Key People
The diversity of food styles and culinary trends originating from California are a result of the state's rich abundance of cultural communities. Today's sushi and world cuisine are the vision of individuals who dared to introduce and blend flavors and ingredients from home or discovered in their travels. These influences can be found today in the cutting edge kitchens of Spago, Michaels, and Champanile.
Chefs - National & International
Nobu Matsuhisa
Chef Matsuhisa is one of the most influential sushi chefs in the U.S. and abroad. Born and trained in Japan, Nobu has successfully incorporated regional ingredients from his life experience as a chef in Japan, South America and the U.S. As it is so simply stated in his biography, "his goals were to win over customers' hearts with quality foods from around the world." Chef Matsuhisa's hard work, love of food, and desire to succeed have made him one of the most successful sushi chefs today. Currently, Chef Matsuhisa operates nine restaurants on three continents. He has also authored two books: Nobu: The Cookbook and Nobu Now. For more information about Nobu or his restaurants visit www.nobumatsuhisa.com
Foodservice/Restaurant
Noritoshi Kanai - Mutual Trading Company, Inc.
Since joining Mutual Trading Company (MTC) in the U.S., Mr. Kanai has been instrumental in the introduction and market development of a variety of Japanese culinary products, from condiments, utensils, and confectionary, to refrigeration and shipping of highly perishable food.
A downturn in the confectionary market early on signaled that his next venture would have to expand beyond Japanese clientele in the U.S.
In the 1960s, he introduced Edomae-sushi to an American business associate during a trip to Japan. To his surprise, the American loved it. This became the starting point of MTC's quest to introduce Kanto-style sushi in the U.S.
His belief in this endeavor helped introduce a new type of sushi and inspired the evolution of traditional sushi to American sushi.
Rocky Aoki - Benihana, Inc.
Benihana was one of the first America-based restaurants to serve Japanese cuisine to a mainstream audience. In the mid 60s, Aoki introduced a Japanese style of cuisine, called teppan-yaki, in a theatrical and entertaining setting prepared by highly skilled chefs. While Benihana restaurants didn't serve sushi, they did open the American palate to a wider array of Japanese flavors. Today, Benihana, Inc. also owns a selection of additional restaurants, including Haru, Doraku and Ra that feature sushi and creative dishes based on Japanese cuisine. For more information about Benihana, visit www.benihana.com
Education
Toshi Suguira - California Sushi Academy - Chef/Director
Chef Suguira founded the California Sushi Academy in 1998. The school allows him to share his desire to teach traditional Japanese cuisine, while fulfilling a rapidly growing demand for professionally trained sushi chefs.
Chef Suguira is a highly respected chef and restaurateur with over 30 years experience in the culinary world. He is one of the few Certified Sake Masters in the U.S. At the Academy, Chef Suguira continues to share his extensive knowledge of sushi restaurant ownership with students and potential restaurant owners, and offers one of the few accredited sushi programs in the U.S. For more information about the California Sushi Academy, visit www.sushi-academy.com
Andy F. Matsuda - Sushi Chef Institute - Chef Instructor/CEO
Chef Matsuda's family owned a small restaurant in Kobe, Japan, influencing his career path at age nine. After finishing high school, he began an apprenticeship in Osaka. He joined the most prestigious Sushi Chef organization "Yosei-kai" and returned home to further expand the family business before venturing to the U.S.
Chef Matsuda immediately found employment as an assistant chef in Little Tokyo - Los Angeles. Within a week of starting, he was promoted to head sushi chef has worked some of the finest sushi bars and hotels in LA, Aspen and New York. During his 28-year career, Chef Matsuda has expanded his culinary talents to include Italian and French cuisine.
In 2002, Chef Matsuda established the Sushi Chef Institute in Los Angeles. Chef Matsuda, an approved by the state of California as a Master Sushi Chef instructor. He teaches aspiring and professional chefs from around the world, the art of sushi. Prior to establishing the school, he served as Vice President and Chief Instructor at the California Sushi Academy (1998 - 2001). For more information about the Sushi Chef Institute, visit www.sushischool.net