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yukokitchen, 101 W. 5th St, Los Angeles, CA (2026)

12/07/2022

I never liked pictures taken by others, you know they usually look unbelievably ugly, but I love this birthday photo today. It shows how happy I am. I wasn’t always this strong happy person I see now. In my 20’s, I was this low self esteem girl never felt fit in because of how I look, 20LB lighter than current weight was never skinny enough, always feeling guilty eating of any food. Despite the fact I was a brilliant chef, food and myself had pretty horrible relationships. Big appetite, bigger guilt. I used to go for hours of running in middle of the night crying for what I ate. Even spent hours in bathroom sometimes. In my 30’s, I was always tired running this business alone. Train wrecks everyday, it was hard to feel peace when something is always going wrong in the kitchen and someone is complaining at front in same time. Hard work paid off, restaurant was doing great but I never felt peace, always being fear of what I might lose next. And few years ago, when I found huge embezzlement done by trusted-now former staffs, all my emotions went pure anger. I joined boxing gym, even bought punching bags for my home for Sundays when the gym was closed. I had to non stop beating the s**t out. Soon after that period of time, pandemic happened and I nearly lost everything in one week. I worked so hard, couldn’t even remember what I had been angry for. And that was actually the best thing ever happened to me. I didn’t focus on what I lost but started to create with what I have, build many things, tried new ideas to let people knows who I am. Business survived, and became better than ever. I am more confident, being fearless, I may lose but I can build again. Its funny how that change everything. I no longer work out as punishment of what I ate, instead, it is a celebration of what I can do with my body. I feel like a million bucks whenever I work out. And food is fuel and reward that I enjoy the most. I don’t have to punch anyone to win or to justify anymore cause I am winning every fight in me. Today I have more than what I dreamed of. I am a big deal to me and kind of amazing in my own way. Happy Birthday to Me:)

09/18/2022

American dream starts from getting Green card for many people like me who came from different country. It is often involves with long process with equally long hard labor. Some of you who were born here don’t know that being able to live and work here doesn’t happen automatically to everyone. I came here 1999 to pursue my career as a pastry chef and some how got hired as a female Sushi Chef to be sponsored by where no other Sushi Chef but the owner liked the idea. There was only one way to stay there survive to get the green card, proof them I was no less than other chefs to handle all the job men supposed to do. So I did. And I did even better, create new signature rolls which made them quite popular. “How do you like me now, bi***es? “ lol 4 years went by, while my green card process wasn’t going anywhere, I got an better offer from other restaurant. My American boyfriend at the time asked me to marry him so we could stay together and I could get the offer. We were young, didn’t think twice, got married. Our marriage quickly went sour. Every fight was a threatened of deportation, every disagreement was fear of deportation.“ I will Fedex you back to Japan!” I stopped being myself. Darkest days of my life. When I finally got out of the marriage, all I had was my dog and the Green card. But because of what the green card process made me went through, I got strong knowledge and skills for restaurant business and even stronger mindset of this freedom allows me to do anything. I remember vividly the day I finally got the green card, to the people on the street, birds and to even trees, I wanted to scream at them from my car window “ I belong here now! and I am free!” Few years later, I started Yuko Kitchen as a catering company at a very small apartment in Hollywood and that was how I started my American dream. Dreaming never ends in my book and I always appreciate the bumpy journey which made me who I am today.

07/10/2022

After 16 years of life with Genki( my dog)ended on Valentines Day, I had been so busy adjusting being single and dog less life which has only very little responsibilities such as running restaurants( lol). The new full of freedom life allowed me to explore new things such as having actual sit down time to read books, read anything dog related books, looking for the meaning of dog, meaning of myself, I wanted 100% ready for my next journey. I started taking boxing classes and getting my ass kicked by attending HIIT classes. I am my own boss all day every day and getting trained by someone else gives me phycological and physical comfort at same time. I was enjoying this new life. And the day suddenly came when I got an offer from my closest friend, 14 month old Belgian Malinous desperately needed new home. I wasn’t sure I was ready for this. But I couldn’t say “no” to come see her. I was like the pregnant woman ready to give a birth, overwhelmed, emotional, bought basket full of toys and treats and already knew in my mind once I meet her, there would be no turning back, returning policy doesn’t exist in my book. Its been 25 days ever since Poco came in to my life. These few weeks felt fuller than whole past few months, hike everyday, camp out at farm, explore wild together. It must been a challenging for her too to adjust whole new environment, and so far we are winning that and celebrating small victories, building trusts every day. Watching her running around freely is definitely priceless. They say Belgian Malinous is like German Shepherd on crack, they never gets tired, always curious, constantly needs some mission to concord…. well that says same about her mom Yuko:) It is wonderful to hear and feel someone else’s foot steps in my house. I am so grateful to love again.

