Based on childhood memories of the feelings and flavors of Hawaii, Roy invented what he refers to as “Hawaiian Fusion© Cuisine” — a tempting combination of exotic flavors and spices mixed with the freshest of local ingredients, always with an emphasis on seafood.
In 1984, he opened his own restaurant in Los Angeles called 385 North.
However, the desire to further expand his culinary horizons while getting closer to his roots led Yamaguchi to move to Hawaii in 1988 and open Roy’s.
Yamaguchi is now regarded as a pioneer who mastered a distinctive style, which brought his cooking to the forefront of contemporary gastronomy. As testimony to his success, there are now 36 Roy’s, including 27 in the Continental US, 7 in Hawaii, 1 in Japan and 1 in Guam.