February 6, 2017

Meet Hiro Saito of Kirari West in Redondo Beach

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hiro Saito.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born and raised in Japan and, although I love my country, for as long as I can remember I have been drawn to American culture. I grew up watching American movies and listening to American music. So after graduating High School, I decided to move to the states. I was interested in pursuing a career in the arts and spent some time doing photography and filmmaking. During that time, I was also getting a lot of experience is the restaurant industry and began to enjoy that work. I became the manager of one of the busiest restaurants in the San Fernando Valley, Hugo’s in Studio City. Hugo’s had a great concept in that it serves many different types of foods that meet a variety of different dietary needs. It was there that I saw a significant need for more gluten-free foods.

In 2013, there was a devastating earthquake in Fukushima Japan where my family is from. The fear of losing them made me want to do more than just talking with them once a month. I suggested to my family, that we expand the several bakeries that they were operating there and we open up one in the states and extend the family business. This way I am in constant communication with them and although we’re thousands of miles apart, we are running a business together and we talk almost daily now.

Running my own store, Kirari West in Redondo Beach has allowed me to incorporate several of my skills and passions into one venture. I am able to be creative in my baking as well as in the photography on my website, I am providing delicious gluten-free food that is healthy for all individuals including those with gluten allergies. I am utilizing my years of experience running a restaurant and last and most importantly, I am able to have a much closer connection day to day with my family back in Japan.

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?
Although I’ve successfully managed restaurants in the past, this was the first experience I’ve had opening up my own store from the very beginning. Finding a location, obtaining permits, issues with finances and ongoing construction woes were all extremely challenging as I was learning all of it as I went along.

Making an excellent quality gluten-free product that is soft and moist and universally enjoyed regardless of any gluten allergy was also challenging but incredibly rewarding when we succeeded.

Please tell us about Kirari West.
We are a 100% gluten-free bakery and cafe. Our mission, to serve quality ingredients with craftsmanship and sincerity, is very much a part of our day today at Kirari. All of our products are made from high-quality GMO-free ingredients. We have bakers who use their craftsmanship to ensure our products are delicious in both appearance and taste. Finally, we believe it’s incredibly important to serve our customers and surrounding community with sincerity through attentive and caring service.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Everyday after school, I would go home and sit and have tea with my grandparents. My parents were very busy running a business so my grandparents would take care of me most days. We would sit on our Tatami mats and have tea. My grandma would bring pickles and pastries and we would chat. They would talk about all about their life stories. These times were my favorite moments in childhood.

Contact Info: