LIVESTREAM: Chef Katsumi Kusumoto, Executive Chef of acclaimed Tokyo vegan restaurant SAIDO, will be visiting the ICE LA campus from Japan on January 10th at 12 pm Pacific Time.
Chef Kusumoto will demonstrate two of SAIDO’s signature dishes: vegan unagi “eel” and purin, a Japanese custard dessert. Chef Kusumoto is visiting the U.S. for a limited amount of time and we are so excited to welcome him to ICE!
This demonstration is presented in collaboration with the Japan House LA Foundation.
About Chef Kusumoto:
Chef Katsumi Kusumoto is the Executive Chef at SAIDO Restaurant located in Tokyo, Japan, which was named Best Vegan Restaurant Worldwide in 2019 by HappyCow, the world’s top vegan/vegetarian media channel.
Chef Kusumoto was born in Okayama Prefecture. After graduating from the Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka at age 19, Chef Kusumoto worked at top French cuisine restaurants and hotels in Tokyo, where he developed and refined his culinary techniques. After spending many years practicing French cuisine, he was drawn to the delicate taste of Japanese cuisine and made a career change to Japanese cuisine-focused chef. For nine years, he was Executive Chef at Kusumoto, a members-only Japanese restaurant in Tokyo where he developed specialized vegan, gluten-free, Halal and Kosher menus for his clients, as well as in-flight dining for private jets.
In February 2019, Chef Kusumoto joined Funfair Inc. and began operating SAIDO restaurant as the Executive Chef, where he continues to delight guests with his refined, contemporary take on Japanese vegan cuisine. He also produced a menu for ‘Samurai Ramen UMAMI Premium’, a Japanese vegan restaurant in Johor Bahru in Malaysia.
Chef Kusumoto’s cooking style is simple but innovative, exploring modern variations of Japanese cuisine with a French influence. He believes the most flavorful cuisine is made simply with the best, highest quality products – including fresh seasonal ingredients, herbs, vegetables and quality infused oils – and aims to inspire and educate guests about the philosophy of Japanese cuisine.
Chef Kusumoto has appeared on many media channels and TV networks in Japan such as Yahoo!JAPAN News, Gendai Business and ANN. He has been a Halal cuisine advisor in Tokyo, as well as an ambassador for Japan’s ethical eating community.