New TOSAI SUSHI with A Surprising Pedigree

(Gerry Furth-Sides) New TOSAI SUSHI in the posh food court of Westfield Century City is guaranteed to the quality of the finest Asian market fish and seafood.  That’s because  Tonny Soesanto created it.  Tonny started first as a restaurateur 30 years ago a few miles away in Beverly Hills with Edoko.  He eventually founded Kikka, a sushi supplier to markets and institutions in the greater Los Angeles Area and 30 states nationwide. Now Tonny is back just a few miles away.

 

TOSAI only uses sustainable ingredients that are free of antibiotics and growth hormones, and none of our products contain MSG or artificial colors/flavors.  Vegan and vegetarian options and products are made with gluten-free ingredients.

“Tosai” refers to a fresh fish, one technically under one year old. “Nisai” means a two-year-old fish.

Master Chef Ando Yoshiharu presents a classic vision out of history as he cuts down a whole, huge, fresh tuna and turns it into gorgeous sashimi at the official store opening in Century City.

The chefs who work at TOSAI have perfected the art of making sushi since 1986.  Explains, Tonny, “the quality of our sushi begins with the delicate taste of perfectly blended sushi rice. Not too tart or too sweet, combined with the highest attainable quality of fish and you have a time-honored recipe for success.”

Master Chef Ando Yoshiharu was born in Beppu, Japan, a city famous for its spa resort on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu.  At the age of 15, he started his culinary career working at a traditional French restaurant in Japan. After learning French techniques, Ando then started working at a fish market where he learned how to select the finest quality fish.   The chef mastered the art of cutting, cleaning and ultimately preparing the highest quality sushi. In 1984, Ando moved to the United States to continue his work as a master fish cutter and sushi chef.

The “glam” food court with soaring ceilings over the indoor seating and umbrellas over the outdoor tables with a view is as luxe as any resort.  The sophisticated, elegant sushi platters below are named in honor of different famous cities in Japan and would earn a place of honor at any party.

Manager Tanya Palomo was born and raised in the friendly and sophisticated food town of Portland, Oregon, where she found her passion for the fast-paced restaurant industry 22 years ago, working the line in a restaurant.

TOSAI SUSHI (www.tosaisushi.com) starts with the highest quality, fresh sushi as you would get in an Asian market, all in a case for convenience (see Tonny’s role in KIKKA SUSHI).  Additional creative menu items have been added to this new location.

Tonny’s partners are Iwan Surdasono and Daniel Yuwono, shown above.

Tonny is also the founder of KIKKA SUSHI, which has been a sushi supplier since 1986 in over 20 states with a diverse clientele ranging from supermarkets, businesses, and restaurants to universities and hospitals.

CEO Soesanto is very hands-on, participating in the evaluation, expansion, planning, and day-to-day operations of Kikka. Originally specializing only in sushi, the visionary Soesanto has expanded the Kikka line to include popular Asian dishes,  such as Japanese tempura, Chinese noodle bowls, Korean bibimbap, along with  Indonesian and Vietnamese dishes.

Tonny received a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering at UC Berkeley, where he published a paper on fructose, sucrose, and glucose, and perfected his “bear instincts” – catching, cooking and eating fish. He then earned his Masters in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology.