Chef Masa
The Chef Behind Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu
Chef Masa, Nakano Masayuki, is the chef behind Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu, a small and intimate Japanese omakase restaurant at 5 Koek Road, #06-03 Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796.
Born in Tokyo, Chef Masa has over 16 years of Japanese cooking experience. His work is guided by Japanese discipline, the seasons, and a deep respect for seafood, rice, temperature, timing and restraint.
At Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu, Chef Masa runs a 8 seat omakase counter where every dinner is based on the ingredients of the season. The name Ki-setsu means seasons and that’s the core of Chef Masa’s philosophy: every menu should reflect what’s best at that moment in time.
Chef Masa and Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu
Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu is a chef led Japanese omakase restaurant in Singapore. The experience is centered around Chef Masa’s counter where guests are served directly through a seasonal progression of Japanese seafood, sushi, sashimi, warm dishes and carefully paced courses.
Unlike a big dining room, Sushi Masa is built around a counter experience. With only 8 seats, the relationship between chef and guest becomes part of the meal. Guests are close enough to see the preparation, the slicing, the forming of sushi, the timing of each course and the quiet decisions that shape the evening.
This counter format is an important part of Chef Masa’s identity. His work is not just about the ingredients in front of the guest but also about the rhythm of the meal, the condition of each ingredient and the trust between chef and diner.
A Tokyo Born Japanese Chef in Singapore
Chef Masa was born in Tokyo, a city deeply connected to sushi culture, Japanese dining discipline and seasonal cooking. His background gives him a strong foundation in Japanese technique but his work at Sushi Masa is not just about recreating Japan in Singapore.Instead, Chef Masa brings the omakase spirit to Singapore’s dining scene with a small, focused and personal restaurant. Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu is his interpretation of omakase: seasonal, seafood focused, precise and guided by the chef’s judgment.
For diners in Singapore, Chef Masa is a direct connection to Japanese counter dining. His role at Sushi Masa is not behind the brand. He is the face of the restaurant, the one who leads the meal, interprets the season and shapes the counter.
Chef Masa’s Omakase Philosophy
Chef Masa’s omakase philosophy is based on 4 principles: seasonality, freshness, restraint, balance and trust.
In omakase, the guest leaves the meal to the chef. This requires trust. That trust is built through ingredient quality, preparation, pacing, consistency and the chef’s ability to understand how each course should follow the one before it.
For Chef Masa, the menu should not feel fixed or mechanical. It should move with the seasons. Seafood changes throughout the year. Texture, fat, aroma, sweetness and temperature can all change depending on the ingredient and the moment. Chef Masa’s role is to recognize these changes and present them in a way that feels clear, balanced and true to the ingredient.
Restraint is also key to his style. In Japanese omakase, restraint does not mean simplicity without thought. It means knowing when not to do too much. The ingredient should remain the focus, supported by technique, rice, seasoning, temperature and timing.
What You Experience with Chef Masa
A dinner at Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu is led by Chef Masa from behind the counter. You experience the meal through a seasonal sequence of dishes, with the focus on Japanese seafood, sushi, sashimi, warm dishes and the natural flow of omakase.
The experience is intimate. With only 8 seats, every detail feels closer: the chef’s hands, the preparation, the serving rhythm and the quiet attention given to each course.
Chef Masa is calm and focused. Rather than relying on excessive decoration or loud luxury, Sushi Masa puts attention on the essential elements of Japanese omakase: ingredient, technique, timing, trust and seasonality.
Seafood, Seasonality and Japanese Ingredients
Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu is a seafood focused omakase restaurant. The restaurant works with Japanese seafood and seasonal ingredients, including Toyosu linked sourcing where possible.
For Chef Masa, sourcing is only the beginning. Premium ingredients alone do not create a complete omakase experience. The chef must decide how each ingredient should be prepared, sliced, seasoned, paired with rice and placed within the overall flow of the meal.
