MI Chef Wins James Beard Award

MICHIGAN — Chef Hajime Sato was honored at Monday’s James Beard Foundation Awards ceremony at the Lyric Opera in Chicago.

The awards, regarded as the Academy Awards of the U.S. restaurant industry, honor excellence across a range of categories, from fine dining to casual gems.

Sato, a sushi chef, brought home the Best Chef Great Lakes award, making it the first time the award has been given to a sushi restaurant and the first for a Michigan chef in a regional Best Chef category since 2003.

Sato, who opened Sozai in Clawson in 2021, is best-known serving only sustainable seafood and sourcing from ethical sources. In other words, the restaurant looks at key factors including traceability, fish populations, fishing methods and farming practices.

"I’ve been doing ocean conservation and sustainable sushi for 15 years and oceans are not good, as you know, Earth is not in good shape and small restaurants like me cannot really do that much," Sato said during his acceptance speech. "Now everybody here nominations, winners — now you have a voice."

Sato, who has received many local and national accolades, including being named by Bon Appetit magazine as one of the country’s best new restaurants, was also a finalist in the same category last year.

“These remarkable individuals embody the very essence of our Good Food for Good ethos, showcasing exceptional talent, unwavering dedication to their craft, and a steadfast commitment to elevating the industry,” James Beard Foundation CEO Clare Reichenbach said in a news release. “With their passion, skill, and leadership, they are shaping our nation's dining landscape and setting a new standard for culinary excellence.”

Established in 1990, with the first ceremony taking place in 1991, the Restaurant and Chef Awards is one of five separate recognition programs for the foundation’s awards.

The 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards winners are recognized across 22 categories.