A legendary Tokyo sushi chef is making his U.S. debut in NYC

Why is the sushi in New York City so good? It's because we go straight to the source—no, we're not just talking about the ingredients themselves but the people magically transforming them into stunning nigiri, sashimi and maki rolls. Yes, many Japanese chefs have graciously brought their considerable raw-fish talents to share with our fair city and one of Tokyo's best is doing the same this May. 

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From Thursday, May 2 through Monday, May 6, legendary Tokyo sushi chef Hidefumi Namba will be serving guests for the first time in the United States at the soon-to-open sushi den, Sendo. It is the launching event for the new sushi counter, which will open this month at 876 Sixth Ave as "an ode to the origins of sushi from 1850s Japan": the restaurant's Shokunin Series will be an ongoing omakase pop-up spotlighting the world's top sushi chefs, like Namba-san. (The rest of the time Sendo will be helmed by chef Kevin Ngo, an alum of Sushi Nakazawa and Sushi Ginza Onodera.)

Namba is known for his intimate eight-seat, referral-only Tokyo restaurant Sushi Namba Hibiya, which earned the sushi master the prestigious Tabelog Gold award, Japan’s most respected culinary achievement, a whopping five times. However, he will be making his permanent U.S. debut later this fall with his upcoming Miami restaurant, Ura, and New Yorkers will get a sneak peek at that omakase during this exclusive five-night pop-up event. 

There will be 20-plus courses through the $1,000 meal (yes, you read that right) and to ensure the quality matches Namba’s exacting standards, the exact same ingredients he serves in Tokyo are being flown in directly from Toyosu market. The pricey ticket includes service as well as a complimentary taste of IWA sake’s newly released Assemblage 4, "a bodied yet weightless Junmai Daiginjo made of rice from Okayama, Hyogo and Toyama prefectures," per a press release.

Snag a reservation at Hidefumi Namba's opulent omakase pop-up here.