Bar Director
Masa Urushido
Chef
- Discipline
- Bar Director
- Based in
- New York City, New York, United States
- Venue
- Katana Kitten · Bar
i. Biography
Signature
Masa's signature dishes include Yuzu-shio Chuhai and Melon-Lime Soda. The names sit in the same register as the work: clean, direct, and built around clarity rather than noise. In Masa Urushido’s hands, those drinks point to a bar style shaped by balance, precision, and a deliberate sense of pleasure.
Today
Since 2018, the Managing Partner and Director of Deliciousness role at Katana Kitten has paired oversight with tone-setting. Masa Urushido uses that position to hold the room together through consistency, pacing, and the small details that make service read as controlled rather than forced. At Katana Kitten in New York City, the effect is a bar environment with a clear point of view and a steady hand behind it.
The Climb
Early work as a food runner in Shibuya, Tokyo put Masa Urushido close to the tempo of service, where speed and accuracy are part of the job before the guest ever sees the plate. Moving from runner to bartender apprentice in the same city added the mechanics of bar craft to that foundation, with repetition and discipline doing the heavy lifting. The later step to bar manager at Saxon + Parole widened the scope, shifting the work from execution to coordination while keeping the same attention to flow, timing, and detail.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Masa
What is Masa Urushido's current role?
Masa Urushido is Managing Partner and Director of Deliciousness at Katana Kitten in New York City, a role he has held since 2018.
Where did Masa Urushido start?
He began as a food runner at Tableaux in Tokyo, Japan, in 2001.
What came next?
He moved on as a bartender apprentice at restaurant in Shibuya in Tokyo, Japan, then became bar manager at Saxon + Parole.
What are Masa Urushido's signature dishes?
Masa's signature dishes include Yuzu-shio Chuhai and Melon-Lime Soda.
Where did Masa Urushido work before?
Earlier in their career, Masa Urushido worked at restaurant in Shibuya and Saxon + Parole.
What recognition has Masa Urushido received?
No individual award is listed here.
