Meet the Chef
CHEF J SCOTT YADA
OCEANIC
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC
Chef J Scott Yada started out as a veterinarian and worked in the field for 10 years before switching vocations and attending culinary school. He has spent the past 15 years honing his skills and working as a Chef at several restaurants from coast to coast and recently joined Oceanic as Executive Chef.
What makes Oceanic unique?
The location is unmatched. The ocean view while sitting on top of the crystal pier hanging over the Atlantic, is truly unique and unlike anywhere else.
How would you describe the type of food you like to cook?
I enjoy making international family style dishes.
What motivates and inspires you as a chef?
The ocean inspires me most of all. There are so many great dishes that can be created using fresh seafood and I love to pairing local vegetables and wine with it all.
What might diners not know about you?
I did my culinary externship in Mallorca, Spain at a Michelin star restaurant on the Mediterranean Sea.
Current favorite dish the Kipos menu.
Our Harvest Salad with Blackened Chicken. It comes with spring mix, roasted butternut squash, beets, Medjool dates, ricotta salata, crispy shallots, and a red wine vinaigrette. So many layers of flavor.
Favorite local produce and how do you use it?
I love the local tuna (big eye or yellowfin) and we use it in our poke bowl appetizer. Definitely recommend giving it a try.
Best foodie city?
Paris, France
What’s your all-time best comfort food?
A nice hot bowl of tonkotsu ramen.
Describe the best meal you’ve ever eaten.
A traditional omakase meal at Sasabune in Brentwood, CA.
Three songs on your current playlist?
Strawberry Road – Brett Dennen
If there’s one important piece of advice you might have for cooks, what might that be?
Stay calm, stay clean, be organized, and remember, it’s just food.
Oceanic Restaurant's culinary philosophy relates directly to our surroundings. We are passionate about sourcing local seafood whenever possible. Tuna, little neck clams, oysters, flounder and Mahi Mahi are just a sampling of what the Crystal Coast waters provide for our Chef. Since its opening, coastal residents and visitors have come to love our fish house. To this day, it’s the only restaurant in Wrightsville Beach situated on the Atlantic Ocean. The panoramic views of the sparkling water & access to local fisheries and fishermen have made Oceanic a must-visit restaurant in Wrightsville Beach.
703 S. Lumina Avenue
Wrightsville Beach, NC