Meet Jaz Valte and Brian Ogawa of Soosh! in West Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaz Valte and Brian Ogawa.

Jaz & Brian have been friends well over a decade and joined forces to start a new biz during the pandemic called, Soosh!, a premium omakase sushi pop-up. Both found themselves unemployed and thought they would use their skills for this new venture! Brian is a former Nobu sushi chef and has sliced and diced sushi for over two decades. Jaz handles all the marketing, branding, partnerships and isn’t afraid to get in the kitchen when needed. She has been seen making spicy tuna, hand rolls and other signature Soosh! menu items. Both wear various hats and are very hands on when it comes to the operations of the biz. Today they pop-up at the Kimpton La Peer Hotel every weekend for lunch and launched a very successful concept called, HOME-A-KASE where they bring the art of sushi and set up an omakase sushi bar at your home. They are even in talks of a potential brick & mortar project as well as a Soosh! on wheels project. Lots going on in just three months of launching!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Opening during a pandemic is not easy, but both Jaz & Brian had to pivot big time to start Soosh!

Please tell us about Soosh!.
They specialize in the art of sushi and everything from the sushi to the vibe is Soosh-style! They do things their way and that way may not be the most traditional way. They are excited to see their concept is gaining traction, especially having interest with various celebrity fans including Viola Davis.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Jaz & Brian are both hardcore foodies, so it was inevitable that they are in the food world and being friends for so long only makes the experience that much better!

Pricing:

• We do have our weekend pop-up menu with pricing as well as our HOME-A-KASE menu, which can start at $150 per guest

Contact Info:

• Phone: 323-370-9704
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sooshme/?hl=en
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/sooshla

Image Credit:
Soosh!

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