CHEF MAKOTO OKUWA

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WHAT’S
FOR
DINNER?
by Olga Maria Czarkowski
90 VETTAMAGAZINE.COM
Yummy culinary creations by Chef Makoto Okuwa.
In the spirit of keeping things
international, VETTA caught
up with these three culinary
hot shots to learn a about
their impressive résumés, their
worldwide journey and their
hot venues. Accomplished,
creative and ambitious, these
young food prodigies and
entrepreneurs have set the
bar pretty high for a new
generation of badass chefs.
Here are some new places to
add to your travel to-do list.
“I have a true respect for keeping with
Japanese tradition but also feel it’s
important to add my own variations,
in order to appeal to a wide array of
palates.”
CHEF
MAKOTO
OKUWA
T
hough young
and fresh faced,
Makoto Okuwa
brings over
twenty years of
experience in
traditional Japanese style cooking
to his sushi bar, but also combines
some pretty innovative techniques.
Raised in Nagoya, Japan, Makoto’s
innate passion for food was evident
as early as age 3, when he tried
to make his first hand roll, while
his interest in international cuisine
blossomed around age 12 with his
attempt to make his first omelet.
After ten years of training in Japan,
learning his art from Sushi Master
Makoto Kumazak and then from
legendary Sushi Master Chef
Shinichi Takegasa, Makoto yearned
to expand his body of work and
moved to the US. Settling in
Washington D.C., Makoto worked
closely with Iron Chef Morimoto
and was soon asked to assume
the Head Sushi Chef role at his
first American restaurant. Over the
years, Morimoto’s knowledge and
commitment to traditional Japanese
technique became the foundation
for Makoto, and the restaurateur
became a lifelong mentor. In 2007, Makoto fulfilled his dream
of opening his own restaurant,
Sashi Sushi + Sake Lounge in
Manhattan Beach, California, where
he remains a partner. It was here
that Makoto had the freedom to
be creative with the traditional
Japanese cuisine, while pushing
these boundaries with global
influences. His fresh take on sushi
earned Sashi accolades from Los
Angeles Magazine and the LA
Times. And just for the fun of namedropping, Sashi is a favorite for
local celebrities such as Kourtney
Kardashian, Miley Cyrus and Jimmy
Kimmel. This location is a must on
your next West Coast adventure.
Just four short years later, Makoto
reached a career high by partnering
with famed restaurateur Stephen
Starr, opening his eponymous
restaurant in the renowned Bal
Harbour Shops of Miami. As a
partner of Starr Restaurants,
Makoto continues to evolve his
culinary style crafting playful,
exquisitely presented dishes, which
pay tribute to Japanese customs. “I
have a true respect for keeping with
Japanese tradition but also feel it’s
important to add my own variations,
in order to appeal to a wide array of
palates,” says Makoto.
Makoto has received the James
Beard Foundation Award for
outstanding contribution and the
New York Rising Star Chef award
by StarChef.com. He’s also made
several appearances on the Food
Network’s original “Iron Chef
America” alongside his mentor
Iron Chef Morimoto. Most recently,
Makoto hosted a prestigious dinner
at the James Beard House. Lastly,
he let us know that when he’s not
in the kitchen, he enjoys the finer
things in life including high-end
fashion and surfing, looking forward
to riding the waves in Miami.
VETTAMAGAZINE.COM 91
He created daily menus for some
incredible celebrities, such as Christina
Aguilera, No Doubt, Alice Morrison,
Pink Floyd, Paulina Rubio, Juan
Luis Guerra, Ruben Blades and
Guns N’ Roses.
There are two things you have to
learn from Brian. One: time is of the
essence. Two: there’s no such thing as
opening too many restaurants.
CHEF
CARLOS
DE LA
CRUZ
CHEF
BRIAN
MASSIE
T
here are two
things you
have to learn
from Brian.
One: time is of
the essence.
Two: there’s no such thing as
opening too many restaurants.
You will not believe the
tremendous run this superstar
chef has had over the last
decade… and it seems to us
like he’s just getting started.
A native New Yorker, Brian
decided at an early age that
he wanted to become a chef.
While studying at the Culinary
Institute of America in Hyde
Park, NY, he worked on
weekends for renowned chef
Lidia Bastanich at her three
Manhattan restaurants, Felidia,
Becco and Frico. After
graduating in 1996,
Brian traveled to Italy
and with Lidia’s glowing
recommendation, apprenticed
for Guiltier Marchesia at
his Bella Vista Vineyards in
Erbusco and later for Annie
Floydee at Enoteca Pincourri in
92 VETTAMAGAZINE.COM
Florence. Upon his return
to New York, almost two
years later, Brian was sought
out by restaurateur Charlie
Palmer, who hired him as a
line cook and roundsman at
the famed Aureole in New
York City. When Charlie was
preparing to open Aureole at
Mandalay Bay Hotel and
Casino in Las Vegas in 1999,
Brian had the opportunity to
join the team as Head Sous
Chef. He soon found out
that he had hit the jackpot
by taking his work to Vegas!
