How Much Does It Cost To Hire Masaharu Morimoto?

If you're a fan of Iron Chef, you almost definitely know the name Masaharu Morimoto. The award-winning chef and author is known for fusing his native Japanese traditions with American cuisine (via Iron Chef Morimoto).

To the food icon, cuisine is beyond borders. When asked why his food wasn't Japanese, Morimoto said, "Why isn't it Japanese, and why must it be?" For Morimoto, it's about responding to the ever-changing melting pot of nations. He thinks of food as an all encompassing symbol: It's cultural, edible, and theatrical to him. 

With plenty of hard work over many years, the man has gotten to where he is today. Believe it or not, almost 25 years before Morimoto became an Iron Chef, he washed dishes at a tiny sushi restaurant in his home town of Hiroshima. Morimoto fell in love with the craft and became an apprentice to the owner of the restaurant, and apparently never looked back (via MSN).

Masaharu Morimoto is clearly a groundbreaking and diligent visionary in the culinary world, and no doubt meeting the man is an event on many bucket lists. But how much will hiring the superstar chef for your next birthday party set you back? 

Brace yourself: Celebrity Chef Network lists his fees as anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000, depending on what you might hire him for. Celebrity Talent International, however, puts his fee considerably higher, at $40,000 to $75,000. That may seem steep to some of us, but Morimoto is low in supply and high in demand.

Are you unable to spend that much cash, but you still want that Morimoto flavor? You can always go to one of his 17 restaurants around the world to get a taste of what he's made of (via Iron Chef Morimoto).