OMAKASE RESTAURANT GROUP WELCOMES EDGAR AGBAYANI AS CORPORATE CHEF
Former West Coast regional chef for Roy’s and chef partner of Roy’s San Francisco will oversee culinary operations for all five Omakase Restaurant Group restaurants
San Francisco, Calif. – September 12, 2016 – Omakase Restaurant Group, owner of the Michelin-starred Omakase, as well as Okane, two Live Sushi locations, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s in San Francisco, is delighted to announce the appointment of Edgar Agbayani as the Group’s first corporate chef. Agbayani will work closely with Omakase Restaurant Group’s co-owners and founders Chef Jackson Yu and Kash Feng, utilizing his extensive knowledge in both corporate dining and Pan-Asian cuisine to manage culinary operations for all five restaurants. Agbayani joins Omakase Restaurant Group after a successful, 17-year career at Roy’s.
“Edgar brings an incredible breadth of experience and knowledge to Omakase Restaurant Group, and we are thrilled to have him on board,” said Feng. “As an organization, we look forward to collaborating with him to continue bringing innovative and exquisite dining experiences to the Bay Area and beyond.”
Agbayani’s responsibilities as corporate chef for Omakase Restaurant Group include overseeing culinary operations, menu and recipe development, training, and working with Yu and Feng to develop future restaurant concepts. Several projects already in the pipeline include future cooking classes by Michelin-starred Chef Yu and an exquisite Japanese brunch that will be offered at Okane this fall, the first of its kind in San Francisco.
Born in the Philippines and raised in Central California and Alaska, Agbayani is no stranger to food culture and exquisite cuisine. Eating everywhere, from the Delano farmlands to the fishing villages of Anchorage, convinced Agbayani to pursue the culinary world as a full-time career. While earning his degree from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, Agbayani accepted his first offer with Roy’s in 1999 as a line cook in Scottsdale and stayed on as sous chef through 2001, ultimately returning after two years as at Thaifoon (now Ling & Louie’s), where he became an integral part of research and development and extensive back-of-house operations. He then accepted a position as a traveling West Coast and Midwest sous chef at Roy’s in 2003. Since then, Agbayani has transitioned from sous chef to chef partner in several locations throughout California, including Rancho Mirage and Newport Beach, managing restaurants valued at over $4.5 million. In 2014, he was named the chef partner of Roy’s in San Francisco and West Coast regional chef, in charge of managing labor efficiency, food costs, purchasing, and training chefs for all 11 West Coast locations. He has successfully trained several line cooks into sous chefs, and sous chefs into chef partners and executive chefs. Agbayani also worked on several national marketing campaigns, created the national wine dinner program, and hosted many other events, all while managing a $4.7 million space and winning partner of the year in 2010 and 2011. Now, almost two decades after his start with Roy’s, his corporate experience includes chef development and growth, operational procedures, recipe and menu development, restaurant openings, marketing, and special events.
Agbayani has also worked for TaDa Catering, which is the premier caterer for Van’s Warped Tour, Coachella, Stagecoach and other large music festivals throughout California. He has cooked for all levels of talent, from stagehands, bands and VIP guests, to and A-list artists such as Jay-Z and Beyoncé.
“Although it is bittersweet to be leaving Roy’s after so many years of hard work and dedication, I could not be happier to be joining the up-and-coming powerhouse that is the Omakase Restaurant Group,” said Agbayani. “The organization that Chef Jackson Yu and Kash Feng have created is a force to be reckoned with, and I am excited to join their growing organization.”
Agabayni’s first events as corporate chef are this month’s Omakase one-year anniversary sake pairing dinners. Every course in the nine-course meal will be paired with sake that complements its unique flavor and aroma, hand-selected by Expert Sake Appraiser Chris Pearce. The Anniversary dinners take place on September 21 and 22, with one seating each evening at 8:30 p.m. Each seating is limited to 20 guests. Dinner is $350 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. For reservations, please call Omakase at 415-865-0633.
ABOUT OMAKASE RESTAURAUNT GROUP
Officially established in 2016, San Francisco’s Omakase Restaurant Group includes the Michelin-starred Omakase, a nationally-renowned destination for Edomae style sushi; Okane, the more casual neighbor to Omakase serving authentic Izakaya style cuisine and sushi; two Live Sushi destinations; and the newly purchased and restored Breakfast at Tiffany’s.