Barbecue sushi from Poke Paradise (Photo: Jimmy “Sushi Jimmi” Sinh)
If you’re a Memphis chef, chances are you’ve thought about creating some kind of barbecue. Or maybe you already have.
But what would be your “signature” barbecue? Even if the idea is still in your imagination?
Tamra Patterson, chef/owner of Chef Tam’s Underground Cafe: “If Chef Tam created her style of barbecue/meat, it would be barbecue catfish stuffed with a barbecue jambalaya. No matter what I cook, I always have to infuse my love of Cajun food and Cajun culture.”
Jonathan Magallanes, chef/owner of Las Tortugas: “My style would be twice-cooked for an extra texture. First, braised like carnitas with whole orange, bay leaf, lard, lime, and green chile. Then flash-fried in peanut oil. At Tops Bar-B-Q, I ask for extra dark meat on the sandwich. That bark and meat crust is divine. Then I would use a chipotle salsa. Pork is braised in a huge copper kettle. Chipotle, cilantro, lime, and onion for garnish. I like to do the whole rack of ribs this way, or shoulder. Crispy pork is the best pork, as it accentuates and concentrates the porcine flavor.”
Mario Grisanti, owner of Dino’s Grill: “I make my own barbecue sauce, but I make it sweet. I would make a beef brisket and smoked pork barbecue lasagna with layers of meats, mozzarella cheese, etc. Thin layers of each covered in barbecue sauce.”
Chip Dunham, chef/owner of Magnolia & May: “One of my favorite barbecue dishes I’ve created is our Tacos con Mempho. I smoke my own pork shoulder for 12 hours and serve it on two corn tortillas with American cheese melted between them, avocado salsa, and tobacco onions. At brunch, we simply just add a scrambled egg and it’s a breakfast taco. Another one of my favorites was our barbecue butternut squash sandwich. We roast butternut squash and toss it with some Memphis barbecue sauce. It’s a vegan sandwich that satisfies the biggest meat-eater.”
Kelly English, chef/owner of Restaurant Iris and The Second Line: “If I were to try to put my own fingerprints on what Memphis already does perfectly, I would play around with fermentations and chili peppers. I would also explore the traditions of barbacoa in ancient Central American and surrounding societies.”
Jimmy “Sushi Jimmi” Sinh, Poke Paradise food truck owner: “I made a roll with barbecue meats a long time ago. Made with Central BBQ ribs. I made them plenty of times when I hung out with my barbecue friends. I did it in my rookie years. Inside is all rib meat topped with rib meat, barbecue crab mix, thin-sliced jalapeño, dab of sriracha, furikake, green onion.”
Armando Gagliano, Ecco on Overton Park chef/owner: “My favorite meat to smoke is pork back ribs. I keep the dry rub pretty simple: half brown sugar to a quarter adobo and a quarter salt. I smoke my ribs at 250-275 degrees using post oak wood and offset smoker. … The ribs are smoked for three hours and spritzed with orange juice and sherry vinegar every 30 minutes. After three hours, I baste with a homemade barbecue sauce that includes a lot of chipotle peppers and honey. Wrap the ribs in foil and put back on the smoker for two hours. After that, remove from the smoker and let rest in the foil for another hour. They should pull completely off the bone, but not fall apart when handled.”
FreeSol, owner of Red Bones Turkey Legs at Carolina Watershed: “I am already doing it with the turkey legs. We are smoking these legs for hours till they fall of the bone. … We [also] flavor them and stuff them.”
Ryan Trimm, chef/owner of Sunrise Memphis and 117 Prime: “Beef spare ribs are a personal favorite of mine. A nice smoke with a black pepper-based rub followed by a fruit-based sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce is my way to go.”
And even Huey’s gets in on the act. Huey’s COO Ashley Boggs Robilio says, “Recipe created by Huey’s Midtown day crew: Huey’s world famous BBQ brisket burger. Topped with coleslaw and fried jalapeños.”
Continuing to celebrate barbecue month in Memphis, more chefs share ’que ideas in next week’s Memphis Flyer.
In the first in a sort of Reddit grab bag this week, Memphis user Jwiley92 shared this infographic (from the Centers for Disease Control) to show which populations in Shelby County were the most hesitant to get a COVID-19 vaccination.
Sushi Jimmi Redux
MEMernet citizens had thoughts about our story last week announcing Sushi Jimmi would leave Memphis.
