INGOOD TASTE
Buzz , Sushi Chef , Umai
Candid conversations with the dining scene ’ s most engaging chefs
Umai 297 Beverly Road , Mt . Lebanon 412.344.7874 , umaimtlebo . com
On the Menu : An eclectic mix of Japanese and Thai cuisine featuring a sushi and raw bar and fresh seafood plates from oysters ( changes daily ), tuna , sushi and sashimi to grilled skewers , Asian chowder , Japanese salad and burgers , big bowl noodles of Shoyu Ramen and Yaki Soba , to name a few , plus a happy hour featuring half-price oysters , beer and house wine every Monday-Saturday , 4 to 6 p . m .
You ’ re known as Buzz — just Buzz ?
Q A
Yes , just Buzz . I ’ m the sushi chef . But , I ’ m really the Hydro Ceramic Engineer — that ’ s long for dishwasher . It ’ s been my title for 35 years .
What led you to work at Umai ? I was working at a farm-to-table up north and running the restaurant that produced the catering . We hosted about 70 or 80 weddings a year on the farm . I did that for three years and it got to be too much . I learned about Umai and the owner and I connected . I started here this past June . My primary focus is the sushi menu . We collaborate to create each dish to infuse Thai and Japanese cuisine .
What ’ s your background in cultivating your sushi ? Trying to get a hold of the best fish I can — plus the love I have for the culture . I was married to a woman for 17 years who is Korean and I spent quite a few years working at a Japanese restaurant and traveling to Thailand .
What continues to spark your interest in the kitchen ? I ask myself that question every day after long , 80-hour weeks I ’ ve put in for more than the past
Umai in Mt . Lebanon . three decades . I suppose the bottom line is I still love food and I still have passion for the work I do . It comes down to when I ’ m working at the Sushi Bar . I hand customers their meal and immediately I can see them enjoy it — it ’ s the ultimate instant gratification .
What kitchen tool can ’ t you live without ? First , that would be a rice cooker . Second would be a knife . I ’ m really “ old school ” like that . I ’ d rather chop garlic with a knife than a Cuisinart . Chefs or cooks can lose a lot of the oils of an ingredient with a machine ; a knife is always best .
What is your favorite quick meal to prepare at home ? I don ’ t cook at home . I ’ m never there and my daughters ( Tess and Angela ) are all grown up now . I brought them into the business when they were younger , to discourage them from wanting to be in the business as adults . When you work in restaurants you don ’ t have your weekends and you don ’ t have your holidays . I ’ d see my children more if they were working with me all of the time . Fortunately enough , Angela is in grad school now and she comes in to work with me at Umai one day a week .
What ’ s your favorite go-to ingredient ? Fish . I like using different white fish , such as bronzina and dorade . Our fish comes in on a daily basis and we filet it in front of the customers .
Best advice for a novice ? The most important thing to remember is to be careful and not cut or burn yourself . Also , learn to multitask , which includes thinking of 30 different things at one time . If you ’ re cooking three different dishes and each dish requires 10 ingredients , there are your 30 different things . But , the best advice I can give is to stay off your cell phone .
Other than Umai , where is your favorite place to eat in the city ? I really like Meat and Potatoes . I order the bone
The modern and plush dining room at Umai .
Umai ’ s chef and owner , Mayjeera Shiobara , with sushi chef , Buzz .
A colorful plate of Toto Roll with shrimp tempura wrapped in salmon , tuna and hirame .
A hearty bowl of Pork Ramen with roasted pork loin , bean sprout , bamboo shoot , onion and egg .
marrow in the winter . It ’ s a really good seasonal dish for your body when it ’ s cold because it ’ s a fatty food that will keep you warm . I also like Cure in Lawrenceville — they do good and honest work .
What ’ s the next big food or dining trend ? A trend might be headed toward chefs serving small restaurants with only the chefs working , without servers . The menu would be A-Z sustainable and everything recyclable with zero waste . n
— Reese Randall
Photos provided by Umai .
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