Hungry, he ordered what seemed like just another rice dish. For a Japanese chef to build his reputation around biryani may seem unusual. “Though the protein gives the biryani its umami, the rice should be delicious even on its own. One question has followed Takamasa throughout his career: can a Japanese chef ever cook a great biryani? Nearly two decades after an accidental meal in Tamil Nadu, Takamasa remains, above all else, a student of biryani, one still searching for the perfect pot.