Kema by KENAKI is the latest restaurant from siblings Ken and Aki Ballogdajan, who grew up in the business at their grandparents' Kyoko's in Cleveland Park and their parents' Cafe Kyoko in Frederick, Maryland. Ken cooks with 25 years of experience, including time as Corporate Executive Sous Chef at OOF Restaurant in Puerto Rico and an internship with Chef Bryan Voltaggio at VOLT in Frederick before attending L'Academie de Cuisine. Aki left a career in tech to run front-of-house as General Manager and co-owner.
The two opened KENAKI Sushi Counter in Gaithersburg in 2018, followed by AKO by KENAKI on Capitol Hill, named for their late mother. Kema, set in Cabin John Village, is their third concept, pairing classic sushi technique with modern flavor combinations.
The two opened KENAKI Sushi Counter in Gaithersburg in 2018, followed by AKO by KENAKI on Capitol Hill, named for their late mother. Kema, set in Cabin John Village, is their third concept, pairing classic sushi technique with modern flavor combinations.