“Haven’t we heard this story like five times before?” asked CaptainInane-O on Reddit.
On Twitter, @ViewFromBoxSeat wondered, “Anybody seen an update on Sushi Jimmi? It’s been over 24 hours since the last article about him.”
“Booty Clap Parking Pass”
No one on the Memphis subreddit could quite explain just what was going on with this photo captured at Overton Park and posted by benefit_of_mrkite.
User baabahope got closest, maybe, noting “that’s a booty clap parking pass.” Other users agreed, though, that whatever was going on was Memphis AF.
After hearing about Memphis being recognized as the mashed potato capital of America by Idahoan Foods, I wondered how Memphis chefs used mashed potatoes at their restaurants. So, I asked around.
Kelly English, owner of Iris, The Second Line, and Fino’s from the Hill, says, “I love crawfish boil mashed potatoes — with everything you would get in a crawfish boil. Just fold some crawfish tails, crispy sautéed andouille, corn kernels, and roasted garlic into your potatoes and season with your favorite Creole seasoning. Saute a piece of fish from the Gulf and pour brown butter and lemon juice over the whole dish.”
Derk Meitzler, chef/owner of The Vault, Paramount, Backlot Sandwich Shop, and Earnestine & Hazel’s, says, “I’ve used leftover mashed potatoes to make loaded tater tots. Put the potatoes, egg, flour, shredded cheddar cheese, bacon, and chives into a bowl and mix together. Form into the shape of a tater tot and roll in panko bread crumbs. Then fry them golden brown.”
Acre Restaurant executive chef Andrew Adams (Photo: Michael Donahue)
Elwood’s Shack owner Tim Bednarski shared his warm German potato salad recipe. Boil two pounds of new potatoes cut into fourths in salted water until tender. Render four pieces of bacon. Drain the potatoes while warm. Combine one cup sliced green onions, one-half cup diced celery, one-half cup mayonnaise, one-half cup sour cream, two tablespoons Dijon mustard, one-fourth cup apple cider vinegar, one-half cup chopped parsley, one-fourth cup pimentos, salt and pepper to taste, and “hot sauce for a kick.” Give it “a light mash.”
Veteran Memphis chef Mac Edwards, hospitality director for The Paramount, makes Very Anglo Latkes: “To leftover mashed potatoes, add grated onion, eggs, a little flour, and baking soda. Press into a patty, pan fry in one-fourth inch of oil until crispy and brown. Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt while hot. I make a horseradish applesauce to go with it.”
Karen Carrier, owner of The Beauty Shop Restaurant, Mollie Fontaine Lounge, and Another Roadside Attraction, prepares Green Herb Roasted Garlic Creamed Potatoes, made with Yukon golds and a parsley, mint, and tarragon puree, unsalted butter, roasted garlic, creme fraiche, and grana padano, with salt and pepper to taste.
Saito 2 chef Jimmy “Sushi Jimi” Sinh makes a sushi roll with mashed potatoes. “Inside would be a deep-fried panko chicken,” he says. The roll is “topped with mashed potatoes and thinly sliced avocado.”
Ben Smith, chef/owner of Tsunami, says, “Mashed potatoes don’t play a major role in my restaurant, even though it’s one of the most requested side items. They normally only accompany our grilled filet of beef, but some customers get creative. We frequently have people order our pork and lemongrass meatballs on top of mashed potatoes.
“I’ve also known people to order mashed potatoes with a side of soy beurre blanc, which is kind of overkill because our mashed potatoes are already loaded with butter and cream.”
Acre Restaurant executive chef Andrew Adams says, “When I worked in a restaurant in New Jersey, I would make mashed potato sandwiches at the end of the night when leftovers were mashed potatoes and sourdough bread. I’ve been told that I break some sort of healthy eating rule by eating carbs on carbs. Lately, I’ve been doing the same with leftover cornbread.”
Peggy Brown, chef/owner of Peggy’s Healthy Home Cooking, cooks homestyle mashed potatoes: “We use Irish potatoes. Peel, wash, slice them up, put them in a pot with chicken broth, and boil until they get completely done. I also put salt in my pot while they’re cooking. Mash them with a potato masher and put in real butter and black pepper. Sometimes we put a little cream in them.”
If you still don’t have enough mashed potatoes in your life, try making some of these dishes.
