Keisuke Inagaki, who describes himself as the “otaku chef” of La Ricetta Restaurant in Zama, Japan, has combined his two biggest passions – cooking and anime – to create his own style of pancake art.

The 51-year-old Japanese chef started making cute pancakes in 2011, as a way of lifting the spirits of kids in his home city of Fukushima, after it was devastated by a tsunami. He had volunteered for a program to take care of young children in a safe area after the nuclear disaster, and was looking for ways to get their attention. He had seen the pancake art of Nathan Shields on the internet, so he decided to give it a try himself, to impress the kids. That was only his starting point in the world of pancake art, though, as today Inagaki as on a whole other level.

Photo: Keisuke Inagaki/Instagram

Keisuke’s pancakes are made with ordinary batter mix with no coloring materials, but he does have a secret ingredient: soy milk instead of dairy milk. Apparently, this helps him obtain a whiter pancake dough, to contrast the browned outline of his design.

The talented food artist begins by drawing the outline of his artwork on the pan with a squeeze bottle, cooking it for a few seconds and then gradually adding the rest of the batter. According to Caters Media, he can complete simpler designs in just 5 minutes, while more complex projects can take up to 30 minutes.

“My pancake art is a premium option for the customers who have lunch or dinner at our restaurant,” Keisuke Inagaki said. “Our pancake art is only available by making a reservation at least three weeks in advance now. I make only two pancakes in a day.”

Inagaki’s pancake art took him years to develop to the current level, but he still considers it a work in progress. His biggest fear when making his art? That the pancake doesn’t flip properly, and the design is ruined.

Apart from visiting the La Ricetta restaurant in Zama, Japan, you can admire Keisuke Inagaki’s amazing pancakes on Instagram and on YouTube.

We’ve featured some pretty amazing pancake art in the past as well, with Dan Drake’s edible masterpieces, being the most impressive example.