Meet Gemma Matsuyama | Pastry Chef

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gemma Matsuyama and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gemma, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Kimochi was born in 2021, during the COVID-19 Pandemic when tensions were high in our society. I felt the need to share my Asian heritage by representing my Japanese roots in my work to spread awareness. Working in the restaurant industry for the past 16 years, using social media was a different perspective of connecting people with culture through food. I always believed our food community has a special power to share stories while nurturing our bodies and soul. Kimochi in Japanese means “feeling”. It is a reminder that taking this exact moment to appreciate what we have can create special moments we can be grateful for.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business Kimochi is still a small one-person operation where I hand-make fresh fruit mochi wrapped in sweetened white bean paste. It is one of those treats where the quality of ingredients and freshness speaks volumes. Whenever I would visit my family in Japan, I loved eating different kinds of mochi, which are treats made from rice. I wanted to offer my community here in the States one of my favorite snacks, that a wide range of people can enjoy because they are naturally vegan, gluten-free, and dairy free. My business is taking a stall now as I prepare myself to be a first-time mother, but as soon as I get the hang of motherhood I want to grow Kimochi into a real shop where guests can come and enjoy a moment of relief from their daily lives.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I recently moved to San Diego from Los Angeles because my husbands work as a Sushi Chef. We love going to the beach and I particularly enjoy watching the sea lions at La Jolla Cove. I love the multicultural areas of San Diego like the Chicano historical neighborhoods with their really cool cars passing by and enjoying the weekend. Little Italy also is the home to the cutest kitchen shop called Home Ec, and there is always something super cute that is going to spark the day a little more.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a special thank you to so many people who have opened doors for me and encouraged me from when I was young for the opportunities to express myself through food. Huge inspirations come from my friends in the food field like Sonoko Sakai, Jess Wang, Robin Koda, Yuki Johnson, Laura Hoang, Chino Farms, Ototo, Seahee Cho, Jihee Kim, Wholesam and Beshock Ramen, and many more people that keep pushing the envelope for what they believe in.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kimochi.us

Image Credits
Zohra Banon, David Takeda, Karina Vaca, Joy Taira