CHEF KAZUTO MATSUSAKA

Dina’s Thoughts
As owner and executive chef of Los Angeles’ popular Beacon Restaurant, Chef Kazuto has become, in my opinion, one of the best Asian American chefs. He left his native Japan at the tender age of 22, hoping to become what he is today, a highly acclaimed and accomplished chef in the United States. Like any successful human being, Chef Kazuto can credit his accomplishments to great passion and persistence.

We trace his humble beginnings to a Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles that was lucky enough to hire him as a teppan chef before his journey truly began. Through the months and years, Chef Kazuto honed his extraordinary skills at various establishments, including the acclaimed French restaurant, Ma Maison, where one of the most crucial relationships of his career began, that with the now infamous Wolfgang Puck.

Chef Kazuto’s visions and horizons began widening, with a greater understanding of fusion cuisine and the endless possibilities that came with it. After some time at L’Hermitage, he then returned to his longtime friend and mentor, Wolfgang Puck, to complete a stint at Spago before heading Chinois in Santa Monica. As people the world over began to take notice of Chef Kazuto’s enviable talents and unique interpretations of Asian meets American cuisine, various projects began to come his way, including the prestigious George V in Paris, where he served as executive consulting chef during its renovation. Southern California is blessed to be home to the great Chef Kazuto, who continues to dazzle loyal fans with his ever changing roster of Asian Fusion delectable delights at Beacon LA.

Chef Kazuto Matsusaka