Former food truck sushi chef Elliot Harris has found a new, more stationary home. Harris, who sold Chop Shop STL in December 2015, is now executive sushi chef at Baiku Sushi Lounge in Midtown.
Baiku owner Brad Beracha said Harris actually joined the restaurant in January, but the announcement was postponed while Baiku temporarily closed its doors that month so Hotel Ignacio (located in the same building) addressed structural problems in the building. Beracha said Harris used that time to tweak the sushi menu. Repairs are made and Baiku will reopen for dinner next Tuesday, April 26 and lunch on May 3. The restaurant will be closed on Sundays.
“I’ve worked with Elliot before,” Beracha said. “He is talented, creative and with him selling the truck, the timing was perfect. He is right for the future of Baiku and the direction we want to go.”
Harris has nearly 20 years experience behind a sushi bar, including time spent at Beracha’s now-shuttered Miso in Clayton. He said he will focus on nightly specials with new items slowly making their way to the menu, like a variation of the Korean poke dish Harris once served at Chop Shop.
“I want to bring in specialty fish, and there will be a focus on seasonal ingredients,” Harris said. “This will let me open up to catering to the customer and do chef’s choice or things off-menu.”
Editor’s Note: This post was updated at 2 p.m. Friday, April 22 with correct information about starting dates for lunch and dinner service.
This article appears in April 2016.