05/27/2022

Memorial Weekend! Both Yuko Kitchen Miracle Mike and DTLA will be closed from tomorrow May 28th thru Monday May 30th. Posting here, Setting answering machine message, notice will be on the door. So don’t drive all the way from San Diego and pi**ed off at our door! Drink eat be happy somewhere else and see you on Tuesday! Oh you have no idea how happy I am right now as well as all my staffs. We all deserve this long weekend to recharge! Happy Long Weekend.
Yuko Kitchen

05/15/2022

Many people didn’t even know I had a third location at DTLA, it is Yuko Curry Bar next to Yuko Kitchen DTLA, originally Yuko Soup Bar. We used to be quit popular for DTLA office crowds, did pretty awesome business till Pandemic. Pandemic changed a lot of things. Many people including my staffs made significant changes to adjust their lives, changes their carrier, moved to different cities. I had hard time staffing while both Yuko Kitchen are booming and it seems understaffing issue is everyone’s in LA now. I had three locations and didn’t even have enough staffs for two locations. If this was younger still stupidly ambitious Yuko, I would had risk everything, work 24hours/7 to keep all 3 up and running, there was no “quit” in my book. However I am a bit order and wiser now. Since the lease term was ending, I decided to close Yuko Curry Bar. I didn’t post as big announcement because there are always people mistakenly believe Yuko Kitchen is closing instead and start sending me this 😭with pity messages which I can’t stand lol. Its been 4 years, I had a great time with Yuko Curry( Soup) Bar. Made the most beautiful living plants wall, experimented the best vegan soups and curry sauce in the whole world and most importantly got this incredible relationship from the best and only curry bar manager Fritz , who is now working and soon to be manager at Yuko Kitchen Miracle Mile. Japanese are well known for people who don’t say “no” to any offers at dinner tables. I used to be the one say “ Yes, I take two please”. Pandemic changed a lot of things and so did I. I now rather share my offers to others, take less, so they can grow while I sit back to enjoy coffee and even piece of cake. Yuko Curry Bar is now officially left the building and thank you for this priceless memories.

PS Yuko Curry bar closed, Not Yuko Kitchen DTLA where you get Teriyaki Chicken😂 Still confused? Just visit which ever you believe it is and find out.

04/03/2022

Working behind the counter at Yuko Curry Bar and a young Asian guy came in to sit, ordered Chicken Katu Curry saying “ Its been a while, I missed you curry!!” Curry over the Rice is one of the traditional home cook food every Japanese eat at back in Japan. He looked at me and asked me if I were Japanese. Oh yeah lol. He says He is just 19 years young came here in LA from Japan a year ago to attend school, staying busy active and never really got any homesick besides Food. I asked him why LA? And he said because he has a dream. That made me smile in my face. After he left with cleaned up curry bowl, Fritz( the best guy at Curry Bar) and I chatted about what and how we were when we were in his age. Fritz was still in School, hopping around bars. I was working at local bakery making about $2000 a month feeling like top of the world. Then I remembered every stupid but fun young memories. I worked at local bakery restaurant from morning then go work for flyer company handing flyers on the street at night, got lots of friends eventually started hang out after shift often and coming home late. My mother started worry and one day when I came home after midnight, the door got chained couldn’t come in. So I climbed tree to get inside from upstairs window. Neighbors dogs barked since I looked completely insane wearing backpacked with two left over french baguette from my work sticking out. My mother found me when I just landed on the floor. In stead of yelling at me, she laughed loud. Then we had a talk, how much she worries about me. But then she said I am old enough, do whatever I want but be responsible and don’t forget to take care of myself because I am her precious daughter. So I did everything, alcohol, drug, party, boys, probably everything what she didn’t want me to go through and more. Young and stupid was such a hassled. I partied a lot but always showed up work no matter what, because I had a dream. Experiences made me a little wiser and learned appreciation of everything about mother. Alcohol, drugs and party fun got quickly old and boring, but dreams never age still today. Thank you young man reminding me where I came from:)

