Turks and Caicos Islands - Dining Experience

From Tokyo to the Turks

There is no denying the fact that Chef Yoshi Ono has come a long way … 8000 miles as the crow flies (give or take a few) to be exact, with several unusual diversions and detours along the way! Having cultivated an absolute passion for sushi from an early age, Yoshi determined to dedicate himself to learning the highly esteemed culinary art of sushi purely for his own self-indulgences. Little did he realize that many years later, he would be a celebrated and successful sushi chef with two thriving establishments to his credit, Matsuri Sushi Bar, and his most recent and more expansive venture, Yoshi’s.

An only child, Yoshi was born and raised in the capital city of Tokyo, Japan. He recalls a fascination with food, which began as early as age 6, and attributes learning a great deal from his mother in the traditional art of Japanese cuisine, who he fondly admits, was a wonderful cook. On his way home from school, he would often stop at Miyako, a local sushi bar owned by family friends to satisfy his yen for sushi. Engrossed and captivated by the skill and expertise of the sushi chef, Yoshi was the consummate observer. The Chef soon recognized Yoshi’s immense desire to learn and offered to apprentice him at the age of 18. His humble beginnings at Miyako originated with washing vegetables, peeling shrimp and dishwashing, all the while digesting all he possibly could in the art of sushi making and in sushi itself. Very strict about the fish, the Chef would not permit anyone else to handle it, as mistakes became costly ones if the fish would have to be discarded. After the first year, Yoshi was permitted to prepare sushi rolls, but initially practiced only with paper in place of seaweed. By his third year, he had learned much of the basics under his sushi master, content and prepared to perpetuate and accommodate his own exclusive sushi desires on his own.

With the objective of earning more money, he drove trucks for a period of time, now able to finance and facilitate his next aspiration, travelling to Europe to learn the English language. Upon selecting a language school, Yoshi’s criterion was to choose a school with a low Japanese student population that ultimately led him to Ireland. Learning the language and taking in the sights of the beautiful country, he also worked part time in a Chinese restaurant, intrigued and inspired by the totally different style of food preparation, practices and techniques from sushi, continually learning while paying unceasing attention to every detail. Following a brief return to Tokyo, Yoshi then travelled to New Zealand to attend flight school where he acquired his Private Pilots License. From New Zealand to California, he further acquired his Instrument License, Commercial License and his Multi-Engine Certifications.

The next diversion, which was to be the most significant of all, was to Orlando, Florida to visit a friend and fellow sushi chef. When Beaches, Turks and Caicos offered his friend the opportunity to work in their Caribbean resort he first decided to investigate the islands. Feeling that the islands were too small for him, he directed the attention of Beaches recruitment to his friend, Yoshi. Adventurous and enterprising, sight unseen, Yoshi arrived in 2002, lured and excited by the anticipation of diving. At first surprised by this tiny archipelago of islands and their peace and tranquility, he quickly adapted to his new island lifestyle, enjoying the fact that outside of his sushi chef hours of one in the afternoon to ten or eleven in the evenings, his mornings were free to spend diving and playing tennis. Life was good.

It didn’t take Yoshi long to recognize that many island residents frequented Beaches on a regular basis on guest passes to enjoy the restaurants, including the ever-popular Sushi Bar. In fact, it was several of those resident regulars who planted the seed and encouraged and convinced Yoshi to open his own Sushi Bar.

In January 2005, Chef Yoshi Ono officially opened the doors to Matsuri, thrilled and overwhelmed by the immediate popularity and success. With a menu boasting over 100 items, the world-class sushi coupled with the trendy and hip décor was an instant success, and has been ever since. Following the initial success of Matsuri, Chef Yoshi opened yet another establishment in The Salt Mills in Grace Bay in Spring 2007 aptly named, Yoshi’s. Here, he ‘mixes it up’ with a combination of Oriental, European and Caribbean décor. In addition to serving world-class sushi favourites, Yoshi also offers traditional Japanese cuisine featuring beef and chicken teriyaki, Japanese curries and steaks, including some very special authentic recipes from his mother. In fact, Yoshi looks forward to her upcoming visit this summer, proud and eager for her to experience the successes of Matsuri Sushi Bar and Yoshi’s for the very first time.

Although Yoshi created the menu based on what he feels appeals to his customers, his own personal favourite, #81, Blue Water is named for the beautiful waters that envelop Providenciales. He can’t explain why, it’s just simply everything you like ~~ Yellowtail and avocado on top of a French roll with roe and scallion.

If you’ve never had a sushi experience before, Chef Yoshi recommends trying a combination dish #102 Aki, offering nigiri and a roll combo. His Kamikaze and Volcano have drawn huge acclaim, a creative combination of flavours, textures and vivid colours that are a feast to the eyes as well as your palate.

Never losing sight of the importance of a balanced life, Yoshi takes pleasure in the simplicity of relaxation and rare opportunities spent dining out with his wife. I was curious what a seasoned sushi chef would order and Yoshi insists he just can’t resist a big, fat juicy steak … medium-rare …but always with rice on the side! Although diving has eluded him since leaving Beaches, he still manages to play tennis on a regular basis and hopes to return to diving and perhaps even flying in the near future.

Japanese culture has been long celebrated for its proverbs … philosophical wisdom applied to day-to-day life imparting inspiration, happiness and contentment. One which I happened upon seemed particularly befitting to Yoshi, “I will master something, then the creativity will come.” If you have ever had the good fortune to experience Chef Yoshi’s unparalleled cuisine you will undoubtedly agree that he is clearly a master sushi chef, a passionate artist with a seemingly unceasing abundance of creativity. Good fortune indeed for the island of Providenciales!