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Brunch for Japan

Three days before the March 11 9.0-magnitude earthquake that set off a tsunami, which devastated the northeastern coast of Japan’s Honshu island, Chiyeko Ogata, owner of Ichiban Steakhouse at 302 Old Liverpool Road, Liverpool (457-0000) had talked to her staff about organizing fundraisers to increase the restaurant’s involvement in the community. Once news broke about the disaster in Japan, Ogata immediately began to organize a Pancake and Sushi Brunch Buffet fundraiser, which will be held Sunday, March 27.

“I’m hoping to raise at least $10,000,” Ogata says. “{People} called and I’m just so, so impressed with so many people, their kindness and generosity. It is amazing.”

While Ichiban Steakhouse has been making donations to benefit charitable causes, such as the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedy, this is the restaurant’s debut fundraiser, Ogata says. Originally from the southern edge of Honshu, the largest of Japan’s four islands, with Tokyo in the center, Ogata and her husband Hiro Ogata, from nearby Kyushu island, opened Ichiban Steakhouse 36 years ago. They had moved to the United States nearly a decade earlier.

Fortunately, their friends and family are fine.

But Ogata’s best friend’s son saw the mayhem unleash from the window of an airplane that circled Narita International Airport in Tokyo. After landing, about nine hours passed before he got to see his wife. She had driven to the airport safely and had been waiting in a different emergency area created by airport authorities who were fearful of aftershocks.

Less than a week after her Monday, March 14, WSTM-Channel 3 news appearance announcing the fundraiser, the event was sold out. More than 350 customers called to reserve seats for the 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. slots, each open to about 120 people.

Donations also poured in. An elderly woman came in to the restaurant to give her a $300 check, while two of Ogata’s residential neighbors each donated $100. An Ichiban Steakhouse neighbor donated $500 worth of raffle-worthy merchandise including quality jewelry.

Additionally, local businesses have been pitching in raffle items. “We are getting many gift certificates from local restaurants and some jewelries and many other items for raffle,” Ogata notes. “We are getting help from our suppliers such as Sysco and Andy’s Produce.”

About 30 Ichiban employees volunteered to help with the brunch. “There are a lot of us who want to volunteer and donate our time,” says Janine Musumeci, one of the restaurant’s four managers. “It’s the least we can do in the face of such a horrible thing that happened.”

Ichiban staff also worked closely with Ogata to create an American-Japanese brunch menu, since the restaurant normally serves dinner. The buffet’s American dishes will include pancakes, French toast, sausages, bacon and fries. Featured Japanese dishes will be sushi rolls, fried rice and fruit salads. Coffee and tea staples, as well as a fruit punch, will be available.

All the donation and brunch proceeds will go to Syracuse Red Cross, which will transfer 91 percent of the funds to the Japanese Red Cross and 9 percent to the Red Cross headquarters, Ogata says. “It’s much safer that way instead of doing it myself,” she added. “I’m sure they will do whatever it’s necessary. I trust them.”

—Ana Barbu

Sushi for a cause: Ichiban’s sold-out fundraising brunch for Japan will feature sushi alongside American breakfast staples.