Popular Japanese chef dies suddenly

Gohan chef and co-owner Steve Tam died on Sunday, August 3, from a cerebral hemorrhage. Tam was a fixture at the popular Petaluma sushi spot and several BiteClubbers have emailed me with the news of his death.

I talked to his wife, Linh, at the restaurant about his legacy and what's next. "He envisioned this whole restaurant. He made his dream come true. The restaurant was his love. He was a good boss and a friend to all of his employees." The restaurant will remain open for now, and Linh says, "They are doing what he taught them to do and they want to make him happy. Everyone has been really strong and keeping the restaurant open would make him proud."

The restaurant will be closed part of the day on Saturday, Aug. 9 and all day on Sunday in honor of Steve. A private service will be held on Thursday and Linh says a public memorial will take place on Aug. 17, though details are not yet final.

"It was all so sudden. I still can't even believe this is true," she said.