Pharrell Loved This Hand Roll Spot So Much He Became a Partner
CultureFashion and culture's busiest multihyphenate sings the praises of the temaki destination Nami Nori, whose new location is opening in Miami just in time for Art Basel.By Rob LeDonneDecember 4, 2024From left: Taka Sakaeda, Lisa Limb, Pharrell Williams and Jihan LeePhotograph: Huy Long; Collage: Gabe ConteSave this storySaveSave this storySaveThe first time Pharrell Williams visited Nami Nori’s flagship location on Carmine Street in New York’s West Village, he found himself in hand roll heaven.“My friend told me it would be everything I loved in one experience, and she was absolutely right,” the multihyphenate recalls of what was the beginning of a hot-as-wasabi love affair. “I was first in awe of the precision and innovation in the food, but also the incredible energy of the space, which begins with the positivity and warmth of the founders.”From love at first bite, the Grammy Award–winner grabbed his chopsticks and soon became a partner and investor in the viral five-year-old temaki eatery, teaming up with founders Taka Sakaeda, Jihan Lee, and Lisa Limb, who have been at the forefront of what’s been dubbed a “hand roll revolution.”Nami Nori's new Miami location Sebastian Lucrecio“For us, it really is about creativity,” says Limb, when asked what it was about Nami Nori that turned a nuanced tastemaker like Pharrell into a passionate disciple. “We really take the opportunity to create very special moments in terms of the design, the menu, and the service. One of the things that is a pillar of our organization is omotenashi, which is basically a cultural element from Japan which really raises hospitality to the level of an art form.”It’s an apt analogy. This week, just in time for Art Basel, Nami Nori brings that aforementioned omotanashi to South Florida with a new location in Miami's Design District—a move powered in part by Skateboard P himself.According to Limb, opening the outfit’s first restaurant outside of the New York area was the realization of a years-long goal. “After doing some scouting down in Miami, we decided the Design District really was the ultimate fit for a new location,” she says. Evidence of their confidence? The team has also opened up a new temaki concept, dubbed Matsuyoi, in the space upstairs, which features a 10-seat bar.Matsuyoi Sebastian Lucrecio“The team have done a beautiful job retaining the things that make Nami Nori special while making it feel true to Miami,” Pharrell muses of the entire fresh-as-sashimi operation, which naturally comes complete with a DJ booth. “I can’t wait to see it in action.” The menu boasts the taco-like hand rolls that made them famous, as well as desserts like mochurros (mochi churros) and Japanese-inspired cocktails.To make it happen, Limb and the team hit the ground running. “I would love to say that it all just fell in line, but in actuality, we just had to move mountains in order to make it happen with this timing,” she marvels.Then again, when you’re partnering with the superstar cache of someone like Pharrell, one must be on their toes. The Nami Nori team has zigzagged the globe with the star since first connecting with him, catering events ranging from his regular Joopiter auctions to Pharrell’s fashion forays. That includes his inaugural Louis Vuitton show as men’s creative director in Paris, for which the team was given a scant two days' notice.Most PopularGQ RecommendsThe Best Menswear Deals of the WeekBy Reed NelsonGQ RecommendsGap's All-You-Can-Buy Menswear Buffet Redeems Your Local MallBy Reed NelsonStyleThe 68 Best Red-Carpet Looks of All Time (and What You Can Learn From Them)By Yang-Yi Goh“It was our first overseas catering job,” Lee remembers of the herculean undertaking. “But by the time it was over and we were standing on the Pont Neuf, I just started crying because it was such a beautiful moment,” says Limb of the moment on the city’s landmark bridge. “To have even the smallest part of that was life-changing.”Charles RousselSebastian LucrecioPharrell feels likewise about his temaki teammates. “They are just great, kind, generous people. It's been an honor to get to know them and see them excel at their craft firsthand.”Proving they are now fully ensconced in Pharrell’s world, Limb, Lee and Sakaeda have also pledged to open up a location in Virginia Beach, where the producer famously grew up and honed his musical craft.“There’s nothing better than having some of your favorite food at home,” Pharrell says of what will be the operation’s fifth location. (In addition to Manhattan and Miami, the restaurant also counts outposts in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, as well as Montclair, New Jersey.)“Every single friend I’ve recommended it to has come away genuinely loving the place as much as I do,” Pharrell says. “I can't wait to bring our Virginia family into the Nami Nori world. I know they are going to love it.”
