Owner - Yuko Hayashi
A native of Osaka, Yuko Hayashi, has always been fascinated with delicious food and the deep satisfaction and joy one experience when dining on great food, especially in the company of good friends. Since relocating to San Francisco, Yuko has focused on seeking out exceptional cuisine in the city, dining out four times a week. Over the years she discovered many excellent restaurants and talented chefs, but very few examples of truly authentic high quality Japanese cuisine, outside of the commonly found “sushi bars”.
As a child, Yuko suffered for many years due to persistent digestive disorders. Despite many visits to doctors, no one was able to identify the cause of her problems, often prescribing medication that would aggravate her condition. As an adult, Yuko discovered that she could avoid most of her symptoms by eliminating processed foods that include additives such as artificial colors, preservatives, sweeteners and pesticides from her diet. Eating fresh, unprocessed, healthy foods became a priority. Yuko began to make her own food from scratch. This became the catalyst to realizing her dream and Yuzuki, Japanese Eatery was born, ushering in a new era of healthy authentic Japanese dining to San Francisco.
The philosophy of being kind to the body extends to Yuko’s surroundings. The value of sustainability is evident at Yuzuki where chopsticks are made from sustainable cedar, and excess food is never thrown away. Bonito flakes used to make the dashi broth which is a base in many of the dishes served at the restaurant are transformed into dog biscuit that are donated to the SPCA. Yuzuki is the first restaurant in the US to install a special chemical free water filtrations system from Japan for cooking, resulting in food with a distinctly superior flavor. The complimentary water served at the restaurant is also the same filtered water.
“In Japanese culture we have a term “mottainai” that expresses deep regret when the intrinsic value of something is not utilized properly. You cannot truly appreciate something when there is waste involved. “I LOVE good food. I wanted to communicate my deep appreciation by using the most fresh, sustainable ingredients to prepare exquisite and delicious dishes, while also utilizing everything to the fullest so as to avoid wastefulness. I hope I can also inspire others to find new and creative ways to express their appreciation for the food that we eat.”
“Mission Dog” Bonito dog biscuit
The bonito flakes left over from making “dashi” broth, used in almost all of the dishes served at Yuzuki, are dried and combined with a few other ingredients to create Yuzuki’s dog biscuit. These dog treats have been distributed through SPCA, dog training sessions, and given out at the restaurant over the years. Due to its overwhelming popularity we have decided to retail these dog treats.
