The Chaya Restaurant Family originated in Hayama, Japan more than 350 years ago, with the opening of Hikage Chaya. From the initial tea house, the history of warm, personalized service led to the Tsunoda family to expand into French bistros and pastry shops throughout Japan, culminating in the opening of the Chaya Brasserie in Los Angeles, Chaya Venice, and most recently, Chaya Brasserie, San Francisco. The cuisine of all three locations, under the leadership of Executive Chef Shigefumi Tachibe, may be best described as Japanese-accented French cuisine, with each displaying its own distinct personality that reflects its' location. The most important tenet of the family's business philosophy is hospitality, the ability to maintain the centuries of personalized service reminiscent of the Japanese teahouse. "Hospitality is the universal language," says Yuji Tsunoda, owner of Chaya, and visionary in what is now referred to as the California Cuisine revolution.