Chef

Kazunori Nozawa

Discipline: Chef

Portrait of Kazunori Nozawa

i. Biography

Kazunori Nozawa is the Japanese chef of KazuNori in Los Angeles. He apprenticed with a master sushi chef in Tokyo at age 18, later opened his own restaurant in Japan, emigrated to the United States as a sushi consultant, and opened Sushi Nozawa in 1987 in Studio City, California, to educate Americans about Edo-style sushi.

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The Path

Today, Kazunori is president of Sushi Nozawa, LLC (since 2013) and chef of KazuNori.

The Work Today

He serves as chef at KazuNori.

Career - President — Sushi Nozawa, LLC, Los Angeles, California (2013–present) - Chef — KazuNori - Apprentice — Tokyo master sushi chef, Tokyo, Japan (from 1963) - Owner — Japan - Sushi consultant — United States, United States - Owner — Sushi Nozawa, Studio City, California (1987–2012)

Signature

Kazunori Nozawa is a chef known for traditional Japanese sushi.

In Their Words “Great sushi starts with great fish.”

Acclaim

His craft note is concise and fish-first: "Great sushi starts with great fish."

FAQ What is Kazunori Nozawa's current role? As of 2026, Kazunori Nozawa is Chef. Where did Kazunori Nozawa work before? Kazunori Nozawa's earlier career included Tokyo master sushi chef and United States.