Urasawa (restaurant)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Hiroyuki Urasawa |
| Defunct | 2020 |
| Headquarters | Beverly Hills, California , United States |
Key people | Hiroyuki Urasawa (head chef and proprietor) |
| Products | Japanese cuisine, omakase dining experience |
Urasawa was a fine dining Japanese establishment located in Beverly Hills, California, under the direction of head chef Hiroyuki Urasawa, who previously trained as an apprentice with Masa Takayama. By 2018, it was recognized as the second priciest restaurant worldwide, charging $1,111 per guest. The restaurant ceased operations in 2020.
Restaurant
Established in 2003 at the location formerly occupied by Masa Takayama's Ginza Sushi-ko, Urasawa offered an omakase experience consisting of a 30-course menu that changed daily.
Hiroyuki Urasawa
Hiroyuki Urasawa, both chef and proprietor, initiated his culinary journey working at his family’s eatery in Shinjuku, Japan. Following secondary education, he honed his skills in Kyoto at Mangamerou, a two-Michelin-starred Kaiseki restaurant, where he specialized in Yuusoku Ryori and Kyoto-style Tea Kaiseki. Subsequently, he relocated to Los Angeles to apprentice under Masa Takayama, the former proprietor of Ginza Sushi-ko.
Legal issues
In 2013, Urasawa was mandated to pay nearly $70,000 due to penalties and unpaid employee wages. Later, in 2016, a lawsuit was filed alleging unpaid overtime compensation and unfair labor practices involving a previous sous chef.