Michigan chef who won James Beard Award closes sushi restaurant
A Michigan chef and restaurant owner who won a 2024 James Beard Award announced that his business is closing.
Chef Hajume Sato, who owned Sozai in Clawson, announced the closure on social media Sunday, saying, "It is clear that the best thing for my family is for us to return to the Pacific Northwest."
"It will be extremely difficult to leave Sozai behind. I put everything I had into building something special for my customers and to further my work as a sustainable seafood advocate," Sato said in the statement. "Thank you to everyone who has shared wonderful times with me at Sozai. I will cherish those memories. My sincerest hope is that you will continue to try new things."
In 2024, Sato won the Best Chef: Great Lakes award, making him the first sushi chef to win a regional Best Chef award. He competed against other chefs from Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.
Sato first opened a restaurant in Seattle 30 years ago, but opened Sozai in 2019 after he and his wife relocated to Metro Detroit so his wife could receive cancer treatment. During his acceptance speech, Sato admitted he didn't know much about the James Beard Awards until a few years ago.
When his wife called to tell him he had been nominated, he said, "Ah, that's for the fancy chefs, you know. I'm not it."
"I'm one of those guys. Can I make the sushi rice a little better today than yesterday? Can I make an impact on one person's life when I serve sushi? That's who I am," Sato said.
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The main dining area kept the terracotta-colored ceiling from the space's Ardent days, but now also has vibrant, Mediterranean-inspired teal paint on the walls. A large floral mural on a wall at the back of the main dining room was created by Viroqua artist Audra Grosz of Tattoo Zuzu, a tattoo shop. The left-side space at Purslane, which was most recently home to Ardent's tasting room, acts as an informal lounge for those who want a snack and a drink — either while waiting for a table or as a casual pop-in, no matter if you're dining next door. Dubbed the Meyhane lounge, the space has seating for 20, including at tables, the bar and a small couch. The area is open for walk-ins during Purslane's regular business hours Thursday to Saturday. Anyone is welcome to order snacks, sip a glass of wine and maybe play a game of backgammon on one of the provided sets. In the lounge, Viroqua-based artists Gabriela Jiménez Marván and Ryan Rothweiler of Marván Art & Design designed and painted a wall mural featuring the restaurant's namesake plant, the purslane. In the same area, Purslane has a retail space, selling items like Milwaukee's Sugar Leaf coffee, spice blends, hats and, in the coming weeks, grab-and-go food options like hummus and mezze offerings. The Meyhane lounge also can be reserved for private parties and events. Kastman, her husband, Erik, and their two children have been settling into their Shorewood home since moving from Viroqua in December. 'With our two little ones at home, he's really been the number-one super dad, and has been incredibly supportive, helping me fix things up and make all of the aesthetic changes,' Kastman said, adding that he also serves as Purslane's official 'tech guy.' Kastman is grateful for local friends like Amilinda chef-owner Gregory León, who's been supportive from the start, offering feedback and opening his restaurant for Purslane pop-ups. Her friend and mentor of 20 years, Justin Carlisle, former chef-owner of Ardent, has played an integral role in making Purslane a reality. Aside from traveling with her to Istanbul, Kastman said Carlisle was always there to help with his institutional knowledge about the kitchen, the restaurant space and the community. 'The whole evolution of how this came to be is really meaningful to me,' Kastman said. 'Coming in to this space and ushering it into a new chapter of interesting culinary things happening on Farwell Avenue, it's so special. If I can help change the conversation or just make people have a conversation — that's what it's all about.' This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New Milwaukee restaurant Purslane now open in old Ardent space
