Kazuo Okada Creates a Food Empire in Hong Kong

The battle between Steve Wynn and Kazuo Okada is far from over. Now comes word that Wynn’s former business partner has formed his own hospitality group, K.O. Dining Group, in Hong Kong.

“A? new hospitality brand launched by Mr. Okada’s pachinko empire Universal Entertainment Corp. has plans to open three fine dining restaurants and a 10,000-bottle wine cellar this spring at the Harbourfront Landmark skyscraper in Hong Hum, a neighborhood in Hong Kong’s Kowloon area that is popular with Japanese expatriates. The group is also “actively” seeking opportunities to expand further in Hong Kong and beyond, according to executive director Yohei Nakamura.”

Wynn Resorts is in the midst of a renovation of Okada, the restaurant named for the Japanese business mogul, and renamed it Ohtaki last week.

Okada plans to open the Japanese restaurant Kazuo Okada, Chinese establishment Yu Lei, Italian restaurant Messina and the Chairman’s Cellar.

“The head chef at Okada’s upcoming Kazuo Okada restaurant is Hirofumi Imamura, according to K.O. Dining. Also on his resume: executive chef at the Wynn Macau Okada restaurant, which is still open, and executive sous chef at the now shuttered Okada at Wynn Las Vegas.”

The Wall Street Journal reports that this isn’t the first time Wynn restaurants changed to accommodate a Wynn divorce. “The popular Elaine Wynn salad at the lively Café Esplanada in Wynn’s Macau casino was renamed the Wynn Mediterranean salad after he and Elaine Wynn divorced for the second time in January 2010.”
· Food Fight: Okada Takes His Beef and Pasta to Hong Kong [WSJ]
· All Coverage of Okada and Ohtaki [~ELV~]
Kazuo Okada [Photo: Reuters]