Makoto Seafood and Steakhouse of Japan: The Best Tasting Show In Town For 25 Years
Story by Sam Calhoun
Great Food. Great Service. Great Show.
This phrase often adorns the sign in front of Makoto Seafood and Steakhouse of Japan and serves as a perfect synopsis for the Asian enclave that has been a High Country staple for 25 years.
Opened in 1981 by Ray Bass, Makoto, located at 2124 Blowing Rock Road in Boone, changed owners in 1985 when general manager Ted Mackorell took over the reins of the restaurant known best for teppanyaki chefs who cook meals in front of customers.
From 1985 to 2005, Chapel Hill-born Mackorell built Makoto into the premier Japanese seafood and steakhouse in the High Country, featuring the only sushi bar in town. Helping him in this endeavor were longtime employees Gwen and Ronald Dhing. Business was good.
So good that in February 2004, Mackorell finally realized his dream of renovating his restaurant. But it was more than a renovation. The old restaurant was razed and replaced with a completely new one. On May 14, 2004, Makoto reopened to the public.
During the grand opening, Mackorell experienced an excruciating headache that he could not shake. He went down the street to Watauga Medical Center and subsequently found out that he had cancer.
“One of our happiest days turned into one of our saddest days,” remembered Gwen, who, since 1990, had been the general manager for Makoto and stepped in with her husband and chef Ronald to help handle Mackorell’s duties after the diagnosis.
On November 14, 2005, Mackorell passed away from cancer.
On August 15, 2006, Gwen and Ronald became the owners of Makoto, purchasing the restaurant from Mackorell’s wife Dr. Stacy Cohn and carrying on Mackorell’s mission to bring great food, great service and a great show to the people of the High Country.
Originally from Kannapolis, Gwen came to Boone in 1985 to attend ASU, majoring in communications and public relations. In 1987, she became a waitress at Makoto, working under Mackorell, and met her future husband, Ronald Dhing.
“He’s a colorful character,” added Gwen, speaking about her husband.
Ronald began working at Makoto in 1987 as well, coming to Boone via his family’s home in Singapore. His parents stayed in Singapore, but Ronald’s aunt and brother lived in North Carolina, which guided his relocation. While working as a chef at Makoto, Ronald attended ASU and studied graphic design.
But Ronald discovered a love for furniture design, changed his major and graduated shortly thereafter. Today, Ronald still pursues his dream to open a furniture store where he designs and sells all of the products. See his designs by clicking to www.ronaldesigns.com.
The Dhing duo started dating in 1988 and in 1996—six years after Gwen had taken over the general manager position at Makoto—they were married. Three years later, the couple had a son, Jett Leewei, who, now age 7, is in the second grade at Valle Crucis Elementary School and is a regular fixture at the restaurant.
Makoto—which means “sincerity”—has been awarded the 2006 Small Business of the Year Award by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, has been inducted into the Hospitality 500 and was the recipient of the 2004 Certificate of Award Winning Design from the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce.
As well as being co-owners, Gwen still acts as general manager and Ronald wears many hats.
“He does everything,” said Gwen. “One minute, you’ll see him dressed in a manager uniform, then you’ll see him behind the sushi bar making sushi, then you’ll see him at one of the tables cooking for the guests.”
Makoto contains 14 tables that sit 10 each, a patio with 30 seats and a sushi bar—still the only sushi bar in town—that seats an additional 43 people. The restaurant employs 60 community members, who hail from Watauga and Ashe counties.
Ronald recruits chefs by placing ads in a Chinese newspaper in New York City. Interested chefs call Ronald from all over the nation and he conducts phone interviews to determine their credentials—they must have three years of experience before they can even walk in the door of Makoto.
When employees come to work at Makoto, they often stay for a long time. Manager Jessica Norman has been with the company for 9 years; head waiter Audan Pars—who often serenades guests with songs—has been at Makoto for 7 years; kitchen manager Jodi Peters has been at the restaurant for 12 years; and chef Mr. Sou has been with the company for 22 years. His daughter is now the finance manager for Watauga County Schools.
Both Gwen and Ronald are quick to give credit to Mackorell, who they thank for giving them the opportunity to be an integral part of the Makoto family. Makoto has a host of regular customers who continued to frequent the restaurant after Mackorell’s passing—some customers have eaten there for 25 years. According to Gwen, the regular customers trust that Gwen and Ronald will maintain the restaurants high standards
The sushi bar has even become “a club of sorts,” according to Gwen, who claimed that some sushi bar customers, including some ASU students, are there every weekend and keep coming back.
And what about the food?
Citing that quality food is their top concern, Gwen and Ronald buy most of their fare locally—featuring fresh, local vegetables and fish from Morganton
“We try to support the local vendors around town as well as the area food service providers,” said Ronald, who added that customers who eat in front of teppanyaki chefs get a first hand look at just how fresh their meal will be. “You see it in front of you when it was raw all the way to when it is cooked.”
Gwen and Ronald are also very involved in the local community—raising the most money at this year’s Celebrity Serve for Hospice, regularly donating food to the Hunger Coalition every Thanksgiving and acting as soccer coaches for their son’s under-8 soccer team.
And both Gwen and Ronald have active lives outside of Makoto. Since 1990, Gwen has taught aerobics at the Wellness Center in Boone, four times per week, and exercises regularly. Ronald is an active skydiver, practicing his sport every Sunday “if the weather is good.” He has been skydiving for 15 years and has almost 200 jumps in his logbook. Sometimes, Ronald even takes Makoto customers along on his dives.
For the future, Ronald still has his sights set on opening up his own furniture store, but in the meantime, he and his wife want to keep Makoto Seafood and Steakhouse of Japan the best tasting show in town—with sincerity.
Makoto Seafood and Steakhouse of Japan is located at 2124 Blowing Rock Road in Boone. The restaurant is open for lunch from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Dinner is served in the restaurant from 5:00 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Friday and from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. Makoto’s sushi bar is open during the same hours as the restaurant excluding Sunday. The restaurant and sushi bar do not take reservations and customers are served on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call 828-264-7976 or click to www.makotos-boone.com.
Donate Money to the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex
Sports enthusiast and former standout goalkeeper at ASU, the late Ted Mackorell is having a soccer complex named in his honor. Once funds have been raised for the $1.8 million project, the complex will be built adjacent to Watauga County’s Brookshire Park and will feature two all-weather turf fields that can be divided into four youth fields, a lighting system, restrooms, a concession stand and ample parking. So far, the silent phase of fundraising has raised $526,000. The High Country Soccer Association Field of Dreams Campaign is currently soliciting donations to help fund the project. Donation checks, which are tax deductible, should be made out to The High Country Soccer Association Field of Dreams Campaign and sent to: The High Country Soccer Association, P.O. Box 3367, Boone, NC 28607. Pledge agreements can be picked up at Makoto. For more information, call 828-265-3322.
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