Harry Hakuei Kosato

Founder, Sushi & More

Director/Rep – Kikkoman India

He says he’s not highly accomplished, just someone who’s doing the most he can to give India the best of Japanese cuisine. But in our books, the Ivy League-educated social entrepreneur is true-blue UpperCrust People

Interviewed by LYLE MICHAEL

The Cool Japanese India Rep

His flight is in an hour and he’s as cool as a cucumber, jovial, too, when he logs in for our telephonic conversation. There are no airs about Harry Kosato, one of the most agreeable individuals you could come across, contrary to the presumptions that his Oxford University and London School of Economics education, ongoing SBS Swiss Business School doctorate, and his Guinness World Record (for the 15 sq. ft. sushi mosaic created with the help of the Late Chef Vernon Coelho and students of IHM, Mumbai), might give rise to. To add to that, he’s a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a qualified international tax expert and India’s first Japanese TEDx speaker.

“What can I say? I’m a nice guy,” quips Harry, who just wanted to share the pleasure of Japanese food in India. “We were only importing Japanese ingredients to India and were so far away from the customer. But now, with Sushi & More, I can share the joy with nine outlets in three cities – Bombay, Delhi, Gurgaon – and focus on delivering quality, consistency and yumminess.” That’s just what the founder of the fast-growing sushi delivery brand has been doing for the past 11 years in India, and even during the pandemic, when shutting shop was a high possibility. As with every crisis comes opportunity. Harry thus knew, from past experiences, to keep going and see it through, and focus on the day-to-day operations. As they say in Japanese, ‘Kyo-kyu sekinin’, which loosely translates to the responsibility of the supplier to bring the best food to the customer. This forms the basis of the ‘sushi-democratisation’ of Sushi & More – to bring about increased accessibility, availability and affordability of sushi with the fundamental philosophy of spreading happiness intact.

This happiness is extended to vegetarians in a country like ours, with a large population that is no less demanding of the right flavours in global cuisines. Harry elaborates, “Vegetarian sushi is not really a challenge. Our chefs are trained in the same by Japanese masters in the use of the best ingredients and techniques.” Japanese food is fundamentally light and flavourful, so replicating these flavours for the vegetarian sushi diner is a no-fuss matter.

Japanese cuisine has seen a spurt in recent years in the Indian market, from earlier being restricted to high-end establishments like Wasabi by Morimoto. Today, you have restaurants like Megu, Wakai, Kofuku… few among those on Harry’s go-to list for good Japanese food, especially in a challenging market like India. Challenging more so back then, as Harry points out, with low hygiene controls, logistical issues such as proper cold storage facilities and lack of trained sushi-making staff. “India has developed, and I have been a part of the change. Take a look at the airport which has reformed drastically from when I came here in April 2007, and we now have top chefs and entrepreneurs from abroad coming in, the Indian culinary talent has risen.” Even with a company like Kikkoman, it took 10 years to finally set up a subsidiary here. Quite a legacy, too, for the 350-year-old Japanese stalwart has been a household name here for years. 350 years old, we say to Harry in awe.

“Japan has the most number of companies which are over a 100 years old,” he informs us. “Around 33,000!” How does he have such nuggets up his sleeve? Well, apart from being the marketing head behind Dyson and Virgin when it launched in Japan, it’s the foundation of his research project for his doctorate-in-motion from SBS Swiss Business School, Zurich. The study revolves around how 98% of companies fail in the first 10 years itself and what it takes for a 350-year-old company to sustain! Which is why Harry considers it an honour to be a part of the successful 2% – now as Director and India Representative of Kikkoman. This brings us to the Meet-Use-Experience drive to bring the all-natural soy sauce to 15,000 chefs and home cooks. The director’s journalist acumen – another feather in his cap – led him to spearhead this project based on the principle of awareness before knowledge. There should be an awareness of a chemical-free product and the versatility that the sauce offers. This only adds value to a product, he says.

Another project that the pressed-for-time Harry is involved in is Dr Smart Money, a social entrepreneurship programme which was accepted by his alma mater, Oxford. Harry shares, “When our daughter, Riko, was born, I was suddenly moved by how privileged we were and struck by the need to do something for the less-privileged. The focus is training children in the development of smart financial skills and the goal is to reach one million.” Impressive to see not just ‘what’ Harry is involved in or in charge of, but ‘how’ and ‘how much’ as well. Where does that leave him at the end of an arduous day?

“I am either travelling or at work,” Harry says, “I make time for yoga and exercise and love entertaining at home. While the wife and daughter cook at home, viz. Singapore, I spend hours in the kitchen at Sushi & More. I love it!” He recalls an anecdote of when he was 12 years old and made a mean Mexican Chicken Rice – really well, he adds.

Travel has always been an integral part of Harry Kosato’s life, right from the time he graduated from LSE in 1992 followed by Oxford in 1993 to his sojourns to Southeast Asia, Sydney, back to the West and finally, India. Today, he shuffles between both homes in Singapore and Bombay and always finds the time to dig into the tuna mayo roll and the double salmon roll at Sushi & More. And to mentor his 12-year-old daughter who serves as the brand student ambassador of Sushi & More for Singapore, reporting on sushi trends and menu updates.