Chef Kyle Connaughton
Owner Chef of Single Thread
SingleThread is a restaurant, inn, and farm built on the ethos of Japanese omotenashi: the spirit of selfless hospitality which Kyle Connaughton built with his wife Katine in 2016.
At age 9, he had a sushi dinner that it crystalized the course of his professionallife. During high school he apprenticed at one of the oldest Japanese restaurants in Southern California and later attended the Southern California School of Culinary Arts, going on to work at Spago, Ritz-Carlton, AOC, Lucques, and Campanile—moonlighting at the latter two Los Angeles restaurants while teaching at his alma mater.
Furthering his own education, Connaughton enrolled at the California Sushi Academy and later received private instruction from Master Sushi Chef Andy Matsuda at the Sushi Chef Institute. Connaughton worked closely with Matsuda and eventually became chef de cuisine and department chair for the Institute’s fine-dining restaurant.






Chef Fabiola Lairet
Owner Chef of Robata
Fabiola Lairet, a Venezuelan civil engineer who, together with her husband and business partner Ricardo, arrived in Barcelona 14 years ago. Here they developed their passion and love of Japanese cuisine through a number of courses at the Bellart school. The love was so deep that they decided to pack their bags and go to California to train at the Sushi Chef Institute. From there, they managed to get work experience in Japan which allowed them to earn national certificates as Sushi Chefs. Fabiola is one of the few women to have achieved this.
Returning to the Catalan capital, Fabiola and Ricardo opened their successful Monster Sushi and then, just a year ago (October 2016), Robata Sushi & Grill. With an enviable location on the corner of carrer Enric Granados and carrer Mallorca, and seating for more than 150 people is where Fabiola captures version 2.0 of their vision of Japanese fusion food, non-stop from 1:30pm to midnight, seven days a week.
– El National Cat. (https://www.elnacional.cat)
ROBATA
ENRIC GRANADOS 55, ARCELONA, SPAIN 08008






Chef Engin Onural
Owner Chef of Sandfish By Engin Onural
The chef/owner of the Venue Sushi Bar in Palm Desert, Chef Engin Onural recently opened Sandfish by Engin Onural in Palm Springs which showcases the chef’s authentic sushi techniques with the twist his desert fans love to indulge in at his Palm Desert restaurant.
Born in Buffalo, NY and raised in Ankara, Turkey, Engin Onural is not what you expect for a master of Japanese cuisine. But a quick study of his cutting-edge sushi rolls and exotic cocktails prove that both the culinary creations and their creator are one of a kind.
Engin was only ten years old when he decided to become a chef, a departure from his parents who are both engineers. From there, he earned a B.S. in Business Information Management from Bilkent University in Ankara and then moved to Los Angeles where he completed his culinary training at the Sushi Chef Institute and became a certified sake sommelier.
SANDFISH
1556 NORTH PALM CANYON DRIVE, PALM SPRINGS, CA 92262






Chef Rakan Aloraifi
Head Chef of Mira Foods
After graduating with a bachelor in Marketing in 2013, Rakan moved to LA to complete his master degree. When the first semester ended, he made the decision to follow his passion and joined SCI to get his culinary certificate. After graduating he started his culinary career by starting at the bottom as a kitchen helper.
Rakan moved back to Riyadh to work in Japanese and Chinese fine dining restaurants, he had the opportunity to participate in a well-known TV show, Top Chef ME Season 2 in 2017. That experience gave Rakan the confidence he needed and he landed another job as a MC in a well-known cooking show in UAE. The show was very successful and he was offered his own segment on Morning Saudi. Rakan started to participate in culinary competitions local and international. He won many prizes from bronze to gold. His career shifted to another level when he started working at the Four Seasons Hotel in Dec 2017. He was named Best Saudi Chef 2018 by the Saudi Tourism Excellence Awards. In 2019 he was promoted to Sous Chef, but now he joined a company to become the head chef of the first contemporary Saudi cuisine restaurant.