03/17/2022

Watering outside plants as usual and getting pi**ed off by funding some syringes hiding under bushes in the pots, nothing so special at my DTLA location. Its been my daily routine about 7 years now. This place used to be a dance studio before me, without AC, the big ass fan was the only cooling system they used to have. Leaving the doors opened while classes got often caused problems while lots of street people became their regular audiences. When I started the project building new restaurant here I clearly saw the problems. So I planted plants around as barriers. Being inside felt like protected by all the trees. I saw so many things from inside. Drag dealing, fighting over their territories, police arresting etc, these used to be all frightened at beginning though soon became just another seem in DTLA. I used to hoped they would go away, what if I gave them bad looks, attitudes. And then I learned that they have been here long time before me and for them I am the one invading their territory. Despite of fact what their business are, we needed neutral respect, keep neutral distance to Keep out of each other’s business. Sometime I see they tell new comers warn them to do so to keep them out of troubles. I appreciate how we build unspoken rule here. This morning as I was watering plants, one of them came to me said good morning. He told me he read the LA Times article, told me he was so proud of me. He said he remembered when he saw me first time painting the mural here 7 years ago. I was stunned LoL. I never supported their business and I am never going to. But simply I was just happy to see that they don’t see me like the way back in the days as “enemy” There are millions of problems how we live here in this town. “Million Dollars Hotel” that’s what says on the sign top of this building. Surviving in this town with positive energy make me feel like million bucks today.

03/08/2022

Patio of Yuko Kitchen Miracle Mile. My patio has a lot of plants, many of them has been here very long time. Not every plants I brought grow well like I was born to be green elf. Some died, some survived, some dead but came back, some just grow big like they were meant to be here. I love seeing how they all became part of patio including old mural I did with good friend .

03/07/2022

It was a long week, and I am very happy now to have this Sunday nothing but snacking and reading books. I used to work at this crazy busy sushi restaurant before I opened my place. I remember those days I got tensed just seeing people standing waiting even before open. Every night after the business hour, the owner sit at the bar to have a glass of wine, it was his daily dose. I used to thought he had such an easy great life, many employees taking care of his business. He taught me a lot, I was his favorite worker who was young and smart. I absorbed everything what I could learn there and same time was no different from other typical early 20’s, never listened him other than what I wanted to hear. I am now little bit younger than how old he used to be back in then, I do appreciate him. This week was what was like a review of what I had learned over decade in business and personal wise. Everyday was the repeatings of mistakes, new challenges and small victories. Working with staffs almost half of my age don’t make me feel old usually until they show me uncommon senses. Telling them realizes I am becoming him used to be. Disagreements are always there since everybody’s unique and special. In the middle of the week, my be loved dog Genki who passed away two weeks ago came back in a little box. It felt like months already I had been trying to adjust new life without her, busy filling hours not being home, holding tears bottom somewhere inside me. The night I had a glass of wine thinking of my boss’s daily dose. It probably wasn’t always an easy glass of wine, emotional or even overwhelmed sometimes. But it gave him assurances of what he had achieved the day. Today I wish he knows that his old apprentice who used to to be the most stubborn appreciates him and sipping wine as flavor of life.

