Yasuda is gone!

This in from the pages of Eater...the dudes favorite sushi joint of all time, Sushi Yasuda, has just lost it's master. This is like finding out Santa Claus isn't real - a complete blow to the system and a huuuge downer.

The last comment below in the Eater article is ridiculous and this person obviously has no idea what they're talking about. Sitting in front of Yasuda is like watching Joe Montana lead a playoff game wining touchdown drive...his other chefs although good are like watching a decent big ten quarterback - NOT THE SAME AT ALL! Trust me I've had sushi from 3 of his other chefs and I decided no more...it 100% is not the same as sitting in front of Yasuda-san. The texture and flavor of the rice/fish are ethereal in Yasuda's hands, but merely good to very good in his other chefs hands.

"According to a couple of message board threads today, Chef Naomichi Yasuda, founder, owner, and sushi chef behind the revered Sushi Yasuda is leaving New York to move back to Japan. A call to the restaurant confirms.

The chef is reportedly leaving to open up an eight seat sushi bar. He'll be around for a few weeks before heading to Japan, and then he'll be back in New York in at the beginning of next year before leaving for good, a restaurant worker says, in either late January or early February.

It's hard to say whether or not the move will drastically affect the quality of Sushi Yasuda, since what they do there is very straightforward with a focus on ingredients. That said, Yasuda is staying on as a partner but won't be involved in the day to day anymore, and oceans away, it's hard to keep an eye on everything. Additionally he is known for obsessing over every piece of fish and studying diners' mouths to determine the right portion size. Regardless of what could change, super fans better get there in the next couple of weeks."