Fumio Matsuda, celebrated by the culinary world as Chef Andy Matsuda, passed away peacefully on June 17 at the age of 69.
He leaves behind a legacy as the founder of the Sushi Chef Institute, a sensei to many students, and a community advocate for Japanese cuisine and culture.
Matsuda was born near Kobe on July 25, 1956. When he was nine years old, his family started a small Japa-nese restaurant where he learned the joy of cook-ing. After graduating from high school, he began working as an apprentice at a famous restau-rant in Osaka.
At the age of 23, he returned to his hometown to help expand the family business, and later, at the age of 25, he set out to pursue his dream of moving to Los Angeles with one small suitcase, a knife, and his life savings.
His first job was in Little Tokyo as an assistant, but he quickly went on to hold chief sushi chef positions in many sushi bars across Santa Monica, Aspen, and New York, and even on cruise lines.
At age 36, Chef Andy faced his greatest battle when he was di-agnosed with cancer for the first time. Emerging from that struggle, he was filled with a deep sense of appreciation for life. Guided by a de-sire to pay that gratitude forward, he committed himself to teaching the art of Japanese cuisine with the world.
In 2002, he founded the Sushi Chef Institute in Los Angeles. For over two decades, he poured his heart into training both beginners and culinary professionals. Today, more than 2,000 alumni span 35 countries, carrying forward his teachings and pursuing their own dreams globally. Chef Andy devoted his life to opening minds to the depth of sushi culture, always instilling a core philosophy rooted in appreciation for nature, family, and community.
He is survived by his devoted wife, Setsu; his daughter, Julie; and his son-in-law, Andy. He will be deeply missed, loving-ly remembered, and forever celebrated by his family, students, and community.
Funeral services celebrating the life of Chef Andy were held on June 20 at Green Hills Mortuary & Memorial Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes. A video of the service will be avail-able to view for up to 90 days. For a link, go to: https://obituar-ies.greenhillsla.com/fumio-matsuda