02/20/2022

Thank you so much for your 100s of messages, you helped me so much for this most difficult time. From the high from LA Times article to lowest from losing Genki on Valentines day, it has been a hardcore emotional roller coaster. Coming empty home and crying on my couch alone was saddest thing. It was cold and lonely, I put my arms around myself as if I could still hold her body once more, couldn’t stop worried what if she was still waiting for me to pick her up at the hospital, what if she couldn’t find the rainbow bridge, what if her soul couldn’t find the way home. Next day I didn’t want to keep sitting on my couch so started cleaning my house which I often do for therapeutic reasons. My floor had been covered with non slippery fabrics for Genki’s Arthritis for long time. Even after she completely lost her ability to walk, I refused to take them off, wanted to believe one day she would walk again. One by one I took them out, scrubbed whole tiles to take the glue off, took all day. Remembering how she used to come kissing my face whenever I was on the floor. And suddenly I felt strong presence of her chilling on the pillow looking at me….Hi Genki. And that’s when I knew she was no longer here physically, left her old painful body. Accepting her death was hard though understanding that she is no longer in pain was such relief. We both got free from her painful journey. We used to be the best hike partners. Past few years had been solo lonely hike by myself and which often got shortened by feeling guilty leaving her home alone. But today, she is with me again, not physically but spiritually. Running around jumping around, “ look mama , I am free!” For the first time in long time, I enjoyed the long hike today. What a wonderful 16 years I got with her, loneliness finally became beautiful memories. At home, I decided to leave her pillow where it was. One day, I will adopt many of her brothers and sisters and she would be still with us as their Godmother. I miss you my sweet girl Genki, you are forever my baby. I love you.

02/15/2022

It is Valentines Day and I lost my best friend. We had been together 16years and had been inseparable. She hates other dogs and I hate other people, we are terrible and the best for each other. After so many great nature adventures, good days and bad days together, we both got a little bit older. And after many months of battle of Arthritis, her body couldn’t take anymore pain, her quality of life has been gone long time ago, she kept fighting for because she knew I wasn’t going to be ok. I couldn’t imagine life without her, thinking of separation bursted me in tears. Last week, I watched her sleeping and moving her no longer functioning legs up in air, I realized she was already half way up there, dreaming running mountains like a free wolf and it was time for me to let her go. So I told her not to worry about me anymore, I will be ok. Her body quickly responded like as if she was waiting for my word, got weakest, and after few complications this morning, I said the most difficult goodbye in my life. I drove up to the hiking trail where we used to go and cherished the memories with her today. Saddest day ever yet celebration day for her victory of great life. Still nothing but tears and loneliness, huge emptiness and darkness but I will be ok, Genki, you are my Champion and live forever in my heart. Love you, now go run free!
Genki 2006-2022

02/06/2022

There are few events I truly experienced train wrecked moments in path. One was when I was a cater stuck in 405 traffic with all the food in my car for about two hours, missing reserved Holiday Pies on the due day, and today installation for Discover Los Angeles] at convention center for Super bowl event. I was planning enough time to actually enjoy decorating, even had an afternoon hike plan since I got a break from restaurant today. It started ok actually until the palm trees completely fallen apart. They couldn’t hold the weights of plants. I reconstructed with wires and zip ties which all I got with. Still not enough and both trees were keep falling down. It was horrible that my palm tree supposed to look super lush which is one of my signature style, making everything full of plants, but the tree couldn’t hold even three banana leaves. For very strict NFL schedule, time was ticking. I didn’t have time to go Home Depot. You know the voice of motivation coach from social media? “ There is No one coming for you, No one” I know Bitch!!!!” After three unsuccessful reconstruction attempts , my next door people who were making stage asked me if I want to use some of their left over materials. “ Yes!!! Thank you!!” I dig into their trash cane, cut and glue,put all together to made them worked. I literally cried the moment when two palm trees were standing again. I think Tim Gun should be very proud of me. “ Make it work” It took me nearly 5 hours to finally fixed the tree situation, and left me just about an hour and half to decorate. I couldn’t even breathe, just kept working with full speed all the way to the end. And there, I did it. All the emotional roller coaster now became another good memory. Thank you Discover Los Angeles] for giving me this opportunity to explore my plants world. This installation is at Media Center of Convention center where all the athletes get interviewed and take photos. Opens next week till Sunday.

yukokitchen

12/07/2022

09/18/2022

07/10/2022

05/27/2022

05/15/2022

04/03/2022

03/17/2022

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