There are many talented chefs who have been able to learn how to prepare dishes as they are prepared in different parts of the world even though the chefs themselves may come from a different land and a different culture.

Chef Hiroji Obayashi is a native of Japan. At an early age he showed a strong interest in preparing and serving authentic Japanese food exactly as it has been prepared and served for many centuries in Japan. He also demonstrated an amazing ability to create not only traditional food but new and innovative dishes as well.

Obayashi's natural talent enabled him to begin his career at a very young age in Kappo Hiromi, one of the most authentic restaurants in Japan. While working at this excellent restaurant he further sharpened his skills and became well known not only for preparing excellent food but also for elevating the presentation of his dishes to an art form.

In 1978 an excellent career opportunity presented itself and he moved to Los Angeles to become Chef at the prestigious Imperial Gardens. Patrons of this outstanding restaurant began appreciating and enjoying truly authentic Japanese food.

After twelve successful years of doing what he does best, becoming known as an outstanding Los Angeles Chef and getting a feel for the American market, Chef Obayashi decided that the time was right to open his own restaurant which he did in 1989. Hirozen Gourmet Restaurant, against all odds, became an instant success in Los Angeles.

The growing popularity of Japanese food in America, especially Sushi, helped to propel Obayashi's new restaurant to early success and gained him rave reviews from many food critics and also the designation of "Excellent" by Gourmet Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, Beverly Hills Courier, L.A. Weekly and others. Hirozen Gourmet Restaurant also received the prestigious Los Angeles Mayoral Award of Excellence.

There is no doubt Hirozen Gourmet Restaurant has become the place to go in Los Angeles if you are looking for excellent and authentic Japanese food, not just a food writers interpretation of what he or she thinks Japanese food should be.

Hiroji Obayashi has every right to be proud of his achievements as a talented chef and of the huge success of Hirozen Gourmet Restaurant which has as regular customers many well known celebrities and industry leaders.

When the world famous Caesars Palace in Las Vegas decided to make authentic Japanese cuisine available to their patrons, they elected to add a Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar to the other fine restaurants which were featured at Caesar's Palace.

In order to maintain their reputation for excellence, the management of this outstanding hotel and casino retained Chef Hiroji Obayashi as consultant making him responsible for the procurement, preparation and serving of genuine Japanese Cuisine.

Hidden in a corner of a nondescript mini-mall, this is one of the finest and unpretentious Japanese restaurants in town. Apart from traditional sushi offerings, iconoclast chef Hiro conjures up some truly ethereal dishes. Any connoisseur of Japanese food knows about this joint, so come early or be prepared to wait. -- Time Out Los Angeles, 2001

In December of 1997 Hyakumi Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar opened at Caesar's Palace and has already become a huge success, further proof that Hiroji Obayashi is indeed one of the most knowledgeable authorities on Japanese Cuisine in the world today.

With the success of Hyakumi Japanese Restaurant, he has become the benchmark of establishing authentic Japanese Restaurants especially in Las Vegas where the real Japanese Food is in great demand. Consequently when the world's most exclusive hotel, Bellagio Resort opened its own Japanese Restaurant, Shintaro in 1998, he played a major role in selecting chefs and preparation and presentation of real Japanese Cuisine.

In September 2000, his new venture was unfolded at an award-winning French restaurant, DOMINIQUE's at the Maison Dupuy Hotel in New Orleans. With an invitation from Chef Dominique Macquet, Obayashi served Japanese cuisine to the restaurant's patrons for the first time. This new and rather unique challenge was well received and the local guests who were unaccustomed to Japanese food enjoyed his dishes.

From October 31 through November 5, 2000, Hiroji Obayashi was invited to the First Annual World Gourmet Festival held at the Regent Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. This unprecedented event was reported not only by the local media but by media all over the world and reported on CNN as well. As one of the nine chefs from Italy, Hong King, Canada, Mexico and the United States, he served Japanese cuisine to the guests including Royal Princess Siriwanwaree Mahidol.