Chef Basil Yu came to the US as a child when his parents moved to Manchester, NH, to run a Chinese restaurant. Ignoring his parents' advice to avid the food industry, chef Yu has been cooking professionally virtually his entire life. Chef Yu traveled to Singapore and to Tokyo for ramen training, and his cooking blends American creativity with the comforting flavors of his Chinese heritage and traditional Japanese techniques.
He met partner and wife Kodi while they were both working in a Newport, RI restaurant, and together they bring their energy and creativity to Yagi, with all the joyful chaos that comes with building a business as a young family. Their two children have grown up in the restaurant, taste-testing noodles and boba, and reminding their parents why creating a warm, welcoming space matters so much.