Former Memphis chef Spencer McMillin, “traveling chef” and author of The Caritas Cookbook: A Year in the Life with Recipes, knows his mashed potatoes. “I’ve been making smoked mashed potatoes since 1995,” says McMillin, now executive chef at Ciao Trattoria and Wine Bar in Durham, New Hampshire. “Wash Idaho russets, peel them, simmer — always starting in cold water — drain, smoke with any wood but mesquite, fortify with unholy amounts of hot cream and cold butter, season — kosher salt only, pepper and garlic fight with the smoke — and serve them napalm hot. If the roof of your mouth wasn’t singed with the first bite, they’re too cold. Smoked mash is the one side dish of mine that has been remembered, sought after, stolen, and stood the test of time.
“In the restaurants, I always make way too much and find myself trying to merchandise them in other dishes or turning them into new ‘brilliant’ preparations. A kicky shepherd’s pie, creative duchess croquette, savory pancake — so good with braised pork shoulder — or cheddar-laced fritters.”
But, he says, “None of those dishes were as tasty and as simple to whip together during a mad rush as smoked potato bisque. Sweat out some leek and onion in butter, add chicken stock — not that crap in the aseptic box at the grocery store, make fresh — maybe add a bay leaf or two, bring to a simmer, whisk in an appropriate amount of day-old smoked mash — they’re better in this soup — a touch of cream and bam!”
In addition to his sandwiches, Acre Restaurant executive chef Andrew Adams uses mashed potatoes in dishes served at the restaurant.
“I like to make the super smooth extremely rich Robuchon style mashed potatoes or potato puree,” Adams says. “Five large russet potatoes, one pound butter, salt, and a small amount of hot milk. I treat the process like any emulsion, similar to a béarnaise, by slowly adding the butter and then refinishing with milk.”
Mashed potato concoctions don’t need fancy equipment, Adams says. “Years ago, I was eating at a Michelin three-star restaurant in New York City. After dinner, I was having a drink with the chefs who worked there. I was complimenting their truffle potato foam — when that was still popular — on a seafood dish. The sous chef said he spent weeks with aerators, stabilizers, and other high-tech equipment only for the chef to walk by one day and simply toss a spoonful of mashed potatoes into a white wine sauce and blend. The texture ended up so airy and balanced. Fifteen years later, I tried that. I made a simple sauce with white wine, shallots, milk. Then I added saved mashed potatoes slowly until thickened. To this, I added a little brown butter. And that was it. Last year, this made it to our menu. Now I smoke the potatoes. The final smoked potato sauce goes with our potato gnocchi and short rib dish. The gnocchi with ‘smoked mashed potato’ sauce has been a hit. It’s not listed on the menu that way.”
And, Adams says, “If I have leftover chunky mashed potatoes or some with less butter and other liquids, I will use those sometimes to mix with duck confit or duck breast ‘pastrami’ to make potato-duck croquettes. I just mix duck, mashed potatoes, and egg. That gets molded and breaded, fried.
“On days when we make potato rosemary bread, I’ll ask the crew to save the potatoes for the next day. The potatoes get mixed into the dough. The bread is usually used as the base of our country pork pate.”
Justin Fox Burks and his wife, Amy Lawrence of The Chubby Vegetarian blog and cookbooks, shared their Mashed Potato Dumplings recipe:
2 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
1 tablespoon water
2 medium eggs (beaten)
1 cup semolina flour
one half teaspoon kosher salt
“Place potatoes and water in a microwave-safe bowl with a lid or a plate to cover. Microwave on high for eight minutes and then allow potatoes to rest, covered, for another eight minutes in the microwave. Mash potatoes with a potato masher and add the eggs, four, and salt. Mix with your hands until just mixed. Pat dough out to about one half inch thickness on a floured surface. Using a pastry cutter or knife, cut dough into roughly one half inch rectangles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook gnocchi for two to three minutes. When they are ready, they will float. Use a strainer to remove them from the water.
For extra credit, extra flavor, and extra texture, sear the drained gnocchi in olive oil in a skillet on high heat before tossing them with your choice of sauce.”
Burks and Lawrence serve their gnocchi with “a garlicky parsley and walnut pesto or paired with a regular jar of tomato sauce and heaps of grated Romano cheese.”
Jimmy “Sushi Jimmi” Sinh is starring in his own cooking show, Jimmi Sinh, on YouTube.
