Approximately 250 locals came to Bluefin, in Newport Beach, and helped raise more than $24,000 at a special brunch this past Sunday, March 27. The popular Crystal Cove Promenade restaurant hosted an all-you-can-eat buffet brunch for a minimum $50 donation to the American Red Cross Japanese Disaster Relief Fund.
Hundreds of locals came out to support the earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan, while enjoying a wide variety of appetizers, sushi, rolls and grilled items, as well as soda, beer and sake.
“We are thrilled with the response we received and are overwhelmed that we were able to raise $24,000,” said Ted Lee, a partner in Bluefin. “It means a lot to Chef Abe and the entire Bluefin family as many of our employees are natives of Japan.”
Master Chef Takashi Abe, a favorite of local diners and ranked by Zagat as one of the top Chefs of Orange County, is a native of Yamagata, Japan. He started working at 18 in a traditional-style Japanese restaurant in his hometown and also worked in Tokyo, where he immersed himself in the technique of classical Japanese cooking. He later moved to Alaska and was the private chef at the Japanese Embassy, and later spent four years working under Master Chef Nobu Matsuhisa in Los Angeles. In 1998, Abe opened his own namesake restaurant in Newport Beach, and he opened Bluefin in 2005.
Posted on 03/30/11 by Allison
