SHIBUMI ABOUT Shibumi is an intimate, 40 seat Japanese restaurant and bar located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. Here, acclaimed chef and owner David Schlosser serves seasonally inspired and meticulously prepared cuisine in the traditional Japanese kappo style behind the restaurant’s striking, golden-hued 400-year-old cypress wood counter. Opened to much critical acclaim in 2016, Shibumi - a Japanese term roughly translated as creative restraint - is the confident culmination of chef Schlosser’s extensive experience working at the best restaurants in Los Angeles, Paris, New York, and Kyoto. Chef Schlosser’s intention for Shibumi is to introduce and educate Americans about the wide oferings of Japanese cuisine, outside of well-known sushi and ramen. At Shibumi, he and his team utilize the highest-quality seasonal ingredients to create nuanced, flavorful dishes that are deceptively simply composed and plated, and served to satiate guests in a dark, moody room that also feels approachable, intimate and comfortable. WHAT IS KAPPO? Kappo style cooking originated in Osaka, a large port city on the Japanese island of Honshu. Chefs who cook in the kappo style are trained to master the five diferent primary cooking techniques of grilling, steaming, frying, simmering, and raw preparations in front of a crowd. They must be able understand the importance of presentation, seasonality and quality of ingredients. While kappo style cooking is often compared to kaiseki style, kappo is less formal and defined by cooking in an open kitchen. Overall, the idea is to have the entire experience feel like a flawlessly executed and choreographed meal served in a casual, approachable atmosphere. Shibumi prides itself on having the highest-quality local, organic and sustainable ingredients from FOOD California and Japan, and the menu changes frequently to showcase the seasonality of ingredients at their most prime. Patrons may choose an omakase tasting, at three levels ($65, $90, or $120). They may also dine a la carte, starting of the meal with a variety of snacks such as chinmi - rare delicacies specially created by Chef David - to House-Made Silken Tofu with Ikura-Salmon Caviar and Fresh Wasabi or the refreshing Fresh Seaweed Shot with Grapes. Crowd favorites include Grilled Heritage Pork in Koji with Pickled Daikon and Leek, and Grilled California Holstein Beef Strip with Fresh Wasabi and Nara Zuke Pickles. Sashimi options include Iwagaki Oyster with Fresh Yuzu, Shiso Flower and Mountain Caviar and Japanese Sea Bream with Ginger Bud and Pickled Plum Irizake. Miyazaki Wagyu with Nori and Fresh Wasabi is also ofered as an exotic specialty, available sashimi style and cooked medium rare. Shibumi sources fish from Japan as well as select fishermen from Santa Barbara, using DockToDish FOOD to connect with small-scale fisheries committed to sustainable seafood. Shibumi is also the only restaurant to serve authentic Kobe Beef in Southern California. Fresh vegetable dishes such as Chino Greens with Hemp Seeds, Hemp Oil, Hemp Leaf and Avocado round out the meat and seafood oferings. Guests end the meal on a sweet note with desserts that reflect traditional Japanese ingredients, from Apricot Seed Ice Cream and special seasonal Sakura Mochi. Schlosser also acts as Shibumi’s beverage director, having a deep desire to make sure the restaurant’s beverage program is equally as exciting as the food itself, and taking care to curate and DRINKS create unique beverage pairings from the collection of wine, beer, cider, sake, shochu, cordials, cocktails and rare spirits. A special beverage omakase is available at two levels ($40 and $70) to perfectly complement signature dishes. Shibumi has a 100% organic and biodynamic wine program. Schlosser has allocated rare and unique Japanese whisky and sake from his strong relationships in the Japanese community. Shibumi also features simple cocktails - created to highlight the spirits that the distillers have worked so diligently to create - such as Cherry Bark Shochu with Cherry Blossom garnish, Toki whisky highballs, and cordials including a rice shochu with fermented white melon. DESIGN Shibumi was designed to be discreet, and not overtly recognized as a Japanese restaurant. The relaxed, minimal spot in the midst of busy downtown LA embraces the textures and simplicity of Japan, with great attention-to-detail paid in creating the beautifully simple room. The space’s striking focal point is a long, rounded bar made from a 400-year-old cypress tree, behind which Schlosser meticulously prepares each dish. The cypress wood was sourced from New Orleans after a lucky encounter with a wood-carving craftsman on Frenchmen Street. Schlosser also carefully selected the beautiful, handcrafted ceramic dishware used at Shibumi, making sure the tones and colors would complement the presentation of the food. LOCATION Though downtown LA is slightly of the beaten path, the decision to open Shibumi there is rooted in Japanese-American history. Downtown LA was home to the first Japanese and sushi restaurant in LA, and is also the area where Mutual Trading Company is located, the first importer of Japanese goods into the U.S. By choosing to be located in this neighborhood, Shibumi aims to pay homage to Japanese history in California. ABOUT CHEF-OWNER DAVID SCHLOSSER David Schlosser is the chef, owner, and beverage director of Shibumi. He was born and raised in Santa Monica, growing up in a family that rarely cooked or experienced fine dining. His only experience around Asian culture growing up was going to the local Chinese restaurant on Christmas. Schlosser got his start in the restaurant industry somewhat serendipitously, needing a part-time job while at Santa Monica Community College. He quickly fell in love with the kitchen environment, and worked his way up to be prep chef at a 72 Market Street, a popular restaurant in Venice at the time. Schlosser then crossed the country to attend the Culinary Institute of America. While attending the CIA, he interned in NYC at restaurants run by David Burke and Charlie Palmer. Upon graduation, Schlosser was the only person in his class to get a job in a three starred Michelin restaurant in the south of France, where he quickly learned French and was indoctrinated into the world of the finest dining, and recognized by his fellow chefs for his speedy, precise work. He went on to train in several highly regarded restaurants around France, including L'Arpege in Paris, before returning to the States where he worked for Ludo Lefebvre at L'Orangerie. ABOUT CHEF-OWNER DAVID SCHLOSSER Then, in 2001, a life-changing three day layover in Tokyo led to a new culinary obsession: Japanese cuisine. He returned to LA and became the first ever non-Japanese employee at Ginza Sushiko, working under the famed chef Masa. Schlosser then worked at Urasawa (for Masa’s predecessor) before moving to Japan to live and work there in order to truly understand the country’s traditions, style of hospitality and approach to food. He started of as the chef for the U.S. Ambassador to Japan and trained under some of the world’s most respected and well-known kaiseki chefs including Kikunoi Honten and Arashiyama Kitcho. During his time in Japan, he realized how limited America’s understanding of Japanese cuisine was. Shibumi is Schlosser’s first restaurant born from his 20+ years of international culinary experience and appreciation for traditional Japanese cooking, and desire to share its many oferings with a U.S. audience CONNECT WITH US INSTAGRAM: @shibumidtla FACEBOOK: @shibumi.la 815 S Hill St Los Angeles, CA 90014 (323) 484-8915 [email protected] reservations: OpenTable For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].