Chef David Bouhadana
Owner Chef of Sushi by Bou
Chef David Bouhadana, the chef/co-owner of the Sushi by Bou, a Sushi Restaurant that offers a high end Omakase experience to the people in an intimate and speakeasy environment.
Bouhadana has racked up exceptional culinary mileage, including considerable success in a city with the most competitive food culture in the world. At 19, he was head chef at a successful sushi restaurant in Florida, where he grew up. At 21, he went to Japan and studied for three years. He then went to New York, where he became head chef at a new restaurant, Sushi IO. At 26, he was a partner at Sushi Dojo. He decided to risk everything and launched a wellpublicized fight with the New York City Health Department. Bouhadana, who at the time had failed a number of inspections after being caught preparing sushi without wearing gloves, refused to comply with the city’s strict requirement in this regard, which hundreds of other more well-connected and powerful chefs had learned to accept. Since then, he has managed to open 9 restaurants of his own, to attract raves from leading food magazines and to be included in the Zagat guide’s list of the 30 most promising young chefs in the United States.
SUSHI BY BOU
132 W 47TH ST, NEW YORK, NY 10036






Chef Javier Garcia Steinkopf
Owner Chef of Noa Sushi & Robata
Graduated: High school IDEA Valencia Venezuela, Santa fe College Gainesville Fl, Sushi Chef Institute Torrance CA, and now the Executive Chef and Owner of NOA & Sushi and Robata Barranquilla Colombia .
Chef Javier is a Venezuelan chef with 9 years of experience as a sushi chef, Japanese food and culture lover. Influenced by this gastronomy I become a chef, to specialize my knowledge I went to the SUSHI CHEF INSTITUTE in Torrance, CA. He has a high professional trajectory of more than 9 years working in recognized restaurants. With his determination, creativity and talent that has come to delight the most demanding palates . His greatest satisfaction is to provide each person an unforgettable experience by tasting his dishes. He loves to mix the traditional Japanese food with it’s culture.
NOA SUSHI & ROBATA
CRA. 52 #76 – 208 , BARRANQUILLA , ATLANTICO,COLOMBIA






Chef Alven Chu
SUSHI SHOKUNIN OF KOIZEN
Alven Chu wants to spread Japanese food culture on Koizen in Gothenburg, Sweden. Alven Chu grew up in the restaurant industry and today runs Koizen and Kuruya together with his family. After training in Los Angeles at the Sushi Chef Institute and eventually participating on its internship program in Japan, he has not only managed to become skilled in the art of sushi, but he has also happy to share Japanese food and culture. He wants to spread further the philosophy behind Japanese food in Gothenburg.
Alven Chu was born in Gothenburg and grew up in the restaurant industry. He is the third generation of chefs in the family, after his grandfather and mother. But it was Alvin’s dad, John, who introduced him to sushi. After he went to Los Angeles and trained as a sushi chef at the Sushi Chef Institute, he came home and opened a restaurant in Stenungsund. Alven helped his father in the restaurant, and he asked if Alven wanted to learn more about sushi. Alven ended up going to Los Angeles and obtaining the same education as his father.
During his school days, Alven Chu volunteered to help on catering events together with chef Andy Matsuda. This allowed him to connect with people in the sushi industry and get the opportunity to learn more and practice at Sushi Zo, a Michelin star restaurant.
Alven uses a signature rice vinegar that comes from the leftovers from sake production along with cane sugar, sea salt and seaweed. He enjoys finding the right balance in his recipes and dishes. Alven Uses ingredients found locally, following the principles of sustainability. He has constant communication with the fish suppliers to ensure the quality of the fish depending on the season. At Koizen, Alven Chu serves his own interpretation of Omakase, that is, to “leave it to the chef”. The guest is simply asked to trust the chef to select and serve the food eaten in a set menu. The sister restaurant Kuruya, on the other hand, serves Donburi and other Izakaya dishes.
KOIZEN
NORDENSKIÖLDSGATAN 24 41309 GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN






Chef Carlos Falcon
OWNER CHEF OF SAYACHI
Carlos Falcon is known in Kansas City for introducing Veracruz style Mexican Seafood in 2014 at his first restaurant, Jarocho. His passion for quality seafood and his unique style of combining Asian technique with his Mexican cuisine quickly gained popularity in Kansas City, and he opened his second restaurant, Jarocho South in 2017.
His wife and managing partner, Sayaka Falcon, is a native of Okinawa, Japan. Carlos always dreamed of opening a Sushi restaurant dedicated to his wife, Sayaka. The dream came true sooner than later when he found a space in Brookside neighborhood. He named the restaurant “Sayachi”, which is a childhood nickname of his wife. Carlos designed the bar, sushi bar, open kitchen, and the dining room himself to be simple yet inviting where guests can enjoy sushi and drinks.
Falcon first introduced the concept of Omakase to Kansas City in 2014 via Jarocho. Carlos decided to join the Sushi Chef Institute to formalize his sushi training and have the ability to bring a true Japanese experience to his customers out of his own hands. Carlos is very committed and devoted to his craft. Sayachi has become a restaurant that brings modern Japanese technology to their hall and authentic Japanese flavors to the table.
Carlos mission is to always select and prepare seasonal, artistic dishes made with the finest ingredients.
SAYACHI
6322 BROOKSIDE PLAZA KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64113






Chef Abe La
OWNER CHEF OF LOWKEY POKE JOINT
Chef Abe was born in Brunei and moved to Long Beach, California at the age of 8. Surrounded by his roots in Filipino and Malay culture, he discovered his passion for cooking at home. This passion grew as Abe worked his way around the restaurant world. At the age of 24, Abe became the owner of the Lowkey Poke Joint in Garden Grove. He grew the popularity of this fast-casual concept through innovating with unique flavors, including his own take on the sushi burrito. He opened his second Lowkey Poke Joint in Riverside in 2016. After starting and growing a restaurant as a self-taught chef, Abe sought out new opportunities to grow his culinary and entrepreneurial skills.
Chef Abe completed his training at the Sushi Chef Institute under the mentorship of Chef Andy Matsuda. Drawing inspiration from Japanese cuisine, Chef Abe began a private in-home chef omakase experience. He has established himself as a private chef serving 7 to 11 course dinners fusing Japanese cuisine with flavors and ingredients from around the world. He continues to showcase his unique cuisine at events across Los Angeles and Orange County and is ready to see what more can come his way. His goal is to inspire more people to enjoy and promote Japanese cuisine.
LOWKEY POKE JOINT
9904 WESTMINSTER BLVD, GARDEN GROVE CA 92844






Chef Tvrtko Šakota
OWNER CHEF OF NAV
The Šakota company in Navo does not deal with fine dining but with personal dining. Tvrtko Šakota is no longer doing fine dining, but what he would call personal dining. Croatian chef of the year Tvrtko Šakota implements a concept of cooking for a small number of guests, a maximum of twelve or sixteen in one shift. He wants to dedicate himself personally to each guest, as they do in a number of top restaurants in Japan, which have no more than ten or fifteen seats.
Šakota’s extremely personal approach works commercially. In his personal dining the chef and owner, as almost always, personally brings plates for each table, and briefly but in detail explain each dish. Since it is fifteen to twenty plates per guest, Šakota gets busy in the hall as in the open kitchen. The huge advantage of Šakota’s personal dining is in creating trust and the feeling that the guest is actually eating in someone’s private apartment and not in a restaurant, but eating food that no one can prepare at home.
Šakota’s food is technically perhaps the most complex in Zagreb (and a little wider). Sometimes the menu is dedicated to various variations of seasonal vegetables and foods. Shakota itself produces fresh fish sauce, and other characteristic ingredients used in their dishes. The service does not exist in the usual sense of the word because, again, in the concept of personal dining, the chef is the holder of the service. After a long series of years, Šakota decided to embark on his own adventure and open the Nav restaurant. Nav is located in the very center of Zagreb, and it is designed as a place where you will be able to enjoy dishes that combine tradition and modernity in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere.
NAV
MASARYKOVA 11, ZAGREB, CROATIA