A year later, he became the
Executive Chef for the Charlie
Palmer Steak Restaurant, the
first freestanding restaurant
in a Four Seasons Hotel. In
September of 2001, Brian
joined the N9NE Restaurant
Group as Executive Chef
working with owners Scott
DeGraff and Michael Morton.
During his two years with the
group, Brian was responsible
for the kitchens at the N9NE
Restaurant, the Skin Pool
Lounge, Rain Nightclub, Ghost
Bar and the company’s
banquets. Two years later,
Brian was hired as Executive
Chef by The Light Group for
its first restaurant venture: FIX
Restaurant & Bar at the
Bellagio. Massie went on
to oversee the openings
of STACK Restaurant &
Bar at The Mirage (2005),
Diablo’s Cantina (2007),
BRAND Steakhouse (2008)
at Monte Carlo and Union
Restaurant & Lounge at Aria
inside CityCenter (2009). After
having made his huge mark in
Nevada, Massie premiered his
new Italian inspired menu as
Executive Chef at the iconic
Delano, this time in Miami’s
popular South Beach area. Yeah, it’s exhausting
just to read about all his
undertakings, but, no,
Brian has no intention of
slowing down. He’s opening
yet another restaurant in
Las Vegas this fall, called
Hearthstone. Make sure to
add that to your Sin City
schedule and make sure to
#wineyourhearthout.
C
hef Carlos de
La Cruz was
born and raised
in Caracas,
Venezuela, but
truly thrived and
made a name for himself in
New York City. The chef honed
his career as manager in some
pretty hip restaurants such as
Rancho Cafe, Virgil BBQ in
Times Square, Times Square
Cafe, Gigino’s at Wagner Park,
and Dos Caminos Mexican
Restaurant. He has also worked
at 55 Wall at the Regent Hotel
on Wall Street, Megu NYC
in Tribeca, The Sports Club/
LA, the glamorous club New
York Duvet Restaurant and
Nightclub, and at F&T Group’s
QC Celebrity Palace. De La
Cruz then had his hand in
creating seven – yes, seven
– restaurants in the Queens
Crossing Building: Mulan
Modern Asian Cuisine, Mudan
Banquet Hall, TMSK Lounge,
Ah Rhee Soo Japanese and
Korean Restaurant, Rose Tea
House, Bally BBQ & Beer, and
Paris Baguette Cafe.
Back in his hometown, Caracas,
Carlos served as Executive Chef
for the Caracas Pop Festival,
where he created daily menus
for some incredible celebrities,
such as Christina Aguilera, No
Doubt, Alice Morrison, Pink
Floyd, Paulina Rubio, Juan Luis
Guerra, Ruben Blades and
Guns N’ Roses. He was also
in charge of food production
for over 250,000 people in the
stadium. In the fall of 2010, the
President of the Venezuelan
Chef Association, Elia Nora
Rodriguez (a former judge of
the World Association of Chef
Societies), honored De La Cruz
with the Lifetime Achievement
award…talk about local pride.
Venturing onto other exciting
fields, he published Bitacora
Gastronomica de Venezuela,
a fun book featuring over 300
traditional Venezuelan recipes
for the enjoyment of readers
in America and abroad. He
also published Bitacora del
Vino in Europe. Back in the Big
Apple, Carlos is proud to have
established a sexy new trend in
the restaurant industry, offering
upscale dining on a bed at
Duvet Restaurant and Lounge,
following Sabina Belkin’s
concept. More recently, he took
on the task of managing Piquant
Restaurant in Brooklyn, where
he reconnected Sabina and
Lorraine Belkin (the daughters
of the Russian magnate Eduard
Belkin) in a new venture, Duo
Restaurant and Lounge on
Madison Avenue in New York
City. He’s also shared his
cooking genius at venues such
as Tio Luca Cocina and Vino,
on Lenox Avenue in Manhattan,
Tacos and Tequila Mexican
Grill in the Atlanta Metro area in
Georgia, just to name a few. He
proudly sponsored and served
as Executive Chef for The Latin
Fashion Week New York 2013,
and wrote as chef columnist for
Sofrito Magazine. In the mood
for a cocktail? Carlos also has
patrons covered. He’s also the
Executive Chef and Mixologist
at “Dama Tequila”, responsible
for creating a high-end luxury
cocktail collection.
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