Today we’d like to introduce you to Kolter Donoviel.
Hi Kolter, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was working as a Revenue Officer for the IRS back in 2008 when the recession hit hard and the economy was crashing. Being a Revenue Officer was no longer my career choice and I knew I needed a change for my personal happiness and to fit my personality. I was already working part-time in a Radisson Hotel restaurant serving Japanese cuisine. I resigned from my position at the IRS and began working in the restaurant much more. I worked hard and presented myself well. The head chef was looking to fill the position of a sushi apprentice as others he had hired did not work out. Not everyone is cut out to be a sushi chef even with experience. The head chef knew I was a hard worker and could catch on quickly. He promoted me from within and gave me a shot. The head chef is full Japanese and old school in his ways. He was hard, but thorough with my training. His name was Hideo Yamamoto. He taught me everything I know to this day about sushi alongside my other mentor Zenthen Hatcher. Between the two of them, they taught me knife skills, flavor profiles, traditional Japanese sushi, California-style sushi, and all the tricks in the book. Without them, I would know nothing of Japanese cuisine. They were both outstanding chefs and I am grateful for everything they showed me in my restaurant days. I worked in that restaurant as a sushi chef for just over 6 years until I moved back to my home in Ogden UT in 2016. I have since acquired another day job at Hill Air Force Base but I knew a couple of years ago I wanted to get back into hospitality and sharpen my skills again. Riptide Sushi was born around 2018 and I began doing low-key house parties and catering events. I kept it small and just let word-of-mouth advertising spread my name. It has grown to what it is today with house party packages and catering events still being my main request. That’s really all there is to it. I love hosting events and entertaining others so it was a natural fit and flows with my personality. I truly love my work.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has really been a pretty smooth road. I keep it manageable and do not overwork myself. My customers are absolutely outstanding and I am extremely grateful for them. The biggest challenge is really just managing family, my day job, and my fun job. Remembering I do this for fun has really helped me along the way. It helps to avoid stress and other things this industry can throw at you. All in all, I manage it well and I have really not had to struggle along the way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I would say my business really focuses on a laid-back approach to sushi. We still pay attention to detail and deliver a presentable product but our main focus is our taste. We can do all the traditional Japanese items and present them well with great flavor but we really emphasize what I would call California-style sushi such as rolls and other items that may not be on a traditional Japanese menu. We get really creative with our maki rolls and I really just focus on giving something to the customer that I would like to eat myself. We come up with wild names and presentations that a lot of our guests may not have seen. Our sushi-style jalapeno poppers are to die for and are always a crowd favorite. I’ve always said to give me someone who says they don’t like sushi and I will give them something they will love to eat again and again. It really is just keeping it simple, being creative, and executing our flavor.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I would consider myself a risk-taker but I haven’t really taken any risks when it comes to Riptide Sushi Co. Again it is not an extremely large business and I have no employees. Just my wife and I doing parties and catering events. I let this business grow on its own and look to be accommodating to my customers but at the same time have a good life balance. I would potentially like to own a restaurant/bar someday as I love the industry but as of this point I have not endured much risk with this business. No loans, no employees, and no stress. Just a fun business I love to run and interact with people.
Pricing:
- $35-40/person for events
- $50-150 party trays
- $10 delivery fee for drop off
- $100 deposit for all events
Contact Info:
- Website: riptidesushico.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/riptidesushico
- Facebook: facebook.com/riptidesushico
