Morimoto Alum To Open 'Fast-Fine' Sushi Restaurant

This fall, Morimoto alum Chris Jaeckle will open Uma Temakeria in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood, featuring fresh, hand-rolled sushi in a fast-casual setting. Chef Jaeckle was formerly the sous chef at Morimoto, and earned a Michelin star for his cuisine at Michael White's Ai Fiori. Earlier in 2014, Jaeckle opened his first independent restaurant, All'onda, in New York City.

Temaki, which refers to cone-shaped roll of nori with sushi spilling out from the wide end, was popular amongst the chefs themselves at Morimoto, which inspired Jaeckle to create a quick-service method of offering sushi to busy diners, while still maintaining the mindfulness of proper sushi preparation.

"While making temaki for staff meals at Morimoto, I realized that fresh, flavorful, expertly-prepared food doesn't have to come from a full-service restaurant," said Jaeckle. "With temaki, one can have fun and be creative. We're excited to introduce the concept of accessible, high-quality sushi and elevate the fast-casual trend to a more 'fast-fine' dining experience."

In addition to responding to a growing American interest in fresh, accessible sushi, Uma Temakeria strives to promote sustainable seafood practices that respect the global seafood supply chain.

Individual temaki will be priced between $5.50 and $6.50, and guests can purchase a Temaki Set of two temaki and a side dish for $14.