Ten months after joining Umi Modern Japanese as Lead Chef, Chef Kazuo Yoshida will introduce his omakase dining experience at M @ Umi in Buckhead. The intimate, eight-seat setting will offer one seating each Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 7 p.m., beginning in mid-September. The omakase is located upstairs from Umi’s main dining room.
Chef Yoshida plans to serve about 19 courses at M @ Umi, which will include otsumami, nigiri, soup, and dessert. “Practicing Omotenashi hospitality and thoughtful, anticipatory service is of utmost importance to me, as is sourcing the best quality ingredients and fish possible,” said Chef Yoshida.
The menu will focus on nigiri and will change based on inspiration from the team. Dishes may include Smoked Bonito Salad, Madai Sashimi, a comparative Ötoro & Chútoro (fatty & medium fatty tuna) tasting, Wagyu Hand Roll with caviar, Uni Risotto, and Butter-Poached Lobster.
Originally from Nagasaki, Japan, Chef Yoshida has been involved with omakase-style restaurants in the United States since moving to New York City in 1992. He is known as the “Uni King” for his work in New York over three decades. “I hope to inspire more people to explore the art of true omakase, complete with bold creativity and craftsmanship that define my signature ‘Kazuo-style,'” he said.
Yoshida previously served as opening chef at Jewel Bako East Village in 2001 and was also the opening chef at Brooklyn’s 1 or 8 in 2010. In Miami in 2015, he helped open MYUMI—the city’s first omakase sushi truck—before moving to Atlanta to join Umi. Before relocating to Atlanta, he worked at Juku in downtown New York City.
The space for M @ Umi was designed by Design Research Studio (DRS) and Gareth Payne Studio. The 250-square-foot area features globe pendants, an oversized acrylic painting by late Atlanta artist Todd Murphy, and white yakisugi walls created using a traditional Japanese technique that chars cedar boards for added texture.
