Shota Nakajima

Shota Nakajima is a chef, restauranteur, and international TV personality. He is the owner of Taku in Seattle, WA and a three-time James Beard Foundation Awards semi-finalist. He was a top-three finalist on Bravo’s Top Chef in 2021 and was awarded Season 18 Fan Favorite as voted on by the public. In 2023 Shota placed in the top 8 in Food Network’s Tournament of Champions competition show.

He has received an Eater ‘Young Guns’ award, a Zagat ’30 Under 30’ chef designation and in 2021 he was named one of ‘The Most Influential People in Seattle’ by Seattle Met Magazine. Shota has competed on Iron Chef Gauntlet, Beat Bobby Flay as well as appeared on countless Food Network competition programs as both a judge and competitor. He’s been a featured guest on CBS’s The Talk and ABC’s Good Morning America.

Shota seizes every opportunity to get outside and forage or fish, alongside his border collie Dodger, taking advantage of the abundance of wild goods in Washington’s mountains and waters.