Noriyuki Sugie Joins Nombe Team As Executive Chef To Focus On New Lunch Service Highlighting Ramen

Big changes are in store for Nombe in 2012 as co-owners Mari Takahashi and Gil Payne welcome Chef Noriyuki (Nori) Sugie to their innovative and popular Izakaya restaurant. Most recently running a wildly popular ramen pop-up at LA's BREADBAR, Sugie will immediately begin adding his specialty ramens to Nombe's line up beginning with their new Tuesday through Friday lunch service on Tuesday, January 10th.

Sugie will create the new lunch menu, which will showcase his fondness for the decadent beef ramen that is currently sought after and hard to find by ramen aficionados. Elevated beef-based ramens featuring additions such as short rib, oxtail, and beef tongue will likely find their way on the dinner menu as well as other signature dishes, which typically have a Japanese-French bent. Sugie will introduce a few dishes each week to the dinner menu until February when a new dinner menu will be launched.

With both a formal Japanese and French culinary degree, Sugie has been cooking for more than 20 years in some of the world's top restaurants including France's Michelin starred L'Aubergade, Sydney's Restaurant VII, Chicago's Charlie Trotter's, and New York's Asiate. Sugie has also traveled the globe participating in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group's Guest Chef Program cooking at several of their properties. Along with restaurant consulting, Sugie also consults with cookbook authors and has designed a line of Japanese-inspired ceramics. His branded Iron Nori name is his platform for his creative Japanese-French cooking and culinary endeavors. www.ironnori.com.

While Sugie focuses on the Nombe dining experience, Takahashi will be attending to popular sushi-making classes and catering and special events. Payne will continue to promote and host in-house sake and food pairings, which always generate great interest due to his in-depth sake knowledge and the restaurant's extensive sake offerings.

Nombe will now be open six days a week: lunch, Tuesday through Friday from 11am to 2pm, brunch, Saturday and Sunday, from 11am to 2pm and dinner, Tuesday-Sunday beginning at 6pm. Closed on Monday. Located at 2491 Mission Street (near 21st Street) in San Francisco, Nombe has online reservations at www.nombesf.com or by calling 415-681-7150.