Backup About The Japanese Pantry



The Japanese Pantry is dedicated to bringing the best quality artisanal Japanese ingredients that we have found in our travels in Japan to professional and recreational cooks in the United States.


Japan is a country with a rich culinary heritage.  From beautiful and elevated kaiseki cuisine to simple yakitori, Japanese food is all about the quality of the ingredients.  Our travels to Japan have opened our eyes to the vast array of Japanese products, crafted from pristine ingredients with great care and respect for tradition.  Sadly, most never see the light of day in North America.  When, by chance, some do make it here, they are poorly marketed and consumers have no idea how to use them.  The Japanese Pantry aims to change all of that.


Greg Dunmore, Co-Founder

Greg is an accomplished San Francisco chef with twenty plus years of experience. Throughout his career he has run critically acclaimed restaurants and earned Michelin Stars. Greg’s passion for Japanese food came early on and was most visible in his last venture as chef/owner of Nojo, a San Francisco top 100 restaurant, where he created his own unique Japanese-inspired California Izakaya. Over the years of traveling to Japan Greg forged relationships with artisanal producers and is excited to help them bring their products to the US.

Chris Bonomo, Co-Founder

Chris Bonomo is a passionate home cook who especially loves Japanese food. His interest in Japan started during his student days in the 1980s when Japan Inc. was the all-powerful economic force in the world. Over the years he continued to learn more about the culture and cuisine, but it wasn’t until 2007 that he was finally able to visit Japan. His interest immediately turned into fascination & a deep love of the people, the food and the culture. Since that time he has dived ever deeper into the food & has returned to Japan many times. Each time he has come away with an even greater appreciation of Japanese food & especially the artisanal ingredients he has found in Japan. Chris is excited to finally turn his avocation into his vocation & to share with you the products he’s found in Japan.