A Female Sushi Chef Rewriting The Myths Of The Male-Dominated Industry

Nozomi Mori, chef-owner of Mori Nozomi

Mori Nozomi

The vast majority of sushi chefs in Japan have been male since the occupation was born in the early 19^th century, during the Shogun period.

Why? Because of the groundless myths, such as women’s warm hands negatively affect the quality of the raw fish and their hands are too small to size and shape the rice properly.

The traditional mindset persists and there are still only a fraction of female sushi chefs in Japan, compared to their male counterparts. However, hope is emerging outside of the country.

A great example is Nozomi Mori, chef-owner of Mori Nozomi in Los Angeles. The sushi bar opened in March 2024 and shortly after, it earned notable accolades, such as a Michelin star and was included in the New York Times’ 50 best restaurants list in 2025.

Born and raised in Hyogo Prefecture, Mori used to work in sales in the fashion industry in Tokyo, for brands like Gucci and Issei Miyake. In the winter of 2017, she moved to New York to study fashion further. “I flew to L.A. to take a break from the freezing temperature of New York and could not go back ever since,” she laughs.

In L.A., she had to find a job and went to an interview at a sushi restaurant for a server position. Instead, she was offered a job in the kitchen, which she accepted anyway.

The job was to make American-style sushi, like Dragon rolls with spicy mayo, which she enjoyed. Eventually, she grew to become interested in studying the authentic style of sushi and moved to a traditional sushi restaurant in the area.

In Japan, the classic sushi training takes years—the first three years to cook the rice, the next five years to make actual sushi; then you keep refining your skills for the rest of your life.

It took Mori only seven years to open her own successful sushi bar. It was a superfast track, but her training was intense enough to call it authentic.

“I worked under three highly experienced sushi chefs, all over 70 years old, and learned the basics of sushi making from knife skills to how to treat fish properly.”

At that point, her goal was set to open her own Omakase sushi bar where she could curate the menu and offer refined service. To understand the essence of Omakase sushi bar, she went to work at the two-Michelin-starred Sushi Ginza Onodera in Los Angeles.

In addition to her kitchen training, Mori credits the American-style communication with her guests for her quick advancement in sushi-making skills.

“In Japan, the feedback from the guests is gentle but subtle—through nodding or no comments. Here in America, people say directly in my face if they like my sushi or not. Each comment gives me confidence or the next target to reach.“

Focus on Authenticity

At her sushi bar, Mori aims to offer something beyond eating a course of sushi.

“The omakase experience takes about two to three hours. For that much valuable time, I would like my guests to feel they are experiencing something special.”

For example, the service is the Japanese-style Omotenashi: the genuine hospitality without expecting anything in return, where less obvious, unnoticed care matters so that the guest simply feels comfort and joy.

Mori’s team works hard to practice it. “For example, if a guest gets a sauce on his or her finger, we hand a towel right away before being requested. It’s all about creating a memorable experience,” she says.

Mori’s sushi is the authentic expression of ingredients, which she imports from the Toyosu Market in Tokyo for the highest quality.

“Growing up in Japan, I appreciate the natural tastes of ingredients. To highlight their pure flavors, I cure my fish with kelp or use just the right amount of salt to maximize its umami. I avoid using a sauce so as not to mute the original flavor. We also dry-age certain fish like tuna to deepen their umami,” she says.

One of her signature sushi items is squid. “Since squid can be overly chewy, I cut it thinly into the shape of noodles to make its texture tender. The squid’s increased surface area brings out its sweetness, too.”

Coping With The Myths

Despite Mori’s proven competence, the negative myths about female sushi chefs still follow her. How does she cope with the unfair disadvantage?

“I have never thought that women are inferior as a sushi chef, but many customers have said to me, something like ‘Oh, you are a woman. You must have warmer hands.’ But I just focus on being myself and doing my best. I never let them through my mind. They never hold me back,” she says.

“And there’s a funny story. When I opened my restaurant, a man told me he preferred a sushi bar with a male chef, but now he is one of my regular customers.”

There seems to be strong support from female diners as well. “If you go to a high-end sushi restaurant, you normally see a mixed gender demographic. But sometimes I am surprised to see our sushi bar filled entirely with female guests who want to support me and my team, which also happens to be all female. “

Mori hopes to inspire other female talents who are struggling with gender inequalities.

“I want to show them it is possible to pursue their dreams and succeed. If you keep on challenging yourself every day, you will reach your dream. Work hard, learn from yesterday, try your best today and keep improving tomorrow. And learning never stops, growing never stops.”

She is no doubt a go-getter. Where does her energy and grit come from?

“My mother is a strong person. She raised me by herself. Thanks to her inspiration, in my whole life, I have tried to do my best—and have enjoyed the progress,” she smiles.

Mori is not the only one who proved to the world that gender does not matter to become a great sushi chef like Chizuko Kimura in Paris https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/features/paris-chizuko-kimura-the-first-female-sushi-chef-to-earn-a-michelin-star.

It may not be a distant future to find outstanding sushi bars run by female talents.