A Sarasota area restaurant with a pair of James Beard Award-nominated restaurateurs and staff who has previously worked at Michelin-starred establishments has announced an opening date.
Japanese chef’s counter concept Yūgen will make its debut in University Town Center on the week of Valentine’s Day, according to a press release, taking reservations starting Wednesday, Feb. 11. The intimate, reservation-only 10-seat chef’s counter, operating Wednesday through Sunday with two seatings each evening, will be located at 190 N. Cattlemen Road adjacent to Zōtō Sushi, a Japanese restaurant serving sushi and other raw offerings as well as grilled dishes that opened last year in UTC.
Who’s the team behind Yūgen?
Yūgen will be led by executive chef Atsushi Okawara, who was born in Iwate, Japan and whose resume includes the Michelin-starred restaurants The Den in Miami Beach and Kenzo in Napa Valley. The experience will center on a multi-course kaiseki menu showcasing a wide range of classical Japanese cooking methods, including raw, grilled, steamed, simmered and fried preparations.
“With kaiseki, I can cook in many ways and follow the season,” said Okawara in a statement. “My hope is that guests feel comfortable, enjoy each part of the meal, and feel the thought we put into every dish.”
Both Yūgen and Zōtō were created by Jimmy and Johnny Tung, who were semifinalists for Outstanding Restaurateur in the 2023 James Beard Awards, the food world’s equivalent of the Oscars. Their other restaurants include Bento Asian Kitchen + Sushi, a Florida-based chain serving a variety of Asian dishes such as its namesake bento boxes that formerly had a Sarasota location in the space now occupied by Zōtō, and Kōsen in Tampa, which has earned a Michelin star for two consecutive years and also has a chef’s counter.
The restaurant’s team will also include general manager Janet Kim, formerly of New York City’s three-Michelin-star Masa, and Benjamin Coutts, 2023’s Michelin Guide Florida Sommelier Award Winner, who’ll oversee the beverage program. The menu will be paired with optional wine and sake pairings, along with uni and caviar enhancements.
Designed by Jacob Portillo, the 1,000-square-foot dining room embraces Japanese minimalism, with moody tones offset by warm white oak.
For more information, visit yugenfl.com or visit instagram.com/yugen.fl.
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota restaurant with Michelin, James Beard ties sets opening
Reporting by Jimmy Geurts, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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