・Salads and poke bowls
・A crispy crust for fish
・Ice cream, parfaits, and chocolate
・Cake and dessert decoration

Available in three colors:
・Beige, the classic
・Pink Mix ✦
・Turquoise Blue ✦

✦ Dreamed up by our Umami Curator, Ayako, and made exclusively for us by our producer in Kyoto. Colored with natural ingredients. (Real hail doesn’t come in turquoise. Ours does.)

🌾 Gluten-free | 🎨 Naturally colored | 📍 Made in Kyoto by @thehouseofumami

【LA Chef Con】October brought wonderful meetings and reconnecting with so many chefs in Los Angeles.

At the LA Chef Conference 2026, our tasting table for @thehouseofumami welcomed chefs and friends from the restaurant and hospitality industries.

This year, we featured some true hidden gems, including yuzu juice made from yuzu grown from seed in Kochi Prefecture. We also shared special artisanal ingredients: 100% roasted sesame pastes from Kyoto, dark soy sauce from a maker with more than 190 years of history, one-of-a-kind sansho pepper, and over 40 of our signature products.

Thank you so, so much for cooking with our ingredients, stopping by and tasting with us, and for your continued support. We’re grateful to share these rare and precious finds with you, and we’ll keep working to make each tasting experience even better! 😘

#lachefcon #thehouseofumami #umamisource #rareingredients #tastebetter
Special Thanks to :
@metzger_brad
@rob_gentile
@kyleconnaughton
@lumberjackieo
@rachelhaggstrom
@yeschefmarco
@cimarustila
@brandon_hayato_go
@samuelmonsour
@asiaticchefroyv
@chefheatherwong
@pizza_robot_william_joo
@gateaux_inc
@erikaachan
@thevaleriegordon
@chefstevesamson
@jonyao
@ianscaramuzza
and many more chefs！

@thehouseofumami by @thehouseofumami

Soybeans, salt and water. That is the entire ingredient list — no rice, no barley, which is unusual for miso.

A sheet of washi paper, dated December 6, 1721.

It records an unusual instruction: pack the barrel in three layers, each with a different amount of water and salt. Then stack three tons of river stones on top and leave it for two years.

The uneven packing is deliberate. The weight of the stones drives the moisture and salt through the layers, and the barrel evens out on its own. Nobody stirs it — not once.

They don’t sterilize the walls or the barrels either. The microbes stay in the wood and the clay and carry over into the next batch.

Our Umami Curator Ayako climbed to the top of a six-ton barrel in Okazaki to see it for herself.

This is why we visit. by @thehouseofumami

Happy Dashi Day! 🍂🍲

As autumn brings a little chill to the air, we start craving the comforting warmth of soup—and dashi.

Today, I made onion oden using our Bonito & Kombu Dashi and Vegetable Dashi @thehouseofumami. Gently simmered until tender, the onions soak up the savory broth, bringing out their natural sweetness. I put the garnish of Ito-Katsuo ( thinly shaved Katsuobushi like Threads)

Oden is a traditional Japanese dish of vegetables, eggs, fish cakes, and other ingredients slowly simmered in a light, flavorful dashi broth—a cold-weather favorite in Japan.

Simple, nourishing, and full of comfort. Stay warm, eat well, and enjoy a little dashi happiness. 🤍

#dashi #thehouseofumami #kombu #oden #umamisource by @thehouseofumami

One sheet of ma-kombu. Three ingredients. Outside Japan, most chefs know the first. Far fewer meet what comes next.

Ma-Kombu — the classic dashi kombu. Steep it cold overnight, or bring it to just under a simmer and pull it before it boils. Clean, deep, and it leaves little behind but flavor.

Oboro Kombu — paper-thin shavings taken by hand from the surface of ma-kombu. Add it to hot broth and the delicate sheets soften almost immediately, releasing umami as they go. They also lend the liquid a silky, barely-there body — without starch, cream, or flour. Finish a clear soup with it, drape it over rice or fish, or use it where you want kombu flavor without the weight of a whole sheet.

Battera Kombu (Shiroita Kombu) — the pale inner sheet left after the oboro has been shaved away. Thin, translucent, and seasoned with vinegar, it is traditionally laid over cured mackerel in battera and saba-zushi. Beyond sushi, chefs cut it into fine strips or smaller pieces and fry it crisp, using it as an umami-rich garnish for seafood.

In Tsuruga, artisans hand-shave ma-kombu sheet by sheet into oboro. What remains at the center becomes Shiroita. One sheet of kombu, transformed by the knife.

Shop now — link in bio. by @thehouseofumami

Pumpkin monaka for Halloween. Our seasonal order window closes soon — order now to have them in your kitchen in time.

The shells are mochi rice, pressed and toasted crisp, with no sugar and no oil. The pumpkin is only the shape, so they take sweet or savory fillings: ice cream, mousse, or a drink topping like this one.

1. In a glass, combine pumpkin purée 15 g, koji syrup 15 g, almond milk 150 ml, heavy cream 20 ml, and a dash of vanilla extract. Add cinnamon and froth until smooth.
2. In a chawan, whisk hojicha powder 3 g into hot water 40 ml with a chasen until frothy. Keep a pinch of powder aside for the finish.
3. Fill a serving glass with ice and pour in the mixture from step 1.
4. Pour the hojicha from step 2 over the top.
5. Top with whipped cream, a drizzle of koji syrup, and the reserved hojicha powder.
6. Set the monaka on top and finish with black sesame.

Set the monaka on at the pass. Moisture from the cream softens the shell within minutes.

Pumpkin monaka shells
Re-crisp in a warm oven for a few minutes before use.
Available to Pro Chef accounts. Order through the link in bio or DM us. by @thehouseofumami

One chef describes the aroma of Tosaka Nori, that “It’s like walking into a flower shop”💐
Crisp and springy when rehydrated. The texture transforms into chewy and almost jelly-like form with light heat. And talk about that deep crimson color and those frilled edges. Instantly adds drama to a dish.
We think this is the perfect summer sea vegetable. How would you use it?

✍️Note: Soak in plenty of water for 4 min to rehydrate. It expands to about 5–6 times its original volume. by @thehouseofumami