Masa Takayama, renowned chef of the "Masa" restaurant in New York, has distinguished himself for his exceptional culinary talent, earning Three MICHELIN Stars for his innovations in the art of sushi.
Masayoshi Takayama was born in 1954 in the small town of Tochigi, Japan. He grew up immersed in the traditional culinary culture of his family and developed an early passion for cooking. As a teenager, he began preparing meals for his family, experimenting with different dishes.
At 18, he moved to Tokyo with the ambition of becoming a chef. There, he enrolled in a cooking school and after completing his training, he began working in various restaurants, gaining experience and refining his culinary skills. During this time, he became passionate about the art of sushi, specializing in this field at “Ginza Sushi-ko”, where he had the opportunity to work under the guidance of Jiro Ono, one of the most famous sushi chefs in Japan, and “Tokyo Kaikan”.
After a vacation in Los Angeles in 1978, Takayama moved to the United States where two years later he opened his first restaurant, “Saba-ya”. In 1987, “Ginza Sushi-ko” followed, not far from the first location.
In 2004, he opened the restaurant “Masa” in New York, in the Time Warner Center, which quickly became one of the city's most renowned venues. The restaurant is famous for its unique and creative dishes, made with the highest quality ingredients, following traditional Japanese techniques. “Masa” has received numerous awards, including Three MICHELIN Stars since 2009, establishing itself as one of the best restaurants in the world.
Juggling the roles of husband, father of three children, and entrepreneur, in addition to “Masa”, Takayama has opened various other restaurants, including “Bar Masa” and “Kappo Masa” and “Tetsu”, located in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York.
Throughout his career, Takayama has shown a strong commitment to the community, supporting various charitable initiatives. He has supported organizations such as City Harvest and the James Beard Foundation and in 2011 organized a charity event for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, raising over $100,000 for the Japan Society relief fund.
