24-05-2025
- Business
- Press and Journal
How Inverness takeaway owner launched business after learning how to make sushi on YouTube
There is something unique about the food in Sushiness, the deep-fried rolls the Inverness takeaway serves up are different to what you might usually expect.
There is also nothing ordinary about the man behind the counter.
Ignacio Reyes, 44, met his French wife Laura in his homeland of Chile in 2017 when she arrived for what was initially going to be a three-month internship in Santiago.
The couple married in October 2019, exactly one week after widespread protests broke out in the capital.
Just four months later the Covid pandemic started and led to Laura losing her job.
'We already had plans to move to Europe, but with everything going on we decided to bring them forward,' he explained.
Laura landed a job as a support worker in Inverness and the pair moved to the Highland capital in March 2021.
Mr Reyes, who has been in the hospitality industry since the age of 14, started working as a waiter.
However, his dream had always been to own a restaurant, and he decided it was time to chase it.
He explained: 'I invited some friends to my place and I prepared sushi, which I had learnt to make on YouTube.
'They really liked it and told me I should open a sushi restaurant.'
So, he did.
The 44-year-old explained that when he took the lease for his Lombard Street premises, the place was 'falling apart.'
He said: 'It was a lot of work and money to renovate the place, I don't have a salary yet as I'm still in the process of recovering all the money I invested.'
In late 2023 the place was finally ready to open. However, Mr Reyes was missing something crucial – a head chef.
He had met chef Cristian Montero, 36, when they worked together at a mountain resort in the Andes.
Mr Montero has 15 years of experience as a cook, including five as a sushi chef.
Waiting for the approval of his visa led to long delays, but it was eventually given the green light in October 2023.
Sushiness then finally opened in Inverness the following month.
Their deep-fried sushi has been the most popular with customers since the beginning.
Mr Reyes claims this is thanks to a 'secret' recipe.
He said: 'The seasoning of the rice is my own recipe, but I won't tell you because it's a secret.
'The batter for the fried rolls and the teriyaki sauce are also my own recipe.'
Mr Reyes wants to apply for permission to convert the takeaway into a restaurant.
He wants to be able to fit 10 people inside, six on a large dining bench and four at the counter.
The premises can currently host just six customers.
He is also applying for an alcohol licence to sell wine and sake.
The Chilean has also just launched a new menu.
He explained: 'We have added to the fried sushi a delicious beef chimichurri roll and the chimichurri sauce is also my own recipe.'
They have also added sashimi, pil pil prawns and paila marina, a traditional Chilean soup with seafood and fish.
The council. It's incredible the lack of communication between different departments. There are some people that really helped me though.
The Tori Furay because I always tell customers it's my favourite.
I'm happier. I work more hours but I work for myself. It's like when you buy a house and stop paying rent.
We get some drunk people that come in asking for kebabs.
My nephews.
Opportunities. It's impossible to get a big loan, like the one I got to start the business here, in Chile.
How green it is.
Youth anti-social behaviour.
Lombard Street. It has so much potential; renovate it, remove the horrible graffiti and set a few tables outside.
