Meet the Chef: Hans Hwang of Wasabi

When Wasabi chef/owner Hans Hwang grew up in Fujian Province on China's southeast coast, he had two favorite parts of the day: after-school, because he loved basketball, and dinner, because his dad was an innovative cook. Even though Hwang's father was the sales manager at a clothing manufacturer, he would prepare dinner every day for his family. "My mother shopped for dinner but my father cooked it," Hwang recalled, "and it was never boring."

Four months ago, when Hwang and two partners opened Wasabi in Larchmont, he remembered how he had enjoyed the ever-changing dinners created by his father. "He was always trying something new," said Hwang.

So the Larchmont chef decided to apply a similar concept to the sushi business. "Since opening day," he said, "we have introduced at least one new dish every second week and replaced it (or them) with something else two weeks later. The new choices are determined by what's available at the fish market." The current  choice or choices are written in white chalk on a blackboard placed in a corner of the window.

While in high school, Hwang worked part-time as a helper in the kitchen of a small hotel—mostly he peeled potatoes,  cleaned fish and diced vegetables, but he found food preparation an appealing idea for a career. And he had learned just enough to fill an opening for a cook at a catering company. For two years, Hwang cooked for wedding receptions, birthday parties and other social events. One day, a letter from his older brother Ken arrived. A vacancy existed for a sushi chef at the same restaurant where Ken, also a sushi chef, worked.

Hwang packed his bags and headed for America at the age of 23. Relatives in Queens gave him a place to live and he commuted with Ken to the New Jersey restaurant. Six months later, he was tipped off to a better position at a New England sushi restaurant and was hired sight unseen because of recommendations by Hwang family members. He relocated to Springfield, Mass., and subsequently moved to a restaurant in Williamstown, Mass.

Three years after leaving the New York area, Hwang returned and became executive sushi chef at a restaurant in Seabright, N.J. In April of this year, he and his partners replaced Matsumoto with Wabasi in Larchmont.

Popular selections at Wasabi, according to Hwang, include: Wasabi Roll - yellowtail, salmon, avocado topped with tuna, chopped fresh wasabi, wasabi sweet sauce ($15); New Rochelle Roll - shrimp tempura, spicy tuna and avocado in soy paper with spicy kabayaki sauce ($15); pan-seared sea scallops or shrimp with Japanese risotto, shitake, pea shoots, seafood jus and soy sesame oil drizzle ($18); and wok-sauteed ginger glazed beef ($18) or duck ($19) with seasonal vegetables.

Lunches come with Miso soup, salad and rice and are priced from $7.95 for mango chicken or shrimp to $13.95 for four pieces of sushi, six pieces of sashimi and a California roll.

Hwang still loves basketball. He roots for the Los Angeles Lakers even though the only time he has been in L.A. was on a stopover during his flight from China to New York. His favorite sports celebrity is Lakers' coach Phil Jackson. His son is 8 months old and will either be a basketball player or a sushi chef. "Either one is okay," Hwang said. His daughter is 2 years old.

Orders over $40 receive a $5 discount; orders over $70 are eligible for a $10 discount; and orders of $100 or more earn a $15 discount.

Wasabi is located at 158 Larchmont Ave. It is open on Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m to 10 p.m., on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. 914-834-2833.