Chef Masa Takayama is known to peers simply as Masa, and his eponymous restaurant in New York City is not only the first Japanese restaurant in America to achieve 3-Michelin star status, but it’s still regarded as one of the most authentic omakase experiences in the country. When Chef Masa moved to his adopted country, he opened his restaurant and subsequently carved a space for Americans to enjoy the most authentic Japanese dining experience they could pay for. Now, the restaurant is the single most expensive restaurant in the country and despite its steep price is still one of the best.

Chef Masa is notorious for his no-photograph policy, but Eater takes you on a tour of Chef Masa’s creative dishes with a look inside his space and his craft.