Interview with Chef Devin Hashimoto, Okada Resaurant, Wynn Las Vegas
Posted on Jul 29, 2011 under Chefs, Interviews | 2 Comments
Chef Devon Hashimoto
On my last visit to Las Vegas I visited with Chef Devon Hashimoto. Chef Hashimoto was recently appointed the new executive chef of Okada, the fine dining Japanese retaurant at Wynn. I enjoyed a fabulous tasting menu, see the next post, of new menu items created by Chef Hashimoto.
Raised in Honolulu, Hashimoto worked at Sam Choy’s in Hawaii before traveling to Vegas to attend the University of Nevada Las Vegas. He worked at the Mirage in Vegas until Chef Alex Stratta recruited Hashimoto to work at his signature restaurant, Alex, at the Wynn Resort. When Alex closed earlier this year, Hashimoto was chosen to head up the kitchen at Okada. We sat down and chatted about his new role as chef, the revised menu at Okada and his philosophy about food and cooking.
June 19th, 2012 at 11:25 pm
Devin worked with me for 10 years. His passion, intensity and curiosity is unequal. Of all of the people that have come though “my system” including various F&B directors, executive chefs and ‘chef de cuisines’ who, after coming to Vegas with me 13 years ago, Devin is the crown jewel.
Do not under estimate this chef: he started with me at Renoir at the mirage in 2000 coming from the grind of the room service kitchen and worked for free just to learn. Go figure: hard work pays off! Within 5 years he was the key for us getting 2 Michelin stars and every year in 13 got the Mobil/Forbes 5 star rating. I can say with all honesty and humility that devin carried me on his shoulders to receiving the best. Ratings in the country. I can’t express my gratitude for this incredibly talented chef and, more so, wonderful family man who has what it takes to be one of the best chefs in the country. Steve Wynn let me run Renoir and Alex with a free hand and I hope he does the same with devin. DO NOT HD BACK HIS CREATIVITY AND LASSION and this man will redefine “modern Japanese” cooking.
I am so proud to have been part of his development: he got the spirit of my Franco-Italian cooking and morphed it into an unreal combination of traditional French and Italian techniques molded into Japanese cooking. Watch this guy: he is, BY FAR, the strongest chef that Wynn has in his atelier. Please recognize this guy: I love you Nobu, but watch your tail. With all due respect, he’s going to pass us both by! NOW IS HIS Time!!
June 19th, 2012 at 11:29 pm
Go check it out and tell him I sent you!!
Hawaiian style bro!! Aloha!
Best dish: seared foie grad with poi and spices apricots!
One that rocked me!! I’m not “rocked” easy.