Chef Jimmy Kieu began training and learning the art of sushi as a server at The Fish. He eventually became head chef of the restaurant. Kieu has remained a prominent figure in Houston’s restaurant scene for more than 20 years, also working as head chef at RA Sushi in Highland Village and The Blind Goat. Now, he’s running Sushi By Hidden, an intimate restaurant in Rice Village that offers a unique sushi tasting experience.
What first sparked your interest in cooking?
“Ever since I was younger, I’ve always loved to cook. I have a big family. I have four sisters and two brothers. I’m the best cook in the house. I always helped my mom when I was younger in the kitchen. As far as getting into sushi, it was by accident. In my early 20s, I was looking for a job. One of my friends connected me with the manager at The Fish. I was coming in for an interview to be a server, but they said they needed some chefs. I hopped back there and started training how to make sushi, and I fell in love with it.”
Are there skills that you learned in the early years that you still lean on?
“I’ve been pretty lucky in my career to work with a bunch of talented chefs, especially early in my career. Chinese background, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Guatemalans, I’ve learned so many things from different people. It’s not just Japanese cuisine. Sushi has come a long way since back then. Everyone is still learning.”
If you could pick one restaurant in Houston to go to every weekend, which one would it be
?
“To tell you the truth, it wouldn’t be sushi because I eat this stuff every single day. I like to go [to] Chinatown. I love to go to mom and pop places up there. Crawfish & Noodles is one of my favorite spots. I love to eat crawfish when it’s in season. That’s pretty much the only place that I eat crawfish.”
