Sushi Chef Behind Acclaimed Wataru Allegedly Physically Abused an Employee | Eater Seattle

"Since opening in 2015, the Ravenna sushi destination has been known for edomae-style sushi and was considered one of Seattle’s premier Japanese restaurants, with coveted seats at the bar and reservations often booked months in advance; chef-owner Kotaro Kumita, a protege of Shiro Kashiba with ties to the Jiro Ono lineage, even earned a James Beard Award nomination for Best Chef: Northwest. Despite that acclaim, multiple former employees portray Kumita as a talented but volatile taskmaster whose exacting nature produced striking turnover (more than 20 staff in a year and a half at times) and, according to sous chef Masayuki “Masa” Kaneda, a sustained pattern of verbal and physical abuse: Kaneda alleges about 20 incidents beginning in January 2019 that escalated from lighter contact to being smacked, pushed into a sink, kicked repeatedly (resulting in a gash on his forehead and bruised legs), struck with the handle of a kitchen knife, and threatened with a knife, and he claims Kumita forced him to pay fines for mistakes (allegedly $100 per mistake and $1,000 per paycheck, totaling $4,700, later returned after a staff walkout). After Kaneda confided in coworkers, five of eight staff stopped showing up and never returned, Kaneda was fired, and in December 2019 a King County prosecutor filed two counts of third-degree assault and one count of second-degree extortion against Kumita; Kumita denies physically harming Kaneda, says the sous chef is seeking money and that injuries were from a fall, and has cited the pending legal case in declining to comment on some allegations. Former staffers also recount frequent berating, one chair-throwing incident, and an atmosphere that could undermine employees in front of customers; Wataru later reopened for takeout and limited dine-in service, with Kumita saying he is currently the only one working there." - Gabe Guarente