Where the Chef Behind Pharrell’s Favorite Restaurant Eats in NYC

A Really Good NYC edition.

Welcome to the third NYC edition of The Relisher! I have to say—this might be my favorite one yet. This week, I met with Chef Partner Jihan Lee of Nami Nori, the Japanese restaurant known for its open-style temaki, with locations in the West Village, Williamsburg, and Montclair, New Jersey, and Miami, Florida.

Jihan spent years in some of the city’s most notable kitchens, including Morimoto and Zuma, before joining Kappo Masa under chef Masa Takayama—the only three-Michelin-starred sushi chef in the U.S. He also caters Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton private events in Paris. Most recently, Pharrell became a partner in Nami Nori’s two new Miami locations.

Below, Jihan shares his favorite restaurants in NYC, the best meal he’s had in the city this year, his go-to bars and boutiques, and the spots he’s most excited to try next.