Chefs Takashi “Taka” Namekata and Hisao “Hisa” Ueda – Executive Chefs at TakaHisa. At the helm of Dubai’s acclaimed TakaHisa, Chefs Takashi “Taka” Namekata and Hisao “Hisa” Ueda unite two worlds of Japanese excellence — masterful sushi artistry and the perfection of Wagyu cuisine. Chef Taka began his journey at 17 in one of Tokyo’s leading Kaiseki restaurants, mastering traditional Japanese techniques and philosophy. 

His career brought him to the UAE in 2010, where his precise yet creative approach to Japanese cuisine quickly earned him recognition as one of the region’s most respected sushi chefs. Chef Hisa, born in Hokkaido, developed a lifelong passion for Wagyu while studying culinary arts in Sapporo. After moving to Dubai in 2011, he opened the city’s first restaurant dedicated solely to Wagyu beef, setting new standards for Japanese fine dining. 

In 2021, the two joined forces to create TakaHisa on Bluewaters Island — a sanctuary of Japanese gastronomy celebrating craftsmanship, authenticity, and the world’s finest ingredients flown in directly from Japan. Together, they continue to redefine Japanese dining in the Middle East and beyond.