Chef of Chef Works - Chef Yanick Comeau

Each month we feature a Chef of Chef Works®. If you’re a fan of Chef Works gear and are interested in being featured, email marketing@chefworks.ca. This month, we’ve teamed up with Ocean Wise Seafood to feature Chef Yanick Comeau, Corporate Chef of Yuzu Sushi. Pictured above is Chef Yanick in Gramercy Denim Chef Jacket.

Chef Works: Who was your greatest culinary influence?

Yanick Comeau: As far back as I can remember, I think Nobuyuki Matsuhisa is the one who influenced me the most. The way he works clearly dictated my cooking style. When I first started cooking, I was coming back from a long trip to South America and his book was like a bible for me. Nobu is Japanese, but he lived in South America. So, I think the road traveled by Nobu inspired me a lot. The “Nobu style cuisine” is based on Japanese cuisine, but with North and South American influences.

Chef Works: How would you describe your cooking style? Are you a technician? Or do you prefer to improvise?

Yanick Comeau: Both. I like the concentration, precision and calm that comes from being a technician. But, clearly, the creative energy is often found in improvisation and the art of letting go in the present moment.

Chef Works: Best anecdote from the kitchen?

Yanick Comeau: It is not relatable! Ha! Ha! Ha! But let’s say that, at the time, the sinks in the toilets of the original Yuzu sushi bar restaurant, looked like large bath tubs. The number of gentlemen I’ve seen taking a leak in the sinks … 😉

Chef Works: If you could cook for one person – alive, dead, historical or fictional – who would it be and what would you make for them?

Yanick Comeau: Certainly, for my wife and my children. Without hesitation, I would cook their favorite pizza for everyone. For several years, we have been making “Sunday pizzas”. There are always 3 or 4 pizzas on the table and you never have the same twice. Pizza is a pretext for culinary creation and family time.

Chef Works: What’s the most rewarding part about your job?

Yanick Comeau: The Love! All this work is based on the love and happiness of the guests!

Left to right order: Maki Pétoncle, Poké Express Crevette, and Nigiri Thon by Chef Yanick

Chef Works: What does being part of Ocean Wise’s sustainable community mean to you?

Yanick Comeau: It is absolutely essential to protect and preserve our ecosystems and our resources. Our planet is a living organism full of wonders. That’s why it’s so important for me and Yuzu restaurants to offer the best possible products, while respecting seafood resources. This is what our partnership with Ocean Wise allows us to do.

Chef Works: How do you think being a member of Ocean Wise will impact your customers and employees?

Yanick Comeau: It’s all about awareness and education. The customer or employee who chooses Yuzu is a person more aware of the importance of respecting the environment. Slowly, but surely, these choices, this positioning, will appeal to everyone.

To learn more about Chef Yanick Comeau and Yuzu Sushi, visit his profile:

Website: www.yuzusushi.ca

LinkedIn:

Facebook: Yuzu Sushi

Instagram: @yuzusushi @pachamadyan

To learn more about Ocean Wise Seafood, visit their profile:

Website: https://seafood.ocean.org/

Facebook: Ocean Wise Seafood

Instagram: @OceanWiseSeafood

Meet other Chefs of Chef Works: