I was really into cooking at a young age. Being the child of an immigrant, food was a huge part my family culture. My older brother introduced me to sushi and Japanese food when I was a kid and I was hooked! This was the mid 80’s and everything Japanese was tres chic. It was so different and more delicate than the Chinese/Trinidadian cuisine of my family. I cooked at all sorts of restaurants to pay the bills while in college until finally I decided that I really wanted to pursue cooking seriously. It became my true passion, and I eventually went to culinary school…...well for a bit. 

In the early 2000’s after going deep into the Asian Fusion fine dining world I knew I wanted to focus on Japanese cuisine. In order to do so, I felt that I needed to re-learn how to work with my knives. I read up on Japanese techniques and practiced daily. I watched low quality online videos of Japanese chefs butchering fish and, while I didn’t speak the language, I learned a lot from watching their movements and how they handled the fish. I listened to the sound of the blade as it cuts through the flesh and made contact with bone. 

I spent a lot of time going to the fish market and buying my own fish and vegetables to practice on. I knew that working in Japanese cuisine would be a challenge for me for two reasons… One, I didn’t speak the language, and two, I was left handed. Some Japanese chefs won’t hire left handed people - (It’s a very right-handed world). I knew I would need to work harder to get into this industry.

My first job in Japanese cuisine ended up with me running a kitchen in Bellevue. I was lucky, but the 5 years of self study definitely paid off in landing the job.  It was really hard work and long hours but I continued to expand and grow. 

Over the years of working in fine dining… I found myself reaching a point of burn out. I was frustrated that the industry preached a farm-to-table lifestyle but didn’t think about our oceans in the same way.

One night, my wife and I went to Mashiko for our anniversary. Mariah served us an Omakase and it was the first time in a long time I had experienced some new and exciting flavors. It truly rekindled my passion for Japanese cuisine. I think it was then I decided I had to get a job there. I bothered Hajime for a bit until he finally acquiesced and brought me on. I was so excited that I took a huge pay cut to explore this opportunity. After a couple of trial shifts, Hajime noticed that I had some skills and allowed me to work with him and Mariah. I continued to practice on my own and train with Hajime to improve my skills.

I loved working in a restaurant that was sustainable, honest, trying to do something good for the world, and watching Hajime’s approach to it all.  I enjoyed the challenge of sourcing replacements for popular non-sustainable seafood. I also loved exploring new and less common options that most people would overlook, and then creating something incredible from it. This is an idea that I continue to explore today and is one of my favorite things about working here.