About Hachidori

Meet Kaori Stuessy, a Master of Japanese Home Cooking

Born and raised on the island of Kyushu in southwestern Japan, Kaori Stuessy grew up in a family where cooking was an everyday expression of care and connection. From an early age, she learned the rhythms of the kitchen by cooking alongside her parents and grandparents, absorbing the traditions of Japanese home cooking rooted in seasonality, balance, and nourishment.

At 18, Kaori moved to California on her own to attend college. There, her passion for cooking deepened as she prepared the Japanese dishes of her childhood for friends and fellow students. Through farmers markets, organic farming communities, and the vibrant Bay Area food scene, she discovered a natural harmony between Japanese culinary philosophy and California’s farm-to-table movement. She also found inspiration in the work of chefs such as Alice Waters, whose commitment to local, seasonal food strongly resonated with her values.

For the past 10 years, Kaori has made her home in Grass Valley with her husband and two daughters. In 2014, she founded Hachidori Cooking, offering catering ,personal chef services and cooking classes, becoming a familiar presence at the Nevada City Farmers Market. Cooking nourishing, thoughtfully prepared food for her community is at the heart of her work and her joy.

When she’s not in the kitchen, Kaori enjoys daily yoga, dance, and traveling to beautiful places around the world—gathering stories, inspiration, and new recipes that continue to shape her evolving culinary expression.