UMI to Open New York City Location
[caption id="attachment_23916" align="alignright" width="348"]
Chef Kazuo Yoshida. Photo by Lara Kastner[/caption]
UMI Japanese Modern, announced its forthcoming New York City debut. Set to open in Fall 2026, the 4000 square feet, UMI NYC will feature a main dining room, sushi bar, private dining room and an intimate omakase room.
The space is designed by internationally French design firm Gilles & Boissier. Their vision for UMI NYC takes a distinctly modern and material focused approach to create an immersive environment reflective of founders Hendon and Arshid’s vision of contemporary Japanese dining. The implementation of burned wood, a subtle nod to the traditional Japanese yaki-sugi wood-charring technique, and decorative mouldings offer texture and material depth while a rich palette brings UMI’s unique character to life. The refined interior is illuminated by bespoke chandeliers by Tom Dixon and DRS. Complementing the interiors is also a custom painting by New York-based multidisciplinary artist Daniel Arsham, known for blurring the lines between art, architecture, and popular culture.
Founded in 2012 by Charlie Hendon and Farshid Arshid in Atlanta, UMI has become a fixture of Atlanta’s culinary scene. Known for their fine dining experience that translates the art of Japanese cuisine through a contemporary lens, the restaurant has earned national acclaim.
At the heart of UMI are Co-Executive Chefs Kazuo Yoshida, spearheading the sushi program and omakase room, and Todd Dae Kulper leading the kitchen. Born in Nagasaki, Japan, Chef Yoshida, famously known as the “Uni King”, has been a pioneer of omakase-style restaurants in the U.S. since his arrival to New York City in 1992.
Chef Yoshida will prepare sushi with the highest quality fish flown in from Japan’s Tokyo Fish Market daily. The dining room’s sushi menu will feature specialty nigiri, sashimi, aburi and rolls, all featuring both classic preparations and Chef Yoshida’s own creative style. His omakase experience will offer guests a nigiri-centric menu in a highly personalized atmosphere during one seating for less than ten guests daily in an intimate space off the main dining room.
[caption id="attachment_23917" align="alignright" width="350"]
Chef Todd Dae Kulper. Photo by Laura Kastner[/caption]
Chef Dae Kulper has been with UMI for nearly a decade and is a self-taught chef whose career has taken him around the world, cooking in Ho Chi Minh City to Honolulu, as well as in restaurants throughout California, Missouri, and Florida, among others. The menu at UMI NYC will include some of the restaurant’s greatest hits from the past twelve years, including its Avocado Salad with wasabi vinaigrette; Uni Risotto; Wagyu Carpaccio with garlic, wasabi, chive & quickly seared oil, grated black truffle & 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano; Lobster Toban-Yaki with lobster beurre noisette; and Otoro Caviar with otoro nigiri truffle soy, serrano, caviar & fresh wasabi. A soon-to-be-named pastry chef will lead a comprehensive dessert program.
“After 12 years in Atlanta, New York feels like a natural evolution – UMI was always envisioned as a gathering place for the creative community across art, music, fashion, and film, and there is no greater crossroads of culture and creative energy than this city. With Gilles & Boissier, Daniel Arsham, and Chefs Yoshida and Dae Kulper, we look forward to building something truly special and creating a dynamic dining experience that embraces contemporary design while honoring the essence of Japanese cuisine,” said Farshid Arshid.
UMI NYC will begin their soft opening phase in June 2026 and will officially open to the public in the Fall.
Chef Kazuo Yoshida. Photo by Lara Kastner[/caption]
UMI Japanese Modern, announced its forthcoming New York City debut. Set to open in Fall 2026, the 4000 square feet, UMI NYC will feature a main dining room, sushi bar, private dining room and an intimate omakase room.
The space is designed by internationally French design firm Gilles & Boissier. Their vision for UMI NYC takes a distinctly modern and material focused approach to create an immersive environment reflective of founders Hendon and Arshid’s vision of contemporary Japanese dining. The implementation of burned wood, a subtle nod to the traditional Japanese yaki-sugi wood-charring technique, and decorative mouldings offer texture and material depth while a rich palette brings UMI’s unique character to life. The refined interior is illuminated by bespoke chandeliers by Tom Dixon and DRS. Complementing the interiors is also a custom painting by New York-based multidisciplinary artist Daniel Arsham, known for blurring the lines between art, architecture, and popular culture.
Founded in 2012 by Charlie Hendon and Farshid Arshid in Atlanta, UMI has become a fixture of Atlanta’s culinary scene. Known for their fine dining experience that translates the art of Japanese cuisine through a contemporary lens, the restaurant has earned national acclaim.
At the heart of UMI are Co-Executive Chefs Kazuo Yoshida, spearheading the sushi program and omakase room, and Todd Dae Kulper leading the kitchen. Born in Nagasaki, Japan, Chef Yoshida, famously known as the “Uni King”, has been a pioneer of omakase-style restaurants in the U.S. since his arrival to New York City in 1992.
Chef Yoshida will prepare sushi with the highest quality fish flown in from Japan’s Tokyo Fish Market daily. The dining room’s sushi menu will feature specialty nigiri, sashimi, aburi and rolls, all featuring both classic preparations and Chef Yoshida’s own creative style. His omakase experience will offer guests a nigiri-centric menu in a highly personalized atmosphere during one seating for less than ten guests daily in an intimate space off the main dining room.
[caption id="attachment_23917" align="alignright" width="350"] Chef Todd Dae Kulper. Photo by Laura Kastner[/caption]
Chef Dae Kulper has been with UMI for nearly a decade and is a self-taught chef whose career has taken him around the world, cooking in Ho Chi Minh City to Honolulu, as well as in restaurants throughout California, Missouri, and Florida, among others. The menu at UMI NYC will include some of the restaurant’s greatest hits from the past twelve years, including its Avocado Salad with wasabi vinaigrette; Uni Risotto; Wagyu Carpaccio with garlic, wasabi, chive & quickly seared oil, grated black truffle & 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano; Lobster Toban-Yaki with lobster beurre noisette; and Otoro Caviar with otoro nigiri truffle soy, serrano, caviar & fresh wasabi. A soon-to-be-named pastry chef will lead a comprehensive dessert program.
“After 12 years in Atlanta, New York feels like a natural evolution – UMI was always envisioned as a gathering place for the creative community across art, music, fashion, and film, and there is no greater crossroads of culture and creative energy than this city. With Gilles & Boissier, Daniel Arsham, and Chefs Yoshida and Dae Kulper, we look forward to building something truly special and creating a dynamic dining experience that embraces contemporary design while honoring the essence of Japanese cuisine,” said Farshid Arshid.
UMI NYC will begin their soft opening phase in June 2026 and will officially open to the public in the Fall.
