Former Georgie Chef Joins Team at Dallas’ Michelin-Recommended Sushi Kozy

After being dismissed from his Executive Chef role at Knox District restaurant Georgie (which has had multiple chef shake-ups this year) in June 2025, RJ Yoakum has returned to the Dallas restaurant scene. He really never left, as he was teaming up with local chefs and restaurants on pop-up dinners all around town over the past six months. Now, the 31-year-old James Beard Award Finalist for Emerging Chef in 2025 has been named Chef de Cuisine of the new omakase concept in downtown, Sushi Kozy.

Led by chef/owner Paul Ko, Sushi Kozy opened in the Dallas Arts District over the summer, bringing a unique twist to the city’s ever-growing omakase scene. One highlight was that innovative local chef Ross Demers was on board as Chef de Cuisine. In October, Sushi Kozy was one of the few brand-new Dallas restaurants to be Michelin-recommended. We even named its omakase experience as one of the 8 Best Dishes We’ve Tried From New Dallas Restaurants in 2025.

According to a release, Yoakum is taking over Demers’ position. We don’t yet know what happened with the former Cry Wolf owner, except that Sushi Kozy General Manager Bronson Kang told us that the chef and restaurant parted ways a while ago. The appointment isn’t too surprising as Yoakum teamed up with Sushi Kozy on a recent special New Year’s Eve dinner, which was so popular that the restaurant added another night.

“Sushi Kozy represents everything we value — intention, seasonality, and respect for craft,” says Ko in the release. “RJ’s background and mindset align seamlessly with our philosophy, and his addition allows us to push forward thoughtfully while staying true to the soul of what we do.”

When we interviewed Ko over the summer about his upcoming restaurant opening, he told us that Demers would be focused on the modern, composed dishes in the kitchen. Kang also said that Ko and Demers’ “collaboration brings a distinctive balance of precision and creativity to our menu.” We wonder if this will be the same kind of collaboration with Yoakum.

Before leading Georgie to its first Michelin Recommended designation in Dallas, Yoakum worked at acclaimed restaurants in San Francisco, New York, Chicago, and London before spending three and a half years at Thomas Keller’s Michelin three-star The French Laundry.

“Sushi Kozy is a place where tradition and creativity coexist,” Yoakum states. “I’m excited to collaborate with this team to build an experience rooted in precision, seasonality, and a deep respect for the ingredients and the people behind them.”

We’re excited to see where this new partnership takes Yoakum and Sushi Kozy.