Sinh made sushi on the first episode, which aired January 18th, but he plans to prepare all types of cuisine.
“What I’m showing people is what I do every day,” Sinh says. “How I do it. And then I can help people who are Sushi Jimmi fans and also help people who want to learn to become a chef. Everything I teach is done by a chef’s knowledge base.”
For the past six years, people have asked Sinh, who is a cook at Saito 2 in Arlington, to do an online cooking show, he says. “I was going to do this a long time ago but I just never had the time. I was requested from a lot of my customers to do classes.”
He usually just taught people who cook professionally. This is the first time he is teaching home cooks. But, Sinh says, “For me to be able to train someone, they have to have a passion for it, because if they don’t, it’s a waste of my time. I have such a huge passion for it, it has to be someone who has the same type of passion.
“I train chefs because I love for another person to do what I do. If I do it virtually, you have a choice to hit the ‘pause’ button or ‘play’ buttons. That’s up to you.”
Someone watching his videos may decide to “become another chef Jimmy Sinh. The skills I can teach you, you can go out and find yourself a chef position job and maybe open your own restaurant one day. That’s the kind of skills I’m teaching people.
“Everyone wants to put on a chef coat, but not everybody knows what to do with the chef coat. I want to put out an inspiration for all the younger people and make sure they do want to become a chef — why you want to become a chef (and) what it takes to become a chef.”
Sinh plans to feature new episodes about twice a week. “It’s everything that I ever cooked. It’s going to be out there. And if any one of my customers requests me to do something, I’ll do it. ‘We want you to cook some Vietnamese food.’ OK. Let’s make a Vietnamese food episode.”
Jimmy ‘Sushi Jimmi’ Sinh
And, he says, “I want people to know my where my culinary background is, but I want to do some grilling techniques to show people how I marinate my meat. What I do for my private parties.”
Sinh also will show viewers “the right place to go” for the ingredients for the dishes he’s making. “All of the stuff I’ll be teaching you can find locally at the store or you can order online.”
His recipes aren’t secret. “People say, ‘Oh, man. You’re giving out your secret recipes.’ You cannot ever hold your recipes for the rest of your life. I want to be the person who shared great food with everyone.”
Currently, Sinh’s show is being filmed at the restaurant. But he also plans to do some filming at home and at other locations. “I’m going to be using my sister’s backyard. I’m going to set up a mobile kitchen in the backyard. I’m going to show people how to do outdoor grilling.”
He’d eventually like to do some traveling so he can show restaurant techniques from other restaurants around the country.
As for being on camera, Sinh is more than ready for his closeup. “I’m still learning. I’m what you call an amateur.” But, he says, “I’m very comfortable around a camera.”
And to make himself feel comfortable on camera, Sinh wears chef pants and a black T-shirt — his usual kitchen attire. “We work around all kinds of conditions. The more comfortable you are, the better your food tastes.”
Jimmy ‘Sushi Jimmi’ Sinh at Saito 2 Hibachi & Sushi
If you’re wondering where Sushi Jimmi is these days, look in Lakeland. Jimmy “Sushi Jimmi” Sinh now is working at the new Saito 2 Hibachi & Sushi restaurant.
Sinh, who says things didn’t work out at J. T. Fusion, the now defunct restaurant inside La Hacienda in Cordova, happened upon the second location of Saito while driving around Lakeland. “I saw some lights inside. I told myself, ‘Hey, look, I need a job,’” Sinh says. “I just went in there the old school way, which is walk in and ask for a job. And they told me, ‘We are hiring. When can you start?’”
They hired him as a sushi chef. “They were impressed with my work. At first they didn’t know who I was.”
His boss then discovered he was the former owner of the popular Sushi Jimmi’s restaurant, which was on Poplar near the viaduct, Sinh says.
Sinh is impressed with the restaurant. “It was home to me when I came into work. That kind of vibe reminded me of how we operated at Sushi Jimmi. Treat people well. Whatever needs to be done, we all chip in and we do it together.”
Saito 2, which also has another location, Saito Japanese Hibachi & Sushi at 6600 Stage Road, also features hibachi and sushi, but, Sinh says, “Their rolls are different from mine ‘cause the style is different. They also allow me to make my customers any special they like.”
He describes the decor as “very modern.”
