Sylvan Mishima Brackett, chef-owner of the new antique-filled restaurant Izakaya Rintaro in San Francisco, has amassed an impressive, expertly curated collection of cookware, plates, and bric-a-brac from Japan. Here’s a glimpse of some of his favorite finds.
A portrait of Sylvan Brackett, the man behind the perfectly curated kitchen, next to his antique woodburning rice cooker. “A friend of mine cooked on it for years in Japan’s countryside,” Brackett explains. “She said that I could have it if I paid for the shipping, so I did. I love how it evokes Old Japan. Very Meiji-era, pre-war.”
Brackett’s kitchen’s shelves are lined with handmade ceramic cups and plates, as well as various types of Japanese teapots. Nicole Franzen
Brackett finds beauty and utility in junk store castaways and handcrafted treasures. The sharkskin grater was found in Japan. The clay bowl is by Bay Area potter Yuko Sato and holds ikuradon, house-cured steelhead roe over rice. Nicole Franzen
Inside Sylvan Brackett’s Curated Kitchen
Outside his restaurant, Brackett keeps extra ceramics, baskets, and bottles in a shed at his home.
In his antiques shed, under the watchful gaze of his grandmother, Brackett keeps specialty ingredients like bottles of Japanese vinegar, shochu, and mirin. Nicole Franzen
Among Brackett’s prized possessions are old ephemera, including these Japanese menus. Nicole Franzen
A soba knife from the great chef Kanji Nakatani at Soba Ra in Japan sits atop a cutting board Brackett made himself in his father’s shop. Nicole Franzen
A vintage blue and white serving plate sits next to small ceramic soy sauce holders for bento boxes. Nicole Franzen
