The Mamasake Restaurant which specialises in Asian dishes and sushi’s have opened it doors at the new Oasis Palms Hotel at Wailoaloa in Nadi on Monday.

Owner and Chef Elsa Corrigan who started her first Mamasake restaurant 14 years ago in Lake Tahoe in America has brought the idea to Fiji.

“The Oasis Palms loved my concept and I had always wanted to spend more time in the islands so I am very excited to come here and do it,” Ms Corrigan said.

“What interests me is making fun food that everybody has around the pool area with some nice flavours in it.

“We have a big emphasis on sushi, we have our own style of sushi, this is the stuff that I came up with that has changed a little from the traditional Japanese.

“We have different sauces for every roll  which is fun, along with that there is some shared items.”

Ms Corrigan uses some of the local fish such as the snapper and tuna to create the fun filled dishes that are also tasty.

“I have also invested into the hotel group but the personal investment is more significant, to be here and to bring what I do here.

“I have always wanted to be in the islands and for me this is a great experience to hang out in a new culture.

“It is a beautiful place, I get to be outdoors near the ocean and around palm trees which is quite different from where I live which is in the mountains.”

Ms Corrigan has been in the food industry for the fast 25 years of her life and is originally from San Francisco in California.

“We have has some people who had come for our trials when we practiced and they seemed to enjoy a lot.”

The special sushi chef plans to spend a lot of time at the Fiji restaurant and will be travelling into the country more often.

The restaurant currently has 20 employees as cooks, kitchen hands, sushi chefs and Ms Corrigan is very happy to provide employment for the local community.

“We hope that the local community also come in as well as tourists as we do not only want tourists, we want everybody to come in.”

Restaurant owner certainly does not mind opening another restaurant somewhere with a slightly different concept.

“Maybe on fine dining but right now this is what I am concentrating on but I do know there will be something else later.

“This is something very important to me as I have now a whole bunch of new friends,” she concluded.

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