Puyallup Tribe partnering with celebrity chef on new Tacoma waterfront restaurant

A Native-inspired restaurant operated in partnership with celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi will replace C.I. Shenanigan’s, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, which purchased the land last October, announced Tuesday.

The new restaurant, targeting a 2023 opening, will feature “Northwest Indigenous, internationally inspired” cuisine, Tribal seafood and other local ingredients, according to a press release.

“Chef Yamaguchi’s international culinary vision will bring joy to Tacoma,” the Tribal Council said, referencing his recognition as the “inventor of Hawaiian fusion” cuisine.

A member of the Tribe’s economic development team had a contact with Yamaguchi, said Tribal Financial Officer Matt Wadhwani, which led to an “exploratory” phone call. The chef visited the site, discussed with the council and “they kind of clicked on all cylinders.”

Born in Tokyo, Yamaguchi worked in Southern California and opened his first restaurant, La Cienega, in 1984, where his style forging French and Japanese techniques with West Coast bounty took hold. He moved to Honolulu with his family and in 1993 became the first restaurateur in Hawaii to win a James Beard Award (Best Chef: Pacific Northwest). Since then, he has authored several cookbooks and appeared on culinary shows, including Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef America and his own spin, Hawaii Cooks with Roy Yamaguchi.

The Roy Yamaguchi company currently operates a dozen restaurants in Hawaii — on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island.

There are still several Roy’s restaurants in the continental United States, operated since 2014 by another private restaurant group that also owns several dozen Applebee’s restaurants. Bloomin’ Brands had owned the stateside Roy’s since 2000.

“It is an honor to have the trust of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians as partners in bringing a brand-new restaurant concept to Tacoma,” said Yamaguchi in a statement. “I feel a deep responsibility to ensuring that we feature Tribal and local Indigenous ingredients and their culture and style of cooking in this new restaurant.”

Owner RAM Restaurant Group closed C.I. Shenanigan’s at 3017 Ruston Way in June 2020 after 37 years. Last October, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians announced it had acquired the building and surrounding land, which includes RAM Restaurant and Brewery — still operating under lease with the Tribe.

Wadhwani said the Tribe considered various opportunities but a restaurant “was always the baseline hypothesis.”

The two-story building “will undergo extensive renovations,” according to the release. A design firm is already on board, confirmed Wadhwani, and Yamaguchi is working on the details of the culinary concept and menu.

“He clearly takes his work seriously and is incredibly detailed. We’re just really excited,” added Wadhwani. “I don’t think Tacoma has ever seen anything like this. It’s a win for the Tribe and it’s a win for the community.”

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with comment from the Puyallup Tribal Financial Officer.

This story was originally published May 3, 2022 at 1:20 PM.