home cooked japanese meals for those you call family.
about watanabe kitchen
Hi! I’m Niki, a private chef specializing in postpartum meals & intimate dining. Drawing from my bicultural background, I alchemize my love through cooking and am particularly passionate about how food plays a role in storytelling and cultural preservation.
I’ve had the privilege of sharing precious moments with my grandmother and mother in the kitchen—memorizing their hand movements and sneaking tastes of their umami-packed dishes, just as previous generations did. I leverage local produce and family recipes to challenge narrow mindsets around health and wellness. Rather than viewing food simply as sustenance, I believe in the power of communal dining and connecting people through the comforting, nourishing flavors of Japanese cuisine.
Services
There’s nothing I love more than stocking fridges with nourishing, comforting food for a new postpartum parent! I draw from a mix of home-style Japanese cooking, hands-on training with other chefs, and years of recipe testing and meal support for families navigating early recovery and nourishment.
These meals are highly customised—we’ll talk through dietary restrictions, aversions, and recovery points (i.e. blood or hair loss, supporting nursing, etc.) and will curate your menu accordingly. I prioritise local ingredients whenever possible, and include a detailed PDF of menu dishes + ingredients.
All meals are prepared with intention, using seasonal and local ingredients wherever possible, and with lots and lots of love.
Japanese Postpartum Meals
offering limited in-home packages for families in los angeles, starting spring 2026
Dinner parties, intimate family gatherings, birthdays—small to medium-sized event catering is my jam. I specialize in home-cooked, rustic meals that focus on nourishment and comfort.
Let’s feed your people, reach out here.
Private Events
POP UP EVENTS
POP UP EVENTS
i love collaborating with restaurants, other chefs, and like-minded businesses—click here for a gallery of my past work 🍊
people say…
“I wanted to take a moment to thank Niki for all of her support in providing my family with postpartum meals after the birth of my second daughter! The meals were incredibly delicious, nutritious, and a key aspect of my postpartum recovery. It also encourages me to appreciate different types of foods and to stretch our family‘s palette. Highly recommend WK!”
— KO
“The meals we received from Niki were not only insanely delicious, but so thoughtfully prepared with healing ingredients for postpartum support. I felt so nourished and cared for, and the detailed PDF with the menu details about how the ingredients support healing was such a sweet touch. Cannot recommend Watanabe Kitchen more!”
— CS
“Words cannot even begin to describe how supportive Niki and her food have been to my healing process. She not only cooks incredibly delicious meals, but she’s also able to accommodate all of my dietary needs and goes above and beyond in times when I am not able to walk. I would recommend Niki over and over again!!”
— EG
"WK was so amazing in my postpartum period. Niki crafted such a beautiful menu with food tailored to my recovery needs (healing after a third-degree tear). The food was so delicious and nourishing. Will absolutely do it again if I ever have another!"
— AZ
“It was so lovely to have a meal that wasn’t heavy after giving birth—usually people bring casseroles and rich options, but Niki created the perfect combo of hearty + light. The flavors were amazing and the detailed menu was so cool—can’t wait to send this to my fellow pregnant and postpartum friends.”
— CH
“Niki’s meals are such an amazing, quick, and easy go-to when I am having a disregulated moment and need something warm, delicious, and nutritious to calm me back down. Has helped me survive the last week!”
— KH
work with me
If you’re looking to order postpartum meals, please click the “inquire” button above. If you’d like to work with me in another capacity, please fill out this form and I’ll get back to you ASAP ✹
