A Mexican-born chef who fell for sushi, Tavo immigrated 15 years ago at age 17 to attend culinary school. He began working in Japanese restaurants and climbed the promotional ladder from dishwasher to kitchen helper to cook, then finally learned how to cut sushi—which further fostered his love for the craft. He also did front-of-house work, like serving and managing.
Eventually, he came to believe his comprehensive résumé, entrepreneurial mindset and passion for sushi would be best coalesced by starting his own restaurant. The Buzz Sushi is that and also a market, opened four years ago in the heart of downtown. Tavo’s “unique hand-crafted outside-the-box sushi” is served amid a Dragon Ball Z meets contemporary hippie-themed ambiance for onsite dining or grab-and-go.
The special rolls headline, like the Caribbean with shrimp tempura, mango, cucumber, tuna, salmon, avocado, tobiko, and nuts. The Buzz-rito is a representative Mexican/Japanese marriage, with habanero tuna, crispy tortilla and the special secret Buzz Dressing. They also have more traditional options like nigiri and sashimi, as well as a signature vegan fish product made of soy protein, available on the menu as a sushi substitute. Beverage offerings include well-curated teas and juices, and soft-serve ice cream is for dessert.
What made you fall in love with sushi?
TAVO: Because it helped me find my direction in life. The first rolls I made as a sushi chef made me very emotional because I got to express who I am through my artistic creativity. Being a sushi chef has given me not only purpose and direction, but also the financial means to live where I love in Santa Cruz and provide for my family. Ever since I started working with sushi, I knew it was my life’s calling.
Tell me more about this vegan fish product.
I learned how to make vegan fish myself but it is very time-consuming, so now I get it from a company that mentored me on my chef journey. Many people don’t eat raw fish, so this vegan fish is not only delicious, but also a way for people who don’t like raw fish to be able to enjoy a sushi-like experience and savor the Japanese flavors that inspire me. It’s like eating fish, with a very similar taste but with a smoother and silkier texture.
1005 Cedar St., Santa Cruz, 831-201-7168; thebuzzsushi.com.