Saito 2 Hibachi & Sushi
Saito 2 Hibachi & Sushi
The new Saito, which currently is holding soft openings, is slated to officially open later in December, Sinh says. “I don’t want to work just anywhere. I want to work where I’m going to be happy. I don’t want to end up leaving in a few months. I wasn’t planning for J. T. Fusion to go down that fast.
“I know people look at me: ‘He’s going this place. He’s going that place.’ To me, if you’re not happy where you work, then you shouldn’t be working there. Of course, that’s a no-brainer question. If you’re not happy where you are, go find a place that will make you feel happy.
“I took my time. I came in the right place when I came in here.”
Saito 2 Hibachi & Sushi is at 9775 Hwy. 64, Arlington, Tennessee; (901) 590-2561.
Jimmy “Sushi Jimmi” Sinh and Temoor Sarwar will open JT Fusion on Wednesday, October 7th.
Diners will be able to get everything from a sushi taco to a $250 sushi boat for a group of 10 at the restaurant, which is part of the Cordova location of La Hacienda Mexican restaurant owned by Sarwar and his family. JT Fusion will become its own restaurant when it moves to a brick-and-mortar building in 2021.
The “J” stands for “Jimmy” and the “T” stands for “Temoor.” They’re 50-50 partners in the new endeavor. “That’s why it’s fusion,” Sinh says. “It’s both of us.”
And, he says, “La Hacienda has been in business since 1996. They’re not going anywhere. JT Fusion is a totally separate concept.”
Temoor Sarwar and Jimmy ‘Sushi Jimmi’ Sinh
JT Fusion “is a brand we want to introduce to Memphis. More of an upscale Asian restaurant. Everything we order is shipped overnight. We cannot get it in Memphis. Even our wasabi. If you eat the sushi boat, then you’re going to get real wasabi.”
Those boats will include bluefin tuna and “all your exclusive fish.” They’ll sell for between $150 and $250, depending on the type of fish and how many it will serve, Sinh says. “It’s not a cheap boat. It’s high-quality fish.”
“We’re just doing things we feel like are really good,” Sarwar says. “Our Pork Belly Philly concept came from the Philly sandwich, but we’re doing it with pork belly. It’s kind of like a chunky bacon. It’s really good.
“And that’s the kind of stuff I’m excited about. A lot of times chefs or cooks get stuck in cooking one style of food because that’s what’s expected of them.”
JT Fusion has “no rules” in the kitchen, Sarwar says. “We can pick up and do whatever we want with the food and menu. We don’t have to be classical. We don’t have to be regionally correct to any style or any kind of food.”
Don’t rock the sushi boat.
They will serve what they feel “tastes great,” he says.
The menu, which also will include sushi, will feature Sinh’s take on the sushi taco. “Mine is not fried at all,” Sinh says. “It’s more of a healthier choice. It’s just wrapped in seaweed. It has that crunch because of the seaweed, and it has the rice that sticks it together. And the flavors, you get it in the spicy tuna, spicy crawfish, spicy crab. You can get it pretty much stuffed with anything. Also, it has a little bit of pico de gallo and tobiko — fish eggs.”
Like their food, the drinks at JT Fusion also will be fusion. They’ll mix spirits from different countries, Sarwar says. They fuse Italy with Japan in a cocktail made with limoncello and sake.
The drink list will be “definitely different from anywhere else,” Sinh says. The Ninja, made with sake, peach Smirnoff vodka, apple Cîroc vodka, and cranberry juice, is served in a big fish bowl. You can drink it by yourself or share it with a second person. I put dry ice in it. That makes it cooler.”
For now, JT Fusion will be a section of about six tables at La Hacienda, Sinh says. “We’re just getting a small part of the restaurant to serve our food … a small part of the kitchen. We’re looking for a place of our own right now. I would say 2021 we’re going to open it. It will be a brand-new year. Everything is going to be good again. And we want to introduce it to Memphis the right way. That way, we can come out with a new year, a new restaurant, and serve you guys better.”
Since JT Fusion now has a limited number of tables, customers must make a reservation to eat there.
“I feel like restaurants have gone away from the experience,” Sarwar says. “Everything is so uptight. We want people to have fun.
“We’re trying to give people an experience. Trying to give people our energy. Jimmy and I are super excited about this.”
JT Fusion is at La Hacienda, 1760 N. Germantown Pkwy. in Cordova; (901) 624-2020.
Jimmy ‘Sushi Jimmi’ Sinh and his ‘Sushi Burger’ at Saltwater Crab.
