Sushi Kappo Tamura
Sushi Kappo Tamura
ABOUT US
Using local and seasonal ingredients is the most important element in Japanese cuisine. It also has become the primary principle for the international culinary community. With commitment to that philosophy, Sushi Kappo Tamura features seasonal ingredients of the Pacific Northwest in authentic Japanese preparation.
Tamura is a Kappo style restaurant where food is prepared in an open kitchen and served quickly in a lively environment where staff and guests talk about the food and beyond. Our goal is to become the very best restaurant to our guests by getting to know them and serving them in a personable yet professional manner.
LOCAL, SEASONAL, SUSTAINABLE
Sushi Kappo Tamura sources its ingredients from NW farms and fisheries like Taylor Shellfish, Skagit River Ranch, and Wild West. It also partners with Seattle Urban Farm Company to plant and maintain a rooftop garden that provides hyper-local produce for some of the restaurant’s dishes. In doing so, Sushi Kappo Tamura hopes to create positive and long lasting relationships among local producers and be a leader for environmental stewardship in the restaurant industry.
GARDEN
Earlier in July of 2012 Sushi Kappo Tamura planted the first seedlings for our rooftop garden, and we couldn’t have been more excited! From a little ‘TLC,’ our urban farm has finally come to fruition with young, leafy tendrils avidly absorbing sunrays to grow into delicious herbs and vegetables. Tender, loving care? Close, but not quite. Here at Sushi Kappo Tamura (SKT), ‘TLC’ translates to ‘Tending to our Local Communities,’ stemming from our belief in creating positive, long-lasting relationships with our familial, social, and environmental circles.
SMART CATCH
Just as greens need nutrients to yield the most vibrant leaves, so do we; we can only extend the best by simply being our best. SKT is rooted down by the “Kappo family,” a team of people who hold a high level of respect for one another. With a shared sense of camaraderie held amongst us, we express this natural, warm energy through the company we offer. Our social circle is comprised of our guests, building tenants, and everyone else that joins us for an evening. Sitting opposite each other, our chefs and patrons share not just simple words or pleasantries but a mutual enjoyment of Japanese cuisine and culture that ties us together.
The Kitchen
The Kitchen
Taichi Kitamura
Executive Chef/ Owner
Taichi Kitamura is the executive chef and co-owner of Sushi Kappo Tamura. He trained under his mentor Shiro Kashiba for years and worked at I Love Sushi before starting Chiso in Fremont in 2001. Almost a decade later, Taichi sold Chiso and opened Sushi Kappo Tamura with his business partner Steve Tamura in 2010.
Born in Kyoto to a family of restaurateurs, Taichi has always been very comfortable in the kitchen. He was inspired to become a sushi chef by his natural surroundings in Kyoto. It was there Taichi discovered his fascination with aquatic life. As a child, he frequently visited nearby creeks and waterfalls to examine the small fish and amphibians in the area.
Taichi lived in Kyoto until he was 16 when he became an exchange student at Lynwood High School. He then went on to earn his bachelor’s degree with a focus in international studies from Seattle University. Today he lives in the north Seattle area with his wife, daughter, and Jack Russell Terrier.
When not cooking at Sushi Kappo Tamura, Taichi enjoys spending time with his family and fly fishing in Seattle area waterways. He also enjoys eating at casual western style restaurants like Sand Point Grill that have a friendly staff and create a good sense of community for diners.
matt curtis
Sous Chef
Matt Curtis is a sous chef at Sushi Kappo Tamura. He started working at the restaurant in 2013. Matt is an advocate for traditional flavors when it comes to Japanese food. He believes Sushi Kappo Tamura’s focus on sustainable and local ingredients play a role in helping retain those traditional flavors.
Matt got his start in the kitchen in North Seattle at the age of 16. He started his training with routine kitchen work like washing dishes, scaling fish, cooking rice, and eventually leveled up to making sushi. Matt was drawn to sushi by the level of detail each piece requires and the art like element to final dishes. In addition to his traditional training in the kitchen, he furthered his expertise at Le Cordon Bleu where he was formally trained in the culinary arts.
Outside of the kitchen, Matt likes to spend time with his family outdoors. Together they explore the region's parks, beaches, and wilderness areas. At home, his family enjoys a mixture of food types including Korean and American style foods.