i. Biography
Jordan Rubin is the chef/owner of Mr. Tuna in Portland, Maine, the chef/owner of Bar Futo in Portland, Maine, and a partner at Crispy Gai in Portland, Maine. Across those kitchens, the work is organized around technique and repeatable decisions: sushi hand rolls built with traditional methods and unexpected flavors, local seafood treated as the core material, and a broader range that runs through fire, seafood, and communal dining. The throughline is not a style statement so much as a working method, one that keeps the table close to the craft.
The Climb
Counter work at a barbecue spot in Providence, Rhode Island, in 2002 put Jordan Rubin close to live heat early, and that proximity to speed and service shows up later in the way he handles seafood and fire. The sequence that followed moved through line work, sushi prep, and then sushi leadership: line cook and sushi assistant at Ten Prime Steak and Sushi, sushi chef at a sushi restaurant in Gloucester, Massachusetts, sushi chef at UNI in Boston, Massachusetts, and a sushi residency at Madfish Grill in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Each stop added a different demand — speed, knife control, consistency, and the discipline the format requires. In 2014, Portland, Maine became the next working base for Jordan Rubin, first as an employee at Central Provisions in Portland, Maine and an employee at Vignola in Portland, Maine. That same year, he joined Solo Italiano in Portland, Maine as an opening team member and crudo program lead, a role that kept the focus on raw seafood and exact composition. The arc is cumulative rather than linear: each kitchen sharpening the next set of decisions around sourcing, handling, and service. Since 2017, Jordan Rubin has been chef/owner of Mr. Tuna, giving the hand-roll format and local sourcing philosophy a dedicated home. He became partner of Crispy Gai in 2021 and has led Bar Futo as chef/owner since 2022, where fire is a central part of the kitchen language. He also founded Tuna & Company, extending the same seafood-driven approach into another business structure.
Today
At Mr. Tuna in Portland, Maine, the menu centers on sushi hand rolls using traditional techniques and unexpected flavors, with a large focus on local seafood. The format depends on timing and control: nori, rice, and fish have to land together, with enough precision that the roll holds its shape and enough immediacy that the texture stays intact. It is a direct kind of service, built around food assembled close to the guest and meant to be eaten at its peak. Wild-caught whole fish are part of the sourcing practice, and Jordan Rubin treats that as a working part of the kitchen rather than a separate ethic statement. Procurement, breakdown, and use are linked, so the choice of fish shapes the menu, the prep, and the waste stream together. That kind of sourcing gives the restaurants continuity: what comes in determines what can be built, and what is built determines how the fish is used. At Crispy Gai in Portland, Maine and Bar Futo in Portland, Maine, the food moves into binchotan-fired cooking, yakitori-style skewers, and kakigori, all set within a communal and celebratory atmosphere. The emphasis shifts toward fire and shared plates, with smoke and heat carrying as much weight as the ingredients themselves. Across the group, the work stays consistent in its structure: seafood, flame, and a dining format that keeps the room part of the operation.
Recognition
Jordan's honors include Bloomberg, The Dishes You Should Have Eaten in 2018 (2018).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Jordan
What is Jordan Rubin's current role?
As of 2026, Jordan Rubin is Chef/Owner.
Where did Jordan Rubin work before?
Jordan Rubin's earlier career included barbecue spot, Ten Prime Steak and Sushi, and sushi restaurant.
