Chef Art Insyxiengmay, the Nashville caterer behind Ricey & Co., is graduating from private gigs and pop-ups to a tightly focused sushi counter on the city’s west side. His new project, Hattori Nori, is all about made-to-order hand rolls, served one at a time so the nori stays shatter-crisp and the rice hits the counter still warm. For a chef who built his name at hotel rooftops and late-night events, it is a sharp, chef-driven pivot into a style of sushi service Nashville has not really seen before.
As reported by The Business Journals, Hattori Nori is being billed as Nashville’s first dedicated hand roll bar from a local caterer-turned-pop-up operator. The setup is intentionally compact, swapping a traditional dining room for an intimate bar where the rolls are assembled to order right in front of diners. That story, which ran February 4, 2026, frames the project as a deliberate bet on a small footprint and high-contact service.
Art told City Lifestyle he visited multiple hand roll counters while researching the idea and wanted Hattori Nori to feel thoughtful instead of faddish. “The biggest lesson I learned from those experiences wasn’t imitation — it was restraint,” he said, describing a pared-back counter that exists mainly to spotlight fresh fish and carefully seasoned rice. That profile tracks his climb from simple at-home sushi nights to a growing presence in Nashville’s food scene.
Ricey & Co., the catering brand Art runs, already claims a regular residency at Skye Lounge atop the Sheraton Grand and appears frequently at city events and collaborations. The step into a permanent counter builds directly on that visibility and the private-event work that first put his food in front of local diners. The new spot is expected to draw on the same pop-up sensibility: a short menu, quick pacing, and tight execution instead of sprawling options.
Local paperwork backs up the buzz. Davidson County business records list Hattori Nori as a registered restaurant business as of early January, a sign the concept has moved from idea stage into formal registration and is marching toward a physical home.
Local Ties And Clientele
The Business Journals notes that Art has catered to high-profile clients, including the Tennessee Titans and country star Lainey Wilson, a résumé line that helped raise the profile of Hattori Nori even before a storefront was official. He is also wired into the local food scene through collaborations, including a Sushi Pizza pop-up at Skye Lounge with Slim + Husky’s that helped push his sushi to new audiences, as reported by Nashville Scene.
What To Expect And Next Steps
There is no firm public opening date on the books yet, but City Lifestyle reports that Art is focused on keeping momentum through 2026 and plans to continue Ricey & Co. pop-ups while Hattori Nori comes to life. For diners, the experience is shaping up as quick and precise rather than drawn out: a tight counter, a short rotating hand roll menu, and sushi served the moment it is built instead of a long, multi-course sit-down.
