Profile
Sushi-bar owner lives his dream

Advertiser Staff

Kevin Higa first grabs an icy cold beer when he's really hungry. Advertiser library photo

• Birthplace: Honolulu

• Culinary background: "My interest in the culinary arts has always been very simple: I love to eat! ... I was inspired by many family members, including my father, who is an accomplished chef with a love for gourmet cooking." Higa has been a dishwasher, busboy, a student in the culinary arts program at Kapi'olani Community College, a baker, a breakfast cook and worked at Japanese restaurants (Kintaro, Kyotaro and Minato in Japan) before founding Superb Sushi, a catering company that specializes in bringing a sushi bar or sushi chef to parties and customers' homes. They also do advance take-out orders (737-0051).

• Style of cooking: "I have always been on the go! My business style reflects that trait."

Favorites

• Hawai'i-grown products: "I love produce. We depend on its freshness, from locally-grown kaiware (radish sprout, a must in our firecracker temaki) to crisp Japanese cucumbers for California rolls."

• Decadent meal/beverage: "A kaiseki meal with sake, but that's hard to find in Hawai'i, so I like to start off with oysters Rockefeller followed by soup and a fresh salad, a nice rack of lamb medium rare and new style potato. No room for dessert."

• When I'm really hungry, I grab: "An icy cold beer. Then bring me the juiciest of steaks, charred rare (leave the fat on, please), Caesar salad, a baked potato (I see enough rice) and fresh steamed asparagus."

• Comfort food: "Poke, fried rice, steak fries and pork chops, all found at Side Street"

• When I'm not working, I like to: "Golf, travel and experiment in dining"

• Cookbook: "What's that??"

• Cooking show: "I don't watch a lot of TV, but 'Iron Chef' is fun."

• Favorite kitchen tool: "My knife. Gotta have a sharp knife!"

• When I go out to eat, I like to go to: "3660 on the Rise. I always find myself pleasantly surprised by the perfect presentations, exciting combinations and superb service."

• If I could invite any three people to dinner, I would invite: "Katherine Zeta-Jones, Don Ho and Tiger Woods"

• My dream job in the culinary world is: "Just what I'm doing ... sushi-bar catering ... I have the perfect dream."