Chef Andy Matsuda

Born in the Hyogo prefecture near Kobe, Japan in July of 1956, Chef Andy Matsuda's family opened a small Japanese restaurant where he learned the joy of cooking at just 9 years old. At 16, Chef Matsuda imparted on backpacking trip across 16 different countries on multiple continents to understand how sushi plays a role in people's lives outside of Japan. After graduating from high school, Chef Andy Matsuda sharpened his skills at Genpachi, one of the most famous restaurants in Osaka, Japan while becoming a member of Yosei-kai, a sushi chef organization. After 5 years, Chef Matsuda returned home to help expand the family business for a few years, followed by his first life changing decision to move to Los Angeles at the age of 25.

He began his career in Los Angeles in the "Little Tokyo" district as an assistant but after realizing his talents, was almost immediately promoted to Chief Sushi Chef. Over the years, Chef Matsuda worked across the country at high end Sushi Bars including Santa Monica, Aspen, and New York, while also developing his talents through French, Italian, Thai, and other ethnic cuisines.

At 36 years old, Chef Andy Matsuda was diagnosed with Colon Cancer. Through four year of intensive treatment, Chef Matsuda spent much of his time on self-reflection realizing the importance of our relationship with food, our bodies, and the environment. In 2002, he founded the "Sushi Chef Institute" with a mission to convey the essence of Japanese traditional cooking skills and knowledge to the world. At the institute, Chef Andy teaches beginners and professionals the art of Japanese-style sushi outside of Japan. Since then, the school has graduated 1800 individuals across 35 countries. in 2007, Chef Andy was included in "the 100 Japanese people the world respects" (Newsweek Magazine Japanese Edition) and in 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan appointed Chef Matsuda to be "Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador".

Chef Andy Matsuda has worked with Riviera Seafood Club on numerous projects including several YouTube videos on his YouTube channel. Below is one of our favorite video with Chef Andy featuring the Ito family's prized bluefin tuna in which Chef Matsuda prepares nigiri: