Chef-Owner

Brandon Go

Chef-Owner, Hayato

Discipline: Chef-Owner

Portrait of Brandon Go

i. Biography

The discipline of sushi service is evident in Brandon Go’s early work at Koi in Seal Beach, California, United States, where a steady hand and exacting repetition were part of the job. Before that, UCLA formed the academic part of his background, but the kitchen established the terms of his practice: precision, patience, and control. In that setting, Brandon Go built a style that favors clean execution and careful attention over ornament. That same discipline is now centered at Hayato, where Brandon Go is chef and owner. The progression from sushi cook to ownership shows a craft built by accumulation rather than jump cuts: technique sharpened over time, judgment tightened through repetition, and standards held close enough to shape the room around them. At Hayato, those habits read as authorship grounded in restraint.

Today

The role of recognition in a kitchen can be practical rather than theatrical, and Brandon Go has described Michelin in those terms: as confidence to trust the work already being done and to take more risks when the method is right. At Hayato, that kind of assurance shows up as composure. The restaurant’s identity is not louder for the recognition; it is more settled. Brandon Go has also said, “I think everything at Hayato just works with more confidence now.” The line points to a kitchen that has become clearer in its decisions. What comes through is not a change in direction, but a firmer hold on the one already chosen.

In Their Words “Michelin gave us the confidence to trust ourselves, and even to take more risks when we really believed in doing things a certain way.” “I think everything at Hayato just works with more confidence now.”

Career - Chef and owner — Hayato, Los Angeles, California, United States - Sushi cook — Koi, Seal Beach, California, United States Education: UCLA

Recognition

Brandon Go's honors include MICHELIN Stars.

FAQ What is Brandon Go's current role? Brandon Go is Chef and Owner. Where did Brandon Go train or study? Brandon Go trained at UCLA. What recognition has Brandon Go received? MICHELIN Stars.