Chef Marco Spada
Owner Chef of Nais Beach Club
At Nais Beach Club in Trapani, Sicily, the culinary experience reaches new heights under the guidance of Marco Spada, the owner and chef. His sushi is known for its quality, creativity, and precision, quickly becoming a favorite among locals and tourists. Marco began his sushi journey in 2023, attending the Sushi Chef Institute to refine his skills and learn the delicate techniques of sushi making. This training allowed him to blend authentic Japanese artistry with the flavors of Sicily, adding a unique twist to his dishes.
The menu at Nais Beach Club features à la carte options with sustainably sourced ingredients, along with an omakase experience that includes six curated dishes, offering a personalized exploration of flavors and textures. Marco’s approach to sushi merges Sicilian ingredients with traditional craftsmanship, providing an unparalleled dining experience.
In 2024, Marco expanded his culinary ventures by opening Spatty Burger & Shake in Trapani, offering smash burgers made with USDA prime meat. He decided to open a new Spatty location in Marsala and is planning to open two more by 2025, including one in Malta. As he expands his business, Marco continues to combine his passion for innovation with his love for exceptional food.
Marco also owns Blanco Beach Club and Sparc Events.
Nais Beach Club
Lungomare Dante Alighieri, 91016 Trapani TP, Italy






Chef Tenzin Yardong
Owner Chef of Sushi Tenzan
Tenzin Yardong, originally from a farming family in the Himalayan region, has lived in Switzerland since 2002. Fleeing the instability in Tibet under Chinese rule, his family decided he should leave for safety, first seeking refuge in Nepal before arriving in Basel, Switzerland.
His early life in Switzerland was challenging, but his fate changed when he met Anwar Frick, a local restaurateur. Tenzin learned from fellow Tibetans that Frick had a job opening and was given a chance to work in his restaurants, starting with cleaning and dishwashing. Over time, Tenzin worked in nearly every role at Fischerstube, gaining valuable experience in the restaurant industry.
Tenzin’s hard work led him to become the head sushi chef at Noohn restaurant in Basel. Seeking to improve his skills, he trained at the Sushi Chef Institute in Los Angeles and further honed his expertise in Tokyo. In 2014, Tenzin opened his first restaurant, Sushi Tenzan, in Binningen. His success continued when he opened a second location in Gundeli in 2024, offering authentic Japanese dishes like ramen and sushi, prepared from scratch, and employing ten staff members.
Tenzin’s story is one of perseverance and hard work. He uses his success to inspire others, encouraging both Swiss and immigrant communities to embrace positive thinking and determination. His journey proves that with the right mindset, anyone can overcome challenges and achieve their dreams.
Sushi Tenzan
Bottmingerstrasse 1, 4102 Binningen, Switzerland






Chef Brent Reed
Owner of Kenichi Aspen
Brent Reed is a restaurant owner based in Aspen, Colorado, USA, best known for his “Kenichi” brand. Leveraging his many years of experience in Aspen, he places great importance on maintaining strong connections with the local community. His restaurants serve not only as dining establishments but also as gathering places for local people to connect and interact. Through the “Kenichi” brand, he has tailored each restaurant to reflect the unique characteristics of the regions, including Aspen, Snowmass, and Carbondale, offering services that are deeply rooted in each area.
“Kenichi Aspen,” located in the heart of Aspen, was founded in 1991 and is renowned as a beloved sushi restaurant for both locals and tourists. Brent became a co-owner in 2011, and in 2016, he furthered his expertise by studying sushi techniques at the Sushi Chef Institute. He has played a key role in the restaurant’s growth and development. At Kenichi Aspen, diners can enjoy a variety of Japanese dishes centered around sushi, all within a sophisticated atmosphere.
In 2018, Brent opened “Izakaya Carbondale” on Main Street in Carbondale, a restaurant that incorporates the Japanese izakaya style, offering sushi and traditional Japanese home-cooked meals.
In the summer of 2021, Brent opened “Kenichi Snowmass” at Snowmass Village.
Brent’s restaurants offer a unique dining experience that blends Japanese food culture with the lifestyle of the Rocky Mountains in Aspen, Snowmass, and Carbondale. His passion and contributions to the community will continue to inspire and impact many people for years to come.
Owner of Kenichi Aspen
533 E Hopkins Ave #2, Aspen, CO 81611