Thanks to the Memphis Sandwich Clique and Jimmy “Sushi Jimmi” Sinh, I think I’ve now tried everything when it comes to sandwiches.
I ate my first-ever Sushi Burger at Saltwater Crab.
Conrad Phillips, who is with Memphis Sandwich Clique, asked Sinh, who is Saltwater Crab executive chef/kitchen manager, if he could make a sushi sandwich for Memphis Sandwich Clique, which is an online local foodie group specializing in local, fresh, handmade sandwiches.
“They asked me and I told them, ‘Yeah. I could make it happen,’” Sinh says.
I was invited by Memphis Sandwich Clique founders Ryan Hopgood and Reuben Skahill to join them at Saltwater Crab. Phillips and his daughter, Brooke, and La Hacienda owner Dino Sarwar, rounded out the group.
On Fat Tuesday I ate the fattest piece of sushi I’ve ever eaten.
We loved the Sushi Burger, which is about the size of a jumbo hamburger. It resembles the old Hostess Snowball, but it sure doesn’t taste like one. It’s a savory, delicious concoction.
Like any good sandwich, you can hold it while you take a bite out of it.
“The buns are made of sushi rice,” Sinh says. “On top of the bun is furikake. That’s the seasoning that gives it the flavor. It’s a really good rice seasoning. You could eat the seasoning by itself.”
The seasoning is made of dried bonito fish, a little bit of sugar, sesame, and seaweed. “It just gives the perfect flavor to the sushi. If you were just to eat sushi rice by itself and put that on there, it’s perfect.”
As to why someone can hold the burger without it falling apart, Sinh says, “The rice is already sticky. I put a sheet of seaweed to hold it together.”
And now the patty. “The patty is made out of spicy tuna. The greens: I put seaweed salad and some microgreens inside. I also put avocado slices inside. Four slices of avocado, which gives it more a texture. Creamier flavor.”
The filling also includes dried chili. “That’s just more flavor. It doesn’t bite you in a spicy way.”
The Sushi Burger dates to Sinh’s old restaurant, Sushi Jimmi. “I actually made that when I had my restaurant. A customer requested it and I made it. It was never on the menu.”
It’s not on the Saltwater Crab menu, either. “Just ask Chef Jimmy to make one and I can make one any time of day. I have the ingredients in the house and I can make one.”
Sinh doesn’t end with Sushi Burgers. “Next time, I’ll make you guys sushi pizza,” he says.
Saltwater Crab is at 2509 Madison, (901) 922-5202
Michael Donahue
The Sushi Burger at Saltwater Crab.
Jimmy Sinh with Reuben Skahill and Ryan Hopgood of Memphis Sandwich Clique.
Sushi Jimmi — the man not the restaurant — will become chef/kitchen manager at Saltwater Crab.
Jimmy “Sushi Jimmi” Sinh, owner of the now defunct Sushi Jimmi Asian fusion restaurant at 2895 Poplar, will become chef/kitchen manager at Saltwater Crab beginning January 15th, says owner Gary Lin.
Saltwater Crab, which opened in July, serves a range of fare from seafood to steaks. It also served sushi. “I took sushi away and people complained,” Lin says. “They wanted more sushi. I needed somebody hard working in the kitchen to take it to a different level.”
Why Sinh? “A lot of people in the whole city know him,” Lin says. And, he added, “All my servers, bartenders, know him. They wanted me to bring him back.”
Sinh initially closed Sushi Jimmi on May 23rd, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. He said he put too much money ($250,000) into the restaurant, though he says it was successful. He planned to move to Florida, but his family didn’t want to let the restaurant go. He reopened Sushi Jimmi June 15th, but it closed for a second time at the end of July.
“I just shut my restaurant down,” Sinh says. “I didn’t want to be bothered for a while. I spent six months in someone else’s kitchen, just trying to get my mind straight for a little while. I wanted a little more time with my family. Gary approached me about two weeks ago and we talked about it.”
Sinh will bring back sushi favorites from Sushi Jimmi, but he says he also will be in charge of the entire Saltwater Crab menu. “I’ll be tweaking the menu. Redoing everything. Making it better.”
A Sushi Jimmi steak? “Mine is not just a salt-and-pepper steak. Mine is more well seasoned. A lot thicker. A thick cut of meat. I want the quality to be better.” Sinh added, “I want a very strong team. In about three weeks we want to come out strong and we want to give Memphis something to remember.”
