Hungry for sushi? A new restaurant called Itamae is coming soon to 193 Castle Shannon Boulevard, replacing Yum Yum Asian Cuisine, which closed in February.
Itamae is Japanese for chef, or someone who works behind a cutting board. The new concept will be Thai and sushi. The decor will be Asian/Japanese.
Indonesian-born Vick Oktavian and his wife, Katie Kaewwangworn, are self-proclaimed foodies with years of culinary experience. “We love checking out different restaurants and trying different cuisine. We are firm believers that in order to make good food, we must train our taste buds by eating good food,” said Oktavian.
Oktavian has been a sushi chef since 2008 and learned the art at Hiro Japanese in North Miami Beach. After relocating to Naples, Florida, in 2016, he worked in a couple of Thai and sushi restaurants and had the opportunity to work directly under award winning Chef Koko at the popular Namba Sushi and Ramen in Naples.
Kaewwangworn is a passionate cook, who specializes in Thai dishes. She learned to cook from her mother at a very young age and trained in various Thai restaurants in Naples, under the mentorship of some of the most skilled wok chefs.
The target date for Itamae’s grand opening is the end of May or early June.
The restaurant is currently undergoing a light renovation, which includes installation of a small sushi bar. “We cannot wait to open Itamae and serve Mt. Lebanon,” Oktavian said.