Kaz Sushi Bistro

ABOUT US

Catering	We cater for various occasions, hotels, home and office parties, wedding, birthday and other special events. Please give us a call for details including party platters.

Gift Certificate	Any amount is available. Please come in or contact us by phone or e-mail.

Cooking Class	Chef Kaz gives sushi or Japanese cooking classes for groups of 10 to 20 people. If you have an organized group who is interested in taking hands on lessons, please contact us by phone or e-mail.

VIP Card Program	Appreciation to our frequent diners. Free membership and get one point on every one dollar you spend. Save 200 points and you receive $15 gift card, or 300 points for $25 gift card.

Bio	KAZ (Kazuhiro) Okochi was born and raised in Nagoya, Japan. After completing his studies in fine art in Oklahoma in 1982 he returned to Japan to attend Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka, one of Japan's premier culinary schools. At Tsuji he became interested in French cuisine and also explored such fields as Chinese cooking, pastry, ice carving, and, of course, traditional Japanese fare. Around this time he began to dream of returning to the United States and developing his own style of Japanese cuisine. Kaz studied in Osaka for five more years to complete his formal training in sushi and fugu (blowfish) preparation. In 1988, Kaz's U.S. dream began to take shape when he came to Washington, D.C., to work at Sushi-Ko, Washington's oldest sushi bar. As Executive Chef, Kaz was involved in both food preparation and the many aspects of restaurant management. He was one of the first Japanese chefs in America to develop modern menu items from old, time-honored Japanese recipes, and he was the first to introduce premium Japanese sakes to the nation's capital in 1992. In 1999, Chef Kaz Okochi opened KAZ Sushi Bistro in downtown Washington, D.C. The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) named KAZ Sushi Bistro one of the year's top five new restaurants, and it quickly became one of the capital area's hottest Japanese dining destinations. Since then KAZ Sushi Bistro has won many honors, including the 2006 RAMMY Award for Informal Dining Restaurant of the Year. Always on the "cutting edge," Chef Kaz works with Japanese, Western, and other international flavors to create what he calls "freestyle Japanese cuisine"—original presentations, often with a modern twist. Along with Chef Roberto Donna, Chef Michel Richard, Chef Jeff Buben, and others, Kaz Okochi is one of the original members of DC Chef's Club, founded to honor the legendary Chef Jean-Louis Palladin, who passed away in 2001. Kaz is involved in many local charity events, as well as national and international food organizations and events. He is also very involved in the James Beard Foundation in New York and the Food and Fun Event in Iceland.

	SUSHI and other cuisine at KAZ Sushi Bistro has been described as "Japanese tradition meets American innovation." Many of the unique and creative menu items that make up what Chef Kaz calls his "freestyle Japanese cuisine" reflect the Japanese spirit of Zen in their refined simplicity. All are marked by the pursuit of perfection, beginning with the finest ingredients. When it comes to Japanese, the pursuit of perfection starts with the rice—perhaps the most complex and challenging aspect of sushi preparation. Chef Kaz uses the highest quality domestic short-grain rice (Koshihikari) and carefully adjusts the amount of water and cooking time according to the weather and season to yield perfect sushi rice every time. You may notice that the sushi rice at KAZ Sushi Bistro has a slightly reddish hue. This is due to the use of aged red rice vinegar, which has a much higher amino acid content than conventional rice vinegar. When forming the sushi, Chef Kaz applies delicate pressure to the rice to control the amount of space between the grains and achieve the optimum density, size, and shape for each type of fish used. He also applies exactly the amount of wasabi suitable for each variety. The soy sauce used with the sushi is a special house blend made from premium soy sauce purchased from a micro brewery in Japan. The nori (seaweed) used to make maki sushi (rolls) is a natural product, and as such can be inconsistent in quality. Chef Kaz selects the nori carefully by flavor, color, and texture. He also works hard to locate the best sources for premium seafood. The seafood served at KAZ Sushi Bistro comes from all over the world, from the immediate area to Hawaii, Alaska, Norway, Tasmania, New Zealand, and especially Japan. Combining a serious, traditional approach with an enthusiasm for the new, Chef Kaz seasons his sushi using both conventional and unconventional ingredients with the aim of enhancing rather than masking the natural flavor. Diners are pleasantly surprised by Chef Kaz's creative use of such accents as mango puree, basil sauce, and many others. This is how "tradition meets innovation."

	BISTRO is a small restaurant that serves moderately priced meals in a casual setting. Originating in Paris, bistros nowadays are often associated with nontraditional cuisine. Chef Kaz named his restaurant Sushi Bistro to reflect its relaxed atmosphere and his own approach to Japanese cuisine, with his emphasis on elegant simplicity and the harmonious blend of old and new.