The Story Behind Yumi Sushi: Reinventing Self and Business on Prince Edward Island

Yumi Sushi and Rudy’s Chicken: Building a Culinary Brand from the Ground Up

Although Cindy Yu, owner of Yumi Sushi and Rudy’s Chicken, first arrived in Vancouver from Singapore over 15 years ago, Prince Edward Island is the place where she has put down roots and found success. Before the move, she worked as an office clerk for a property development company in her home country. Cindy simply wanted more out of life, including the opportunity to build a business from the bottom up in a completely new terrain. She describes her feelings about PEI as love at first sight because of the picturesque landscape and the remarkable warmth of Islanders.

Cindy first opened Yumi Sushi in Summerside and then Rudy’s Chicken in Borden-Carleton. Two years later, in response to growing demand, she set up shop for both restaurants at 660 University Avenue in Charlottetown. Yumi Sushi is a novelty on PEI as it is based on a traditional Japanese approach to dining, and boasts up to 200 menu offerings as part of its All-You-Can-Eat style. This spread gives diners the opportunity to experiment with countless combinations available on the menu, catering to a variety of appetites and preferences.

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Part of Yumi Sushi’s appeal is its just-in-time process, which ensures that the hand-made sushi retains its optimum freshness. Cindy shares that the restaurant strives to “delight customers with a broad range of delicious, fresh, artfully crafted yet affordably priced Japanese meals daily.” This goal has entailed serving sushi rolls alongside brief explanations that enable customers to fully understand and enjoy the experience.

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Partnerships, Freshness, and Vision: A Recipe for Sustainable Local Growth

Cindy has recorded these successes through active collaboration. She began the sushi restaurant with a friend and receives his mentorship as an entrepreneur in the industry with deep knowledge and vast experience. Her partnerships with local vendors ensure that ingredients remain fresh, and meals retain the highest quality. She credits PEI Connectors with, “Actively providing services to help me know more about being a business owner, linking me to the resources I need from government and local business communities, and helping me explore and promote the local market.”  

In the coming years, Cindy has her sights set on growing the restaurant’s locations from tip to tip so that more Islanders and communities right here on PEI can enjoy locally sourced, freshly made sushi Japanese-style.