Chef Christian Vasquez

Hiroki-San

Chef Vasquez is the Executive Chef of Hiroki-San and Sakazuki, where he leads one of Detroit’s few omakase experiences while also developing a Japanese izakaya program that blends tradition with subtle global influences. The son of Guatemalan immigrants, Vasquez was raised in southwest Detroit, where his earliest food memories were shaped by his mother’s empanadas and pastelitos and the Puerto Rican flavors that surrounded his neighborhood. His professional kitchen career began at El Catracho, a Honduran restaurant in Detroit, where he worked his way onto the line. A pivotal introduction to sushi at Izakaya Sanpei in Canton set him on a path toward mastering Japanese cuisine. Over the following decade, Vasquez refined his craft at restaurants including Slurping Turtle in Ann Arbor, Heirloom Hospitality, Nippon Sushi Bar, and Maru Sushi. In 2020, he moved to Chicago to train at the acclaimed Momotaro, immersing himself in the discipline and precision of high-level sushi preparation. After returning to Detroit, he helped open Tigerlily in Ferndale before stepping into his current role, where he leads one of Detroit’s few omakase experiences at Hiroki-San and oversees the menu at Sakazuki.