Marisa Bagget arrived in Los Angeles from her home in Mississippi with one goal in mind: to learn as much as she could about preparing great sushi. At the California Sushi Academy she not only studied sushi preparation, but also sushi culture and other Japanese dishes. Her enthusiasm and passion for this flavorful cuisine grew and she became the school's first black female graduate. Since her return to the South, she has gained regional and international recognition for her sushi. She teaches workshops on sushi making, caters sushi events, and works with caterers in the Memphis Jewish community on supplying kosher sushi for special events.