Sushi Chef Institute

What Sushi Chef Institute does

Sushi Chef Institute (SCI) is a private culinary school based in Torrance, California, founded in 2002 by Chef Andy Matsuda, that trains aspiring and working chefs in traditional Japanese sushi and cuisine. Its core offering is an 8-week (40-day, 200-hour) intensive Professional Course priced at $6,500, covering knife skills, rice preparation, fish cutting (30+ species), sashimi, nigiri, rolls, Japanese cooking techniques, food safety, and restaurant business management, delivered through small classes, fish market field trips, and sushi bar simulation. The school also operates Private Lessons ($125/hour, 4-hour minimum), monthly themed Sushi Workshops ($90-120/person), Catering Services ($60-70/person for events of 25-100+ guests or omakase for 8-24), a Restaurant Consultation practice, and a 1-month Japan Internship at Matsuya Restaurant in Hyogo ($3,000).

Revenue is generated from tuition and registration fees, private lessons, catering engagements, workshops, internship fees, merchandise (uniforms $89+, private-label Japanese knives $800-860), and a graduate-to-employer referral channel at sushichef.agency. The school targets aspiring sushi chefs with no prior experience, working professional chefs seeking specialization, international students requiring M-1 visa support, hobbyists, and restaurant owners. SCI is the only sushi school in the U.S. authorized to issue I-20 forms for M-1 visas (since 2008) and is licensed by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE School Code: 90285468). Distribution is direct-to-consumer via sushischool.net and on-site enrollment, with marketing driven by the founder's media profile (People Magazine, Newsweek, L.A. Times, Fox 11, Le Cordon Bleu teaching), word-of-mouth, and Instagram. SCI is founder-owned with no venture capital, private equity, or parent company, and its alumni operate sushi restaurants across the U.S., Europe, and South America.

Name

Sushi Chef Institute

Legal name

Sushi Chef Institute

Website

https://sushischool.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Sushi Chef Institute is a Torrance, California-based private culinary school founded in 2002 by Chef Andy Matsuda, offering an 8-week intensive Professional sushi course plus private lessons, workshops, catering, restaurant consultation, and a Japan internship. It serves aspiring chefs, working professionals, and international M-1 visa students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Culinary Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Culinary Arts (Chef Training) (EDAOAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Institutional & Commercial Kitchen Training (Schools/Healthcare/Corporate) (EDAOAKAL), Culinary Arts & Cooking (Baking, Pastry, Global Cuisines) (EDAAAGAG), Catering & Events Food Service (EDALADAC)

Keywords

• Sushi chef training
• Culinary education
• Japanese cuisine school
• Vocational culinary programs
• Professional cooking courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Torrance

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Professional Course Tuition: Primary revenue stream from 2-month intensive professional sushi chef course comprising Professional 1 and Professional 2 classes. Each class costs $3,250 including registration fee ($100), tuition ($2,450), and food cost ($700). Total professional course is $6,500.
2. Private Lessons: One-on-one customized instruction at $125/hour with 4-hour minimum requirement. Offered during professional class sessions and available all days between sessions plus Saturdays.
3. Catering Services: High-end sushi catering for events. Basic menu ranges from $60-70 per person depending on guest count. Omakase dinner for small groups (8-24 people) available. Set-up fee of $150 plus additional charges.
4. Sushi Workshops: One-day sushi workshops scheduled monthly at $90-120 per person. Topics include Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Vegan, Tempura, Halloween, Temari, and Holiday sushi.
5. Japan Internship Program: 1-month internship at Matsuya Restaurant in Hyogo, Japan for qualified graduates at $3,000. Includes housing and meal expenses, excludes airfare.
6. Restaurant Consultation: Consulting services for restaurant owners including new restaurant opening guidance, menu upgrades, staff training, and effective advertisement and promotion strategies.
7. Merchandise Sales: Sales of uniform sets ($89+TAX), knife sets (right-handed $800, left-handed $860), and other Japanese cooking equipment and supplies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sushi Chef Institute is a Torrance, California-based culinary school that sells an 8-week intensive Professional Sushi Chef Course (200 hours of hands-on instruction covering Japanese cuisine fundamentals, sushi rice preparation, fish cutting across 30+ fish and shellfish types, knife skills, food safety, and restaurant business management). The school complements its core tuition-based program with private lessons, mobile catering services, one-day sushi workshops, restaurant consultation, a 1-month internship in Japan, and an I-20 visa support program for international students.

