Glen Gondo

Glen Yoshiaki Gondo (1948 – July 1, 2024) was an American businessman, restaurateur, and cultural advocate. Gondo, whose parents opened the first Japanese restaurant and sushi bar in Houston, Texas, is credited with popularizing Japanese cuisine and culture in the city.

Gondo transitioned to catering in the 1990s. His family-owned company, Tokyo Gardens Catering, supplies Sushiya brand sushi to H-E-B, a supermarket and now operates sushi kiosks in more than 290 supermarkets across Texas.

Biography Early life Gondo was born in 1948 in Los Angeles, California, to Japanese-immigrant parents, Eugene and Hisako Gondo. His parents had been forcibly relocated and imprisoned during the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. His company's Sushiya sushi kiosks now operate in more than 290 H-E-B supermarkets across Texas, as of 2024.