Chef Mario Vollera
co-owner of Ōwa
Chef Mario is co-owner of South End Bar, Roosterfish Bar and Ōwa Sushi.
He was born and raised in a small village outside Rome and has been a restaurateur since he was 16 years old. He started as a pizza chef in his hometown Rome and has since traveled to many countries (Sweden, Germany, Spain, Italy, Tenerife, etc.) and worked in many different cultures. He is known for his pizzas and held the Guinness World Record for the longest pizza in the world.
He came to the United States in 2008 and started working in a pizzeria in Venice. He had many dreams and a strong passion for food, wine and cocktails. In 2013, together with his partner Patrick Brunette, they opened South End Wine Bar, a cozy and iconic spot in Venice serving pizza and wine.
In 2018, they reopened Roosterfish Bar, a world-famous gay bar.
In 2020, he studied sushi at the Sushi Chef Institute, and in 2023, they reopened a sushi bar, Ōwa, on Abbot Kinney, serving sushi and other traditional Japanese dishes with a modern twist, using fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
He prides himself on always working hard and striving to make an impact on his customers.
Ōwa
1635 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, 90291 Venice, CA
Roosterfish
1302 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291









Chef Zeth Huckabay
Private Chef in Beverly Hills
Zeth Huckabay’s passion for culinary arts began at a young age, influenced by his Great Grandmother’s use of fruits, vegetables, and flowers for medicinal and culinary purposes. This early exposure sparked his interest in food. Zeth pursued a fine arts program in high school, which deepened his knowledge of professional food production, before attending the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. After graduation, he traveled to Hawaii to study regional Hawaiian cuisine with renowned chefs, Peter Merriman, Jean Marie Josselin, and George Mavrothalassitis.
Upon returning to California, Zeth continued his education under Master Sushi Chef Andy Matsuda, excelling and graduating at the top of his class. He then returned to the Bay Area to gain experience at top restaurants in San Francisco.
After 10 years working in the Bay Area and traveling globally for independent food studies, Zeth moved to Southern California and quickly immersed himself in the thriving Private Chef industry in Beverly Hills. He made connections with numerous celebrities, including being Lady Gaga’s Private Chef for the 2011 Monster Ball and 2012 promotional tours. This led to a similar role for Rihanna on her 2013 European and Asian summer tour.
Zeth has since continued his career in the private chef industry, working steadily for the same private family for the past 13 years.






Chef Vasana Soukhaseum
Co-owner of Ototo Sushi Co.
Vasana Soukhaseum is a co-owner of Ototo Sushi Co., a beloved sushi restaurant in San Diego. Ototo Sushi Co. is known for its blend of traditional sushi and innovative special rolls, offering a diverse menu that includes teriyaki chicken, ramen, donburi, and poke bowls. The restaurant prides itself on being family-friendly, providing a welcoming atmosphere for diners of all ages.
In 2024, Vasana Soukhaseum honed His sushi skills and knowledge at the Sushi Chef Institute, gaining expertise in the art of sushi making. His dedication to the craft is reflected in the quality and creativity of the dishes served at Ototo Sushi Co..
Currently, Ototo Sushi Co. operates two locations in San Diego, with plans to open a new store soon. Whether you’re a sushi enthusiast or new to Japanese cuisine, Ototo Sushi Co. offers a delightful dining experience for everyone.
Co-owner of Ototo Sushi Co.
5651 Balboa Ave. San Diego CA 92111








