FEATURE
“MY MOTHER ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT EDUCATION WAS VERY IMPORTANT. WHEN WE BUILT THE COMPANY TOGETHER, THAT WAS A MAIN FOCUS.”
GOIN’ GAGA
BY KATIE PACK !
ith a thriving, cross-Pacific ramen and sake business in San Diego and Japan, Ayaka Ito could have sat back and drunk in her success. Instead, she decided to triple it. The sake sommelier (one of only a few in the country) recently opened Sushi Gaga , Asa Bakery, and Bar Kamon, a three-in-one concept in East Village highlighting different aspects of Japanese cuisine. Ito notes that it might have been easier to open multiple locations of the same successful restaurant, but launching several new concepts aligns more closely with her true goal: sharing Japanese culture. It’s an ambition that began with her mother, Kumi Ito, the CEO of their family businesses. “[My mother] always thought that education was very important,” Ito says. “When we built the company together, that was a main focus.” By exemplifying omotenashi—an ingrained concept in Japanese hospitality culture focusing on detailed and humble service—they strive to teach patrons and employees alike about the nuances of Japanese values, cuisine, and, of course, sake. At one of Ito’s new ventures, omakase restaurant Sushi Gaga, guests’ meals feature 18 carefully planned courses with thoughtful sake pairings. Ito works closely with the restaurant’s head chef, Shinnosuke Otsuka, to create combinations that highlight seasonal and regional flavors from Japan. “People really appreciate [the regional pairings],” Ito says. “It’s something that you would probably have to be in that province to experience, but, here in San Diego, you can have a little taste of it.”
"
ou & Yours Distilling Co. founder Laura Johnson knew exactly what she wanted to use
the experience of drinking them and trying them and interacting with them,” she says. After raising $500,000 in starting capital through friends and industry contacts, Johnson opened the doors to a 2,300-square-foot space in East Village in 2017. The building houses the company’s production facility and a massive tasting room offering a robust cocktail program and food menu. The brand launched with two products, You & Yours Vodka and Sunday
Gin. Since then, their portfolio has grown to include seven different spirits and a line of canned libations, inspired by her attempts to make a decent G&T while rocking on her grandfather’s boat. “F- this, we need a can!” she recalls saying. Driven by the need for sea-worthy sips, she sailed fearlessly into the world of ready-to-drink cocktails—which is kind of her style. “If no one’s going to give me a path to learn what I want to learn, then I’ll just figure it out on my own,” she says. “And that’s what we did.”
her business degree from University of San Diego for. “I walked across the stage, got my diploma, and then the next day, I was on a plane to go do a distilling course,” Johnson says. She’d plotted the details of her spirits company while still a student. “I really wanted to create a distilling concept that put an equal amount of thought and effort into not only the spirits themselves, but also
YES, SHE CANNED
BY DANIELLE ALLAIRE
68 NOVEMBER 2023
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker