Roy Yamaguchi, Chef

Roy Yamaguchi is the founder of Eating House 1849, Humble Market Kitchin, GOEN Dining + Bar, Woven Seafood & Chophouse and Roy's worldwide. He is the innovator of internationally Influenced Hawai?i -inspired cuisine and the first from Hawai?i to receive the prestigious James Beard "Best Pacific Northwest Chef" Award amongst other notable honors.

Yamaguchi hosted the PBS series "Hawaii Cooks with Roy Yamaguchi" and was also featured on "Simply Ming" and the Food Network's "My Country, My Kitchen." He competed on Bravo's "Top Chef Masters" and "Iron Chef." He launched a cookware line on the Home Shopping Network and published four cookbooks.

Yamaguchi is the executive director of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kapi?olani Community College and a co-founder and chair of the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival.

Yamaguchi established the Tom and Warren Matsuda Scholarship Fund and the Roy Yamaguchi Golf Classic. He served as guest lecturer for the School of Travel Industry Management and serves on numerous nonprofit boards including the U.S.- Japan Council, Go For Broke National Education Center and the Culinary Institute of America. He is a past board member of Brand USA.

Yamaguchi was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. His Hawai?i roots are tied to his grandfather who opened a tavern and the Yamaguchi General Store on Maui. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, and in 1984, Yamaguchi opened his first restaurant, 385 North, in Hollywood. In 1988, he opened the first Roy's Restaurant in Honolulu.