The first time Pharrell Williams visited Nami Nori’s flagship location on Carmine Street in New York’s West Village, he found himself in hand roll heaven.
“My friend told me it would be everything I loved in one experience, and she was absolutely right,” the multihyphenate recalls of what was the beginning of a hot-as-wasabi love affair. “I was first in awe of the precision and innovation in the food, but also the incredible energy of the space, which begins with the positivity and warmth of the founders.”
From love at first bite, the Grammy Award–winner grabbed his chopsticks and soon became a partner and investor in the viral five-year-old temaki eatery, teaming up with founders Taka Sakaeda, Jihan Lee, and Lisa Limb, who have been at the forefront of what’s been dubbed a “hand roll revolution.”
“For us, it really is about creativity,” says Limb, when asked what it was about Nami Nori that turned a nuanced tastemaker like Pharrell into a passionate disciple. “We really take the opportunity to create very special moments in terms of the design, the menu, and the service. One of the things that is a pillar of our organization is omotenashi, which is basically a cultural element from Japan which really raises hospitality to the level of an art form.”
It’s an apt analogy. This week, just in time for Art Basel, Nami Nori brings that aforementioned omotanashi to South Florida with a new location in Miami's Design District—a move powered in part by Skateboard P himself.
According to Limb, opening the outfit’s first restaurant outside of the New York area was the realization of a years-long goal. “After doing some scouting down in Miami, we decided the Design District really was the ultimate fit for a new location,” she says. Evidence of their confidence? The team has also opened up a new temaki concept, dubbed Matsuyoi, in the space upstairs, which features a 10-seat bar.
“The team have done a beautiful job retaining the things that make Nami Nori special while making it feel true to Miami,” Pharrell muses of the entire fresh-as-sashimi operation, which naturally comes complete with a DJ booth. “I can’t wait to see it in action.” The menu boasts the taco-like hand rolls that made them famous, as well as desserts like mochurros (mochi churros) and Japanese-inspired cocktails.
To make it happen, Limb and the team hit the ground running. “I would love to say that it all just fell in line, but in actuality, we just had to move mountains in order to make it happen with this timing,” she marvels.
Then again, when you’re partnering with the superstar cache of someone like Pharrell, one must be on their toes. The Nami Nori team has zigzagged the globe with the star since first connecting with him, catering events ranging from his regular Joopiter auctions to Pharrell’s fashion forays. That includes his inaugural Louis Vuitton show as men’s creative director in Paris, for which the team was given a scant two days' notice.
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“It was our first overseas catering job,” Lee remembers of the herculean undertaking. “But by the time it was over and we were standing on the Pont Neuf, I just started crying because it was such a beautiful moment,” says Limb of the moment on the city’s landmark bridge. “To have even the smallest part of that was life-changing.”
Pharrell feels likewise about his temaki teammates. “They are just great, kind, generous people. It's been an honor to get to know them and see them excel at their craft firsthand.”
Proving they are now fully ensconced in Pharrell’s world, Limb, Lee and Sakaeda have also pledged to open up a location in Virginia Beach, where the producer famously grew up and honed his musical craft.
“There’s nothing better than having some of your favorite food at home,” Pharrell says of what will be the operation’s fifth location. (In addition to Manhattan and Miami, the restaurant also counts outposts in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, as well as Montclair, New Jersey.)
“Every single friend I’ve recommended it to has come away genuinely loving the place as much as I do,” Pharrell says. “I can't wait to bring our Virginia family into the Nami Nori world. I know they are going to love it.”
