Yuji Iwasa

Our Culinary Director for the Indies, Yuji Iwasa, says the soundtrack of his life is “Started From The Bottom.” Born in Los Angeles with an innate passion for cooking, Yuji sliced and diced his way up the kitchen ladder, heading up high wattage celebrity hotspots back in Hollywood, before being lured to Arizona to oversee P.F. Chang’s kitchens. Now adding some sizzle to Upward, when he’s not spending quality time with his family, Yuji is proud to serve as a role model to our younger chefs, teaching them the importance of being genuine, open-minded and “finding your Zen,” even being honest that it’s something he still struggles with.