Mutsuko Soma
Seattle Met named Kamonegi — a Japanese restaurant — as its Restaurant of the Year.
Owner Mutsuko Soma was born and raised in Tochigi, Japan. She came to the Pacific Northwest to study the culinary arts at the Art Institute of Seattle. After spending years refining her skills at restaurants like the Harvest Vine, Chez Shea, and Saito’s, Soma moved back to Japan to learn the art of making traditional soba noodles in the hopes of finding something unique to bring back to the Northwest.
The Seattle Met wrote, “This restaurant is one woman’s distinct experience: Japanese training, a background in Seattle’s European-style kitchens, and zero inclination to be stuffy about any of it.”