From New York to Tokyo, Naomichi Yasuda The Sushi Master

The maestro arrives on stage, pulls out his knives, and cuts a thin sliver of fish, adorns it with a small rectangle of rice shaped in his hand, and garnishes with a dab of wasabi, grated by the chef himself, before adding a light touch of soy sauce. For those lucky enough to be witnessing the spectacle, they are about to embark upon an exceptional sensory experience alongside the sushi purist Naomichi Yasuda.

Flashback to New York in 1999 and Yasuda had just opened his restaurant, Sushi Yasuda. In no time at all, he’d built up a reliable customer base, those attracted by the exceptional customer service and the traditional know how of the sushi master. The New York Times soon gave him three stars, and the restaurant quickly became one of the most reputed sushi bars in the city. The celebrated chef Anthony Bourdain even visited the restaurant during one of his shows, and then continued to return every other week from then on.

However, after years of success, having forged a solid reputation, Yasuda surprised everyone, leaving the restaurant to return to Tokyo. In 2011 he opened Sushi Bar Yasuda, a simple space with just a counter and eight seated spaces. Almost instantly customers rushed to try the omakase, a selection of sushi chosen by the chef. Loyal to the attention to quality that has defined his cuisine for so many years, Yasuda still serves his signature toro shallot sushi, as well as bream, caramelised shrimp, tuna, salmon, and various other carefully selected fish. It’s important not to forget the rice either, washed with cold saké and sourced in the fields of the chef’s home region in Chiba, each grain has a subtle vinegar note. While in New York, his restaurant had a reputation for having the best rice in the whole city.  

At 7pm, it’s show time. For the lucky clients, who will have all reserved one month in advance, it is time to take a seat and let the culinary adventure begin. Each sushi is executed with extraordinary precision. You might suppose that the chef requires total silence while at work, however it is quite the opposite, Naomichi Yasuda is full of anecdotes and advice when it comes to tasting his work. There is no need to drown the sushi in soy sauce either, the chef delivers food that is ready to go. From the first bite, diners are at instant ease, and conversation flows between clients, and the chef, whose impeccable English and authentically Japanese sushi, make for a small slice of New York in Tokyo.