Sumin Yu Built Kazoku Into Edmonds’ Award-Winning Sushi Spot

A year after Sumin Yu took over a sushi restaurant in Edmonds, Washington, and gave it a new name, local voters named it Best Sushi in Snohomish County. They did it again the following year. The name she chose was Kazoku, the Japanese word for family. Two wins in a row told her the restaurant had become her own.

Sumin Yu is the founder and owner of Kazoku Japanese Cuisine, a woman-owned, family-run sushi restaurant in Edmonds. In 2023 she took over Sushi Moto and rebranded it as Kazoku, bringing her own vision, leadership, and passion for hospitality to the business. A member of the Entreprenista League, Sumin is building a restaurant that guests choose for how it makes them feel as much as for what arrives on the plate.

“Most importantly, I’ve learned that growth as a business owner also requires growth as a person,” Sumin says.

Her path from a bank branch to a sushi bar came down to one thing she has practiced all along: taking care of people.

A banker’s training behind the sushi counter

Before she ran a restaurant, Sumin spent more than 11 years in banking. She started as a teller, worked her way up to branch manager, and later moved into corporate operations and deposit relationship management.

That career gave her a strong foundation in leadership, financial management, and day-to-day operations. It also taught her how to build relationships that last.

“When I took over Sushi Moto and rebranded it as Kazoku in 2023, I was able to bring those skills into the restaurant business,” she says. “Today, they continue to shape how I lead my team, manage the business, build relationships with our guests and community, and make decisions for Kazoku’s growth.”

A new name and a vote of confidence

Taking over an existing restaurant comes with a built-in challenge. Guests already know the old name, and a new sign does not change that overnight. Sumin knew it would take time for people to see Kazoku as its own restaurant.

The recognition came sooner than she expected. Kazoku was voted Best Sushi in Snohomish County in 2024, a year after the rebrand.

“It was a very emotional moment for me,” Sumin says. “It made me realize that the vision I had for Kazoku was connecting with our guests and our community.”

The wins kept coming. Kazoku took the title again in 2025, earned recognition from 425 Magazine, and recently received Bronze for both Best Sushi Restaurant and Best Japanese Restaurant in The Seattle Times Best in the PNW.

Be happy, be humble, be Kazoku

The restaurant’s motto shapes how the team works every day. “Be Happy” sets a positive tone for guests and staff. “Be Humble” keeps everyone willing to learn and improve. “Be Kazoku” is the promise in the name: take care of each other, and extend that feeling to everyone who walks through the door.

Sumin calls it genuine hospitality, and she runs Kazoku like a family table. Regulars who first came in after the rebrand now return for birthdays, anniversaries, family dinners, and special occasions. It is the same instinct behind Elisa Marshall’s warm, French-inspired spaces at Maman, where hospitality and community carry as much weight as the menu.

“We’re creating a place where people feel comfortable, remembered, and connected,” Sumin says. “When a guest tells us that Kazoku has become one of their favorite places to celebrate important moments, it reminds me why I wanted to build this kind of restaurant in the first place.”

Learning to lean on her team

Running a restaurant puts a great deal on one person. Sumin has carried staffing and financial pressures, along with setbacks that were completely outside her control, while raising 3 kids.

“Those experiences have taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of not trying to do everything myself,” she says. “I’ve learned to trust my team, ask for help, adapt quickly, and keep moving forward even when things don’t go as planned.”

Motherhood pushed her in the same direction. Building a business, like raising a family, takes trust, teamwork, and knowing when to ask for help. She wants her children to see that it is possible to work hard, take risks, and build something of your own.

Finding her founder community

Sumin wishes she had found a community of founders sooner. Owning a business can make it feel like every answer has to come from you, and she has learned otherwise.

“I’m realizing that asking questions, sharing experiences, and learning from other women entrepreneurs can be just as valuable as figuring things out on my own,” she says.

Her advice for anyone considering the leap starts with timing. “Don’t wait until you feel completely ready,” she says. “There will always be something you don’t know, and you’ll learn so much by taking the first step and figuring things out along the way.”

Then, she says, build a community around you. “Entrepreneurship can be challenging and lonely at times, but you don’t have to do it alone.”

What’s next for Kazoku

For now, Sumin’s focus stays in Edmonds. She wants to keep improving the food, the guest experience, the team, and Kazoku’s presence in the community while building a strong foundation for long-term growth. One day, she would like to explore opportunities beyond the current location.

“For now, I’m focused on making Kazoku the best version of itself and continuing to build a brand that people know, trust, and want to be part of,” she says.

You can see the menu and book a table at kazokusushi.co, and follow Kazoku on Instagram.

Sumin’s story is a reminder that asking for help is part of building something that lasts. The Entreprenista League surrounds you with women founders who share what they know and show up for each other through the highs and the hard moments. Learn more about the Entreprenista League right here.