He was a graduate of the psychology section of the literature department of Waseda University.
While attending university, he served as an apprentice to Kitaoji Rosanjin to study the fine arts of cooking.
He was one of the regular judges on the Fuji TV Corporation hit program Iron Chef, where he bore the title “Rosanjin Scholar”.
Asako Kishi was also a regular judge on the program, and was a coworker of Masaaki’s while he worked at Housewife’s Friend.
Spring of Trivia” (broadcast on November 11, 2005) where he addressed the issue of “broth from which brand of cup of Ramen best complemented cold rice”.