Community Highlights: Meet Yuriko Say of Peninsula

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yuriko Say.

Hi Yuriko, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in San Francisco (IN San Francisco, up the street from Ghirardelli Square. Not across a bridge or in another County), the second generation, only child to a Japanese father and English mother. I got into the restaurant business in New York in my early 20’s, when my realization of my hatred for my television production job serendipitously sent me running into the warm, dysfunctional arms of my first restaurant job and family (I met my husband there).

The restaurant world proved to be a natural fit for me, and within only two years, I landed my first GM job at a prominent neighborhood restaurant, Stone Park Cafe, which was the first Brooklyn restaurant to receive two stars from the New York Times, and winner of AOL City Guide’s Best Restaurant in New York (I’m dating myself, I know, but that was a HUGE deal back then!)

Following my time in NY, I jumped coasts again and moved to Seattle, where my husband and I continued to open and run restaurants for other people, including Renee Erickson’s much famed Walrus & The Carpenter. It was there that we met Jake Howell (Chef/Co-Owner of Peninsula). Jake and I went on to open another restaurant together for the same restaurant group. Our mutual disenchantment with that experience and for the city of Seattle itself proved to be the perfect catalyst for our move to Nashville. We had literally never been to Nashville before we decided to move to Music City to open our own place.

Almost a year to the day after we arrived (and almost twelve years to the day I started my first GM job at Stone Park), we opened Peninsula. We are three very hands on, working owners. Jake is the Chef, my husband (Craig Schoen) is the Bar Manager, and no surprise, I am the General Manager.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, global pandemic is what of course first comes to mind! We were closed for almost 16 months and only just had our grand reopening last Friday, June 18th. But as far as obstacles and challenges during normal times, or the “before times” are concerned, the restaurant industry is a rollercoaster of multi-tasking, putting out fires, and dealing with every type of personality imaginable. Thankfully I mostly thrive in the controlled chaos. Although I think you have to in order to be able to survive in this industry. Otherwise, why on earth would you do it?

Being a working owner is exhausting. It’s not often you go into a restaurant and the owners are your Chef, your server and your bartender every night. It’s an all-consuming job that is both emotionally and physically taxing, to say the least. But when you’re putting in the work for yourself, it’s different.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a small, focused neighborhood restaurant specializing in cuisine inspired by the Iberian Peninsula. What both sets us apart, and what we are known for are that we are working owners. At least two of the three owners are in the restaurant working the floor or running the kitchen every night we are open. The three of us have very specialized talents and between us, we have over 50 years of experience running restaurants of all kinds. Truth be told, we are also total control freaks, so sticking to our lanes is necessary as much as it is a key to our success.

The restaurants we have loved in the cities we’ve lived in and travels abroad are the ones that make you feel like you’re in your second living room. We strive for this every day. Our goal is to make everything we do welcoming while also being fun and exciting.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
The relationships I’ve made and formed with my guests, co-workers and employees in this industry are a true source of happiness. I cannot believe how many people I now consider like family who started off as a guest, then became a regular, then became a dear friend. These are people with whom I now travel and spend Christmas. People who I would call in an emergency. This industry can certainly show you the worst in people, but it can also show you the best.

Contact Info:

• Website: peninsulanashville.com
• Instagram: peninsula_nashville
• Facebook: Peninsula Nashville

Image Credits
Personal Photo & Restaurant Space Photos – Danielle Atkins Food Photos – Peninsula