Product overview

Sushi Chef Institute is a culinary school offering a portfolio of training programs centered on sushi and Japanese cuisine. The core offering is the Professional Course (Professional 1 & 2), an intensive 8-week program that trains students to become sushi chefs in 2 months. Supporting programs include Private Lessons (customized one-on-one instruction), the International Students Program (I-20 visa support), and an Internship to Japan. Additional services include Catering Services (mobile sushi bar for events), Sushi Workshop (one-day recreational classes), Restaurant Consultation, and the Sushi Chef Agency Service for graduate referrals. The school operates from Torrance, California and is licensed by BPPE (School Code: 90285468).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Sushi Chef Course (Professional 1 & 2) Intensive 8-week sushi chef training program comprising two parts (Professional 1 and Professional 2) covering Japanese cuisine fundamentals, sushi rice preparation, traditional and modern roll making, nigiri sushi, sashimi, fish preparation across 30+ species, knife skills, Japanese cooking techniques (grilling, frying, steaming, simmering), food safety management, and restaurant business management. Runs 8:00am to 1:00pm Monday through Friday for 40 days (200 hours total). Total tuition is $6,500 with each part priced at $3,250 including registration, tuition, and food costs; tuition includes 1 uniform set and textbook. Aimed at aspiring sushi chefs with or without prior cooking experience.
• Private Lessons One-on-one customized instruction at $125/hour with a 4-hour minimum requirement for students and working sushi chefs seeking advanced training in concentrated sashimi, fish preparation, vegetable carving, teppan-yaki, vegetarian dishes, new menu creation, and new sauce creation. Scheduled Monday-Friday 1:30pm-5:30pm during professional class sessions plus Saturdays based on instructor availability.
• International Students / I-20 Support Program Visa support program for international students requiring M-1 visa to attend culinary school in California. Includes I-20 form issuance, document processing, bank transfer handling, and complete admission support. Process requires starting 120 days before class start date. Professional Course tuition for international students is $6,700 plus a non-refundable $200 I-20 shipping and bank transfer fee, with full payment required before I-20 issuance.
• Sushi Catering Services Mobile sushi bar service that brings a professional sushi setup to events such as birthday parties, memorials, anniversaries, and corporate events for 25-100+ guests. Offers Basic Menu (buffet style with 5 kind appetizer, sushi nigiri, rolls, handrolls, sashimi) priced at $60-70 per person depending on guest count, and Omakase Sushi Dinner (course meal for 8-24 person small groups) including 3 appetizers, 2 sashimi, 12 sushi nigiri, handroll, rolls, and cut fruit dessert. Set-up fee of $150 plus applicable tax and gratuity.
• Sushi Workshop One-day recreational sushi workshop scheduled monthly on Wednesday evenings (6:00pm to 8:30pm) at the Torrance campus. Includes history lecture, sushi rice lecture, hands-on instruction for basic rolls, special rolls, nigiri, and other sushi styles, plus Chef Andy fruit cutting demonstration. Priced between $90-$120 per person depending on theme (most workshops $90, Valentine's Day Sushi workshop $120). Themes include Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Vegan, Tempura, Halloween, Temari, and Holiday sushi.
• Restaurant Consultation Advisory services for restaurant owners covering how to open or promote a restaurant, interior remodeling, menu upgrading, event planning, sushi bar setup, staff training, advertisement strategies, and food cost management. Also offers specialized classes for Ramen shop or Izakaya restaurant concepts.
• Internship to Japan 1-month internship program at Matsuya Restaurant (owned by Chef Andy Matsuda's family) in Hyogo, Japan for qualified graduates of the Professional Course with 2+ years of sushi business experience. Includes 4 weeks of Japanese restaurant experience working 6 days a week at this fast-paced traditional Japanese restaurant, gaining hands-on experience with Japanese seasonal fish, vegetables, traditional kaiseki, and authentic Japanese cuisine. Fee is $3,000 covering housing and meals, excluding airfare.
• Sushi Chef Agency Service Referral service connecting restaurants with graduates of the Sushi Chef Institute for employment opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Become a professional sushi chef in 2 months (40 days, 200 hours)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Global Aquaculture AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with Global Aquaculture Alliance to promote responsible aquaculture practices through education and demonstration. GAA has demonstrated commitment for over 20 years to feeding the world through responsible and sustainable aquaculture by providing resources to individuals and businesses worldwide associated with aquaculture and seafood.
• Matsuya Restaurant (Masunomi Matsuya)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternship program for qualified graduates at Matsuya Restaurant in Hyogo, Japan. The restaurant is owned by Chef Andy Matsuda's family (Yukihiro Matsuda). Students work 6 days a week at this fast-paced traditional Japanese restaurant for 4 weeks, gaining hands-on experience with Japanese seasonal fish, vegetables, traditional kaiseki, and authentic Japanese cuisine.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• L'Academie de Cuisine: Maryland-based professional culinary school offering intensive career training programs. Closely comparable in size, mission, and curriculum format to SCI's Professional Course, with similar direct-to-consumer vocational culinary training model.
• Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts: Accredited U.S. culinary school offering professional diploma and degree programs in culinary arts and pastry arts with both on-ground and online delivery. Comparable tuition model and career-focused curriculum targeting aspiring chefs.
• Institute of Culinary Education (ICE): New York-based for-profit culinary school offering career culinary programs, recreational classes, and specialized tracks. Closest U.S. comparator in delivery model, tuition pricing, and direct-to-consumer enrollment, though broader in cuisine scope than SCI.
• The Sushi Academy: U.S.-based sushi-specific training school offering multi-day and extended sushi courses. The most direct niche competitor to SCI in sushi-only vocational training in the U.S. market.

Regional players

• Sushi Chef Yoshihiro Murata Programs: Japan-based authentic sushi apprenticeship and training programs attached to traditional kaiseki restaurants. Comparable curriculum depth and Japanese cuisine focus, but operates from Japan and is not a direct U.S. competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Culinary Institute of America (CIA): Largest and most prestigious U.S. culinary school offering degree programs and continuing education across many cuisines. Operates as the broader incumbent in culinary vocational education that SCI competes against for serious culinary students.
• Le Cordon Bleu: Globally recognized culinary education institution offering professional chef training across many cuisines, including Japanese and sushi programs. SCI's founder has taught instructors there, establishing it as a direct institutional comparator for vocational culinary education.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/sushichefinstitute

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sushi Chef Institute