Today we’d like to introduce you to Lavinia Doan.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Interestingly enough, I took a sushi economics seminar in college and that’s what initially gave me my first exposure to the world of sushi making.
I have always been quite the sushi connoisseur. It’s been my favorite food since I could remember now. In addition to the seminar, I’ve learned a lot about sushi through reading, talking to fellow sushi chefs, traveling, and of course, eating A LOT of sushi.
The story is a roundabout one, and it’s actually a story that I often tell in my classes. I moved to Houston almost 4 years ago after I took an engineering job in oil and gas after graduation. My job had me relocate all over the US…not in very desirable “foodie” destinations–Midland, TX, Carlsbad, NM, Middle of nowhere WV. The least thing to say is that not only was the food bad, but the sushi was quite the travesty.
Being a sushi lover, it was quite hard to go without my favorite food for extended amounts of time. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and make it myself. Sushi prep work is a lot of work, and not really worth it to make sushi for one person. So I would invite friends over for sushi-making parties! In my culture, having friends over for a meal is the best way to show someone that you care about them.
Fast forward to last Fall, I left my job in oil and gas and started a new job in tech! It was weird adjusting to a remote environment where my extroverted self had to talk to a computer screen all day, and my once long commute up I-45 shortened to just rolling out of bed and into my office. I found myself with more free time, and a desire to meet people. I originally listed on Airbnb experiences so that I could meet some out-of-towners and share with them one of my passions. This is a platform that I frequently use when I travel to meet locals and have unique experiences. I felt that many tourists that come to Houston get the wrong idea of the city, and I love being able to point them to things they would never find with just a Google Search.
Fast forward a couple of months and my passion project became a true side hustle–mostly out of necessity. In December, I got engaged! Being the daughter of immigrants, wedding funds aren’t exactly a thing, which is A-OK, because the best thing about being a 1st generation, is that hard work is 2nd nature. I branched out and started marketing my sushi classes to local Houstonians through my own website…offering other products such as in-home classes, catering, and “homekases”.
It’s been a wild ride these past few months diving deep into the world of sushi–but I can’t wait to see what else is in store for LAV SUSHI.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I don’t think any road could ever be “smooth”.
I think the toughest challenge for me during this time has been time management. I work a demanding full time job during the day, host sushi classes most weeknights and weekends, and also have to balance wedding planning and “adulting” in general. I like to joke with my fiance that I can no most likely afford the wedding, but I won’t have any friends to invite to the wedding because my social life has been absolutely taken over by everything else.
So the hardest thing has been making time for myself and the people that I care about. Wouldn’t life be easier if we could all clone ourselves?
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Business Operations and Strategy Analyst at Yelp. It’s nothing like what I studied in college, or what my prior professional experience had been. I studied Chemical Engineering in college and had spent time doing technical work, and product management in oil and gas. I wanted to make both a functional and industry switch over to strategy and technology without going to Business School, and somehow I was able to do it! This job was a dream job to me because it was exactly the kind of role I was looking for but it was made even better when it was with Yelp. A true foodie dream!
I also like to take pride in the fact that the sushi classes that I provide are the ultimate customized experience. Unlike other sushi/culinary classes, my classes are totally catered to the customer. Prior to class, I reach out to the student to understand their favorite rolls and gain a good idea of their palette. Based off of that, I do all of my shopping a procurement of supplies from there. I also home make a lot of my sauces and use herbs and veggies from my garden where I can. I also am proud of the quality of the fish I get from my suppliers. I procure fish from the same suppliers that supply to the top-tier sushi restaurants in Houston.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I absolutely love the diversity that is seen in Houston–the people, languages, cultures, and foods. It’s been amazing being a minority here. There is so much to learn and see here!
I HATE the humidity. My parents’ joke that when they visit me, they feel like they’re visiting their home in Vietnam. I’ve spent a lot of time there myself and couldn’t agree more.
Pricing:
- $65/person for sushi classes. Everything is included!
- Sushi classes are BYOB
- Private and public pricing is the same
Contact Info:
- Website: lavsushi.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavsushimaking/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lavsushimaking
Image Credits
@KapplePhotography
@BedRockMedia
@OliverWellsPhoto
