WE BUILT THE TABLE THAT WAS MISSING.
Japanese food in London had a gap. Millions of people — no Halal option worth knowing about. Yaki Ya! was built to change that. Halal by design. Japanese by soul. A table that was always missing — now open to everyone.
100% HALAL, NO SHORTCUTS
YOUR TASTE, YOUR WAY
ECO-FRIENDLY BY DESIGN
EAT TO FEED
FRESH, FAST & FRIENDLY
FIND US IN SAUDI ARABIA
VOTED. RECOMMENDED. LOVED.
ARTA WINNER
UBEREATS FINALISTS
RESTAURANT GURU
RESTAURANTJI
OUR STORY.
FOOD THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER.
Some founders build businesses to follow market trends. Nazmul H Azad Mishu built Yaki Ya! because he refused to accept that millions of people could enjoy Japanese food—while halal diners remained excluded from the experience. Known simply as “Mishu” to friends and team members, he is the founder behind Yaki Ya!, one of London’s growing Japanese fast-casual restaurant brands. It is a concept built around a rare combination: uncompromising culinary inclusion, operational simplicity, and modern hospitality innovation.
Mishu often describes his entrepreneurial story as the “CCC Journey”—Classroom, Currency, and Curry. This path took him from teaching students during his university years, into executive leadership within the financial technology sector, and eventually into building a scalable international restaurant brand that retains its local, independent soul.
THE CCC JOURNEY.
CLASSROOM. CURRENCY. CURRY.
The CCC Journey is how Mishu describes the three chapters that shaped his approach to business.
CLASSROOM.
Teaching students during university.
CURRENCY.
Leadership in financial technology.
CURRY.
Building an international restaurant brand.
From lecture halls to boardrooms, and from late-night kitchen experiments to opening restaurants, every chapter added a different perspective. Together they shaped the belief that business should solve problems, create opportunities and bring people together. Not just another restaurant, but a business with purpose.
WHY YAKI YA! EXISTS.
FROM LEARNING TO PURPOSE.
Before Yaki Ya!, Mishu’s path was shaped by a deep interest in understanding people. He holds a Master’s degree in Linguistics and an MSc in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of Warwick, later attending executive programmes in Entrepreneurship and Disruption Strategy at Harvard Business School.
His academic background became the foundation of his entrepreneurial philosophy—combining behavioural thinking and strategic problem-solving with a deep respect for human connection.
During his early career in financial technology, life looked stable on paper. But deep down, Mishu believed entrepreneurship should do more than generate profit—it should solve real problems, create belonging, and build systems that genuinely improve people’s lives.
That belief eventually led him to the UK food industry.
should solve real problems,
create belonging,
and improve people’s lives. ❞
GOOD FOOD. NO COMPROMISE.
THE GAP THAT STARTED YAKI YA!.
He noticed something surprisingly simple but deeply overlooked: Japanese cuisine in the UK was booming, yet halal diners had virtually no access to premium, authentic Japanese hot-food experiences.
HALAL DINERS HAD VIRTUALLY NO ACCESS TO PREMIUM AUTHENTIC JAPANESE HOT FOOD.
That overlooked gap became the foundation of Yaki Ya!—not just another restaurant, but a brand built around inclusion.
THE FIRST REAL TEST.
WE OPENED WITH A DREAM. LIFE HAD OTHER PLANS.
In November 2019, Yaki Ya! opened its first restaurant in London with a simple ambition: to make premium Japanese food more accessible without ever compromising quality, flavour or hospitality. Just four months later, the pandemic brought everything to a standstill. For a newly opened restaurant, it was a devastating moment. Zero footfall. Mounting overheads. Disappearing savings. It could easily have been the end.
Instead of giving up, Yaki Ya! adapted. The business pivoted into takeaway and delivery, bringing fresh Japanese food directly into customers’ homes across London and staying connected to the community it had just begun to build. Those difficult months created something unexpected—trust. When restrictions lifted, customers returned, queues formed once again, and Yaki Ya! continued its journey from one restaurant to a growing brand.
WE OPENED
Despite having no hospitality background, Mishu opened the first Yaki Ya! restaurant in London with one clear mission to make premium Japanese food accessible without compromising quality.
EVERYTHING CHANGED
Just four months later, the pandemic brought everything to a standstill. Zero footfall. Mounting overheads. For a newly opened restaurant, it was the first real test. The future of Yaki Ya! hung in the balance.
WE ADAPTED
Instead of shutting down, Yaki Ya! embraced takeaway and delivery, bringing fresh Japanese food directly into customers' homes and staying connected to the community it had just begun to build.
WE GREW
Those challenging months built lasting customer loyalty. Today, Yaki Ya! has grown into a multi-location brand with international expansion plans, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
THE JOURNEY SO FAR.
BEHIND EVERY BOWL.
SYSTEMS WITH SOUL.
As Yaki Ya! grew, one question remained: how do you grow without compromising quality?
Drawing on his background in disruption strategy, Mishu focused on simplifying operations while protecting the craftsmanship behind every bowl. The goal was never to replace chefs—it was to give them more time to do what they do best.
That thinking led to the creation of the Yaki Ya! Innovation Hub, where broths, marinades and other intricate preparations are carefully made before being delivered to each restaurant. Every meal is still freshly cooked to order, ensuring consistent quality and authentic flavour without compromise.
The same philosophy shapes every new Yaki Ya! opening. There are no ribbon-cutting ceremonies or invited VIPs—the first customer through the door marks the beginning, a reminder that every Yaki Ya! is built for the people it serves.
EVERY BOWL IS BUILT ON.
From the first restaurant to every new location, every bowl is guided by the same principles that have defined Yaki Ya! from day one.
FAST.
Prepared efficiently.
Served fresh.FRESH.
Quality ingredients.
Cooked to order.FRIENDLY.
Warm hospitality.
Every guest matters.BEYOND THE RESTAURANT.
BUILDING SOMETHING THAT LASTS.
For Yaki Ya!, success has never been measured by the number of restaurants alone. As the business has grown, so has its responsibility to create a positive impact beyond every meal served.
From environmentally conscious packaging and food distribution initiatives to supporting orphan-focused charities through the Yaki Ya! Foundation, every decision reflects the belief that business should leave people and communities better than it found them.
That same philosophy extends to the team behind Yaki Ya!—building a culture where curiosity, attitude and adaptability matter more than traditional hospitality experience.
SUSTAINABILITY
Environmentally conscious packaging. Designed for a better tomorrow.
SHARING THE JOURNEY.
LESSONS BEYOND THE BUSINESS.
The journey of building Yaki Ya! has created opportunities to share lessons beyond the restaurant. Today, Mishu is invited to speak at universities and business events, including the University of Oxford, where he shares the realities of building a business through uncertainty, resilience and purpose.
Despite the growth and recognition, Mishu still describes Yaki Ya! as “day one of a much bigger mission.”
Because while the business continues to grow, the goal remains remarkably human.
Nazmul H Azad Mishu
Founder, Yaki Ya!STILL
DAY ONE.
Day one of a much bigger mission.
Because every bowl still starts with the same belief.
SERVING INCLUSION IN A BOWL.
