Success Stories of Graduates

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.

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 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

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 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