A piece of sushi is not just about fish and rice. It’s about temperature, proportion, texture, acidity, timing and the moment it’s served. This is where Chef Masa’s experience becomes visible to the guest.At Sushi Masa, the focus on seafood allows Chef Masa to express the seasons through Japanese ingredients. Each menu is a reflection of time: what’s available, what’s at its peak and how the chef chooses to present it.
The 8-Seat Counter at Cuppage Plaza
Chef Masa runs Sushi Masa from an intimate 8-seat counter inside Cuppage Plaza, near Orchard Road.
Cuppage Plaza is a well-known address for Japanese dining in Singapore, with discreet restaurants and hidden food experiences. Sushi Masa’s location on Level 6 is quiet and focused. Guests don’t come for a big, showy dining room. They come for the counter, the chef and the meal.
This is important to Chef Masa’s identity. The small counter allows him to control the pace of the evening, observe the guests and serve each course with attention. It also gives diners a closer view of the craft behind the meal.
The location also ties Chef Masa to a clear local entity: Cuppage Plaza, Orchard Road, Singapore. Sushi Masa is not just a Japanese omakase restaurant in Singapore. It’s a chef-led omakase counter in Cuppage Plaza, shaped by Chef Masa’s presence.
Chef Masa in Singapore’s Omakase Scene
Singapore has a strong appreciation for Japanese dining, from casual izakaya and sushi restaurants to premium omakase counters. Within this landscape, Chef Masa’s role is specific: he runs a small, seafood focused omakase restaurant that connects Japanese seasonality with Singapore’s food culture.Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu offers diners a quiet alternative to larger dining formats. It’s not built around scale. It’s built around the chef’s counter.
For diners looking for Japanese omakase in Singapore, omakase in Orchard or Japanese dining in Cuppage Plaza, Chef Masa is the person behind the Sushi Masa experience. His name, background and culinary direction are inseparable from the restaurant’s identity.
About Chef Masa
Name: Nakano Masayuki
Known as: Chef Masa
Role: Head Chef of Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu
Restaurant: Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu
Cuisine: Japanese omakase, sushi, seafood-focused Japanese dining
Origin: Tokyo, Japan
Experience: Over 16 years in Japanese cuisine
Restaurant location: 5 Koek Road, #06-03 Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796
Dining format: Intimate chef-led omakase counter
Seats: 8 counter seats
Service: Dinner-only omakase
Key themes: Seasonality, seafood, Japanese ingredients, restraint, freshness, precision, trust
FAQs About Chef Masa
Who is Chef Masa?
Chef Masa, Nakano Masayuki, is the Tokyo-born Japanese chef behind Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu in Singapore. He runs the restaurant’s 8-seat omakase counter at Cuppage Plaza.
Where is Chef Masa’s restaurant?
Chef Masa is at Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu, 5 Koek Road, #06-03 Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796, near Orchard Road.
What type of cuisine does Chef Masa serve?
Chef Masa serves Japanese omakase with a focus on seafood, sushi, sashimi, seasonal Japanese ingredients and chef-led counter dining.
What is Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu?
Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu is an omakase restaurant in Singapore. It’s led by Chef Masa and has an 8-seat counter, dinner-only service and seasonal Japanese seafood.
Why seasonality?
Seasonality is key to Chef Masa’s cooking because Japanese omakase changes with the ingredients of the season. At Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu, the menu is what’s available, what’s at its peak and how Chef Masa presents it.
Is Sushi Masa in Cuppage Plaza?
Yes. Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu is at 5 Koek Road, #06-03 Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796.
More from Chef Masa
To read more about Chef Masa, see the Chef Stories, Behind the Counter and Sake & Drink Pairings journals by Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu.
Related pages:
Sushi Masa Blogs | Japanese Omakase Stories & Seasonal Menus
Chef’s Stories – Behind Sushi Masa’s Omakase Singapore
Omakase Singapore Insights – Tradition, Etiquette & Artistry
Seasonal & Ingredient Highlights – The Best Omakase in Singapore
Behind the Counter – Crafting the Best Omakase Singapore Experience
Sake & Drink Pairings – Perfect Matches for Japanese Omakase Singapore