Local Business Spotlight: Yuki Yama Sushi

Yuki Yama Sushi Nigiri. Photo: Nate Dolin

PARK CITY, Utah — Located on Main Street, Yuki Yama Sushi is an elegant combination of delectable Japanese fare, mountain town style, and camaraderie. Matt Baydala and Kirk Terashima are co-owners and partners in creating Yuki’s unparalleled dining experience. Matt runs the front of the house as general manager. As executive chef, Kirk fosters his team to make creative and delicious Japanese provisions.

“Our cuisine is a mixture of Japanese-inspired sushi and sashimi dishes,” Matt explains, “The beauty behind our sushi bar is that we give our chefs the freedom to be creative. We really love taking talented chefs… and turning them into talented sushi chefs.”

In addition to sushi and sashimi, the menu at Yuki also includes classic Japanese dishes like miso black cod, house-made pork gyoza, tempura, and ramen with a house-made broth.

Matt gives his team credit for the restaurant’s success. “Running a great restaurant isn’t easy. It’s not just about the food. It’s about the staff. From the front of the house to the back of the house, the team truly needs to care about the business,” he says, “ Then once you can build that team, then and only then can will your guests truly get the best service and experience possible.”

Matt and Kirk strive to make dining at Yuki Yama approachable. “As far as our experience goes, we pride ourselves on being a neighborhood-style restaurant,” Matt describes, “We aren’t trying to be a fine dining experience. We want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable in our space. Our service is casual and professional all at the same time. We love when our staff has fun at work because when they are having fun, our guests are as well!”