Award-winning restaurant shutters

Exactly one year ago, chef Hajime Sato was on stage accepting the coveted James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes. With little notice to his customers, his Clawson restaurant Sozai has permanently closed. Sato made a statement on Instagram stating “After an extended time of reflection, it is clear that the best thing for my family is for us to return to the Pacific Northwest,” reads his statement. “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. 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!” Sato, who was born and raised in Japan, is a champion for sustainable seafood. Before moving to the Detroit area, he owned an award-winning Seattle restaurant, Mashiko, and became one of the first sushi chefs to commit to using only sustainable seafood. Today, Sato estimates only about 10 restaurants in the entire nation are truly dedicated to utilizing sustainable sushi. After opening Sozai in 2021, Sato was asked about his commitment to sustainable seafood. With unmistakable passion in his voice, he replied, “When people ask why, I say why not! Everyone should be doing it. It’s responsible. It’s done to protect our oceans and save us from global warming.”