SushiMakio opened its doors on December 3rd, 2013.
www.SushiMakio.com
Not only are the Sushi dishes at SushiMakio scrumptious on the palate, but each plate is beautifully crafted and presented as edible artwork. This is not your run of the mill fish; the seafood leaving Idesako's kitchen is a study in perfect seasoning, aged just so, brining out subtle textures and flavors you won't find from careless preparation. We invite you to experience the difference. Visit Executive Sushi Chef Makio Idesako at SushiMakio and sample the delicious offerings that he prepares six days a week for dinner. Call in advance to reserve your seat at the Sushi Bar for an Omakase experience ($55pp -7 Courses, $65pp 8 Courses, $75pp 10 Courses) and Makio will craft a personal sushi adventure tailored to your tastes.
Sushi Master Makio Idesako came to New York in 1972 after 10 years of intensive training in Satsuma and Tokyo, Japan to pursue his dream of opening a restaurant in the United States. Sushi had only breached the shores of California a mere decade prior in 1964, when Chef Mashita of the Tokyo Kaikan restaurant in Los Angeles created the first "California Roll." Not yet the cultural phenomenon ubiquitous in strip malls across the country, Sushi was practiced only by master technicians in their stark temple-like kitchens of buddhist simplicity. A knife, the fish, and the hands of a master were the traditional Japanese ingredients upon which Modern American Sushi built it's own identity.
Chef Makio honed his craft with fellow visionaries at Manhattan's Tokubei 86 and the French-Fusion Cafe Seiyoken before realizing his dream with the opening of Satsuma-Ya Japanese Restaurant in 1989. This family business was the talk of Mamaroneck, NY for over a decade, and Mike, as regulars at Satsuma started to call him, was often praised by patrons and press for his meticulous craftsmanship and artistic flair. Satsuma-Ya was a reflection of Mike's roots in the Kogoshima Prefecture (formerly Satsuma) where he was raised and began his culinary career at the age of 19.
Great Sushi is informed by Japan's rich cultural appreciation for aesthetics and balance. The arts of ike-bana (flower arranging), origami (artistic paper folding), ukiyo-e (woodblock printing), kabuki (classical dance drama), bonsai (topiary sculpture) and other Japanese cultural institutions can be found reflected on the plate. From Manhattan to Westchester, Poughkeepsie to Long Island, Makio has been infused with New York "Chutzpah" without loosing sense of his roots.
Satisfied with his accomplishments, Idesako had closed Satsuma's doors in 2005 for a brief retirement when he received a call from John Novi, chef/owner of the DePuy Canal House in High Falls, NY. Hailed by Time Magazine as "The Father of New American Cooking," Novi's successful fine dining bistro was lacking the essential flavor of Sushi. Turning to his friend Makio, together they created Amici Sushi, and the public immediately took notice. It was at Amici that Makio perfected his Omakase - A style of Sushi service where the patron entrusts the Chef to curate an innovative selection of hand picked dishes. Omakase is likened to an artistic performance, highlighting the Chef's mastery of technique, fish selection and palate as offerings transition from delicate to bold over as many as ten courses.
With the success of Amici came the opportunity to migrate to Bull & Buddha, a massive undertaking by restauranteur Jacob Frydman. Makio brought his skills to this upscale Poughkeepsie restaurant, and continued to receive high praise for his sushi, especially the Omakase. With momentum at his back and a world of innovation ahead, Makio left the Bull & Buddha to take on a new vision at SushiMakio.
Sushi is so massive in the U.S. that many modern restaurants are owned and operated by Korean and Chinese proprietors with sparse training and little concern for tradition. Makio maintains that his Japanese upbringing and strict education set his Sushi apart from the "factory style" sushi appearing everywhere from supermarkets to gas stations. Though he believes anyone, from any country, can become a Sushi Master with the proper training and time, he laments the mass-production of today's packaged Sushi. Chef Makio is highly regarded in both America and Japan for his sushi preparations and has many well known admirers in the industry including Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, with whom he played baseball in NYC parks when they first came to Manhattan in the 70's as young men with big dreams. If you want to experience truly masterful sushi, at the hands of culinary giant, then you must visit Makio Idesako at SushiMakio.