That will include “great atmosphere, live music,” he says. “We’re thinking about doing live music — more specials, more drinks. We’re going to give Memphis everything they want. It’s going to be a very stressful three weeks. I’m going to be sleepless. But it’s good for you. I’m a chef. We’re going to start 2020 off with Sushi Jimmi back in town.”
The Asian fusion restaurant at 2895 Poplar that originally closed May 23rd and reopened June 15th will close down at the end of July, says Jimmy Sinh, the original owner/chef of the restaurant.
“This is actually for real this time,” Sinh says. “I’ve already made up my mind.”
Sinh closed the restaurant in May to spend more time with his family. And he says he put too much of his own money into the restaurant, which was successful. He says he put a quarter of a million dollars into the business.
He planned to move to Florida, but his family didn’t want to let the restaurant go.
Sushi Jimmi reopened in June with Sinh’s brother, David Sinh, as the new owner, and Jimmy as head chef. But David felt he wasn’t getting much business, Jimmy says. “I told him that business takes a minute.”
But, he says, “I guess he feels like he’s not making money. He just started back up for two weeks. You can’t expect it to be slamming busy. A lot of people have stuff planned out.”
He doesn’t want to “put the pressure” on David, Jimmy says. “He wants to do his own thing. His own restaurant. Which he picks out. Not something that’s been passed down to him. He wants to do his own thing.”
Jimmy also found out he had a lot of responsibility, including dealing with his staff, as head chef. “I just want to end it so I can start over. I’m going to be temporarily working somewhere else. Not sure yet.
“I’m freed up by the end of this month. Whoever wants good help, I’ll be able to help them throughout the year.“
He plans to continue catering parties, including his regular gigs. “I’ll be moving from different kitchens. I’ll fill in spots for people, and that’s what I’ll be doing. I know a lot of restaurants need good help. I wouldn’t mind helping out. I have skills to do any work any restaurant needs.”
Jimmy and his wife and five children, including their newborn, are going to relocate to Florida, he says. “We’re going to be saving up some money so that we can move.”
He and his wife are already pricing houses in Florida to see what will fit in their budget. “I’m moving to Florida next June. I got about a year.
“I just want to spend more time with my family. Not just family and kids, but be with my mom and dad, too,” he says.
For good. Right after dinner on May 23rd. Chef/owner Jimmy Sinh’s red Sushi Jimmi food truck will be in operation May 24th, but that will be the last time. The Asian fusion restaurant at 2895 Poplar — and the food truck — will be history.
Sinh, 30, says he is getting out of the restaurant business because he wants to spend more time with his wife, May, and their five sons: Dylan, Logan, Alex, Jimmy, and their almost two-month old, Kit.
“My happiness is number one,” Sinh says. “I’m just quitting for the time being. Taking a little break.” Sinh was wearing a black T-shirt bearing the words “Sushi Jimmi” in red. “I just ordered 100 T-shirts. I’m going to sell them,” he said.
Sinh said deciding to close the restaurant was sad, but the decision also “took a big weight off [his] shoulders.”
The restaurant, which opened three years ago, was a “huge success,” he says, but other things led to his decision to close it. For one thing, Sinh says, “I was putting too much of my own money into the business.” He says he recently had to repair — for the second time — his walk-in cooler, which needed a new motor and fans. “I threw away $13,000 worth of food.”
Sinh also says he put $200,000 into the restaurant’s building, which used to be a Wendy’s. He put in a new floor, took out the front of the building and built a new one.
Sinh, who grew up in Binghampton, has worked since he was 16. He began his food truck five years ago and the restaurant two years later. Now, he says, “I’m burned out.”
Sinh says he’ll be available if someone needs “a good chef,” and says he’s gotten offers. Sinh also plans to start a YouTube cooking show, “Chef Jimmi.”
His advice to someone who wants to start a food truck business?
“Don’t depend on anyone. Don’t do everything at once. Do it step-by-step. Make sure you have the right crew. Never use your own money. You’ll end up hurting your family and yourself. Help yourself before you help others.
And, finally, he adds: “If you don’t feel happy, stop. I stopped before I hated it. You don’t want to lose what you fell in love with.”
Michael Donahue 
Michael Donahue 
Michael Donahue 
MIchael Donahue 
Michael Donahue 
Michael Donahue