Every detail at new Baldwin Park restaurant Sorekara will be chosen with ‘purpose and intention,’ says chef William Shen

"All restaurants provide food and service, but Sorekara will immerse guests in the philosophy of sorekara," says chef William Shen about the visionary nouveau Japanese restaurant set to open in early March in Baldwin Park.

"Every detail is crafted upon the idea of sorekara, which means and then, and the idea of time," he continues. "People stop appreciating how important little moments are because of how fast our world moves, and Sorekara taps into the idea that every moment that passes is unique unto itself."

Yes, a healthy dose of metaphysics will permeate every facet of Sorekara, from its architecture and design to the ambience and, of course, the menu. During the course of the meal (which will comprise 20-plus bites and last "a few hours"), guests will be ushered through multiple rooms rooted in this philosophy, be it the art or music or food.

"Guests will understand why we do what we do, and how everything we do and present has purpose and intention," Shen says. "We're not going to stuff the most expensive ingredient into your mouth but, if we do, it will be with sorekara in mind."
It may all sound a bit oblique, but it's clear that Shen, along with partners Johnny and Jimmy Tung, want the restaurant's patrons to not only think about their experience, but to think about it days or weeks after.

"For us, time is the ultimate luxury, and storytelling is our way to forge memorable moments," says Shen. "We want Sorekara to resonate with how you view time and life. We want Sorekara to be an impactful restaurant."

Shen isn't giving away too many details about the restaurant — he wants guests to, somewhat fittingly, experience Sorekara in the moment. "It's a composition of a lot of things that people think about but often forget when coming together in a dinner setting," he says elliptically.

What we can tell you is that Shen will demonstrate through "the best and most unique ingredients and items" how Japanese cuisine evolves under the influence of numerous factors — from American culture to the culinary techniques of other world cuisines — all the while respecting Japanese tradition. "Chef William will honor his heritage by interpreting Japanese culture through the lens of a Japanese-American who's grown up in the U.S. He's going to showcase craftsmen and -women from Japan and Taiwan by using their ingredients and creations to help guests understand how the dish they're eating … wound up on their plate," says Johnny Tung in equally inexplicit terms. "He'll show appreciation and respect for the things we experience in this restaurant, which itself will be a vehicle to convey that message."

It seems deep, heavy, even a bit academic, but Shen dismisses such talk.

"It's not. We're just following nature, the most basic and sometimes forgotten aspect of our world, and time — moments that are unique unto their own. For example, we follow the ancient calendar of Japan consisting of 72 micro-seasons. So the menu will change 72 times, or every 5 to 10 days. The changes will be subtle and transitional, just like the seasons. So while the menu may be inspired by the seasons of Japan, it will find beauty in the seasons of Florida."
A multi-layered restaurant experience incorporating the philosophy of time (and sorekara) while spotlighting the artisans and craftspeople who brought the food to the table — food inspired by the 72 micro-seasons of Japan — is about as conceptual a restaurant this city has ever seen.

The cost to experience Sorekara is $275, and reservations can be made at sorekarafl.com.

To add even more mystery to the experience, only Phase 1 of the restaurant will debut in early March. Phase 2 will be revealed later this year or in early 2025, and Phase 3 a year after that.  But that, too, has been purposeful.

"The three phases are reflective of how long it's taken to plan and design Sorekara. It's taken a lot of time, but we've savored every moment. Too many people want things too fast. They want everything to be faster. But we want to slow things down."

No matter the number of phases, it's clear Sorekara is out to break the mold of tasting menu concepts by offering guests a culinary encounter that isn't just singular or exceptional, but, dare I say, timeless.

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