Owner hero

Meet the Founder

Mika Kazato

Chef & Co-Owner, Parami

“I was able to eat freshly harvested rice every fall. Now I think about it, it was such a luxurious life.”

Mika grew up surrounded by rice fields in Oita, a quiet prefecture in rural Japan. It's a childhood she now shapes into every onigiri sold on Alberta Street.

Why a dedicated page: Mika's story is the single most distinctive, human asset the brand has: a specific place (Oita), a specific memory (the rice harvest), and a specific mission (bringing that comfort food to Sydney). It deserves more room than a homepage teaser. This page is built entirely from her own quotes in published interviews. Worth having Mika review and approve the exact wording before it goes live.

Timeline

Her Story

From Oita to Alberta Street

Childhood

Oita Prefecture, Japan

Grew up among rice fields, eating freshly harvested rice every autumn: the memory she describes as "such a luxurious life."

Nov 2022

Parami opens

Opens on Alberta Street, Sydney, in a petite, konbini-inspired space in the former home of cafe Cre Asion.

2022–Today

200–500 onigiri, daily

Eight core varieties, hand-shaped fresh each morning using koshihikari rice imported from Toyama.

Ongoing

Recognised by her peers

Regulars include Firedoor's Lennox Hastie and Chaco Bar's Keita Abe; recipe featured in Gourmet Traveller as a guest chef.

Note: press consistently refers to Mika as "co-owner," implying a business partner who isn't named publicly. Worth checking with her whether that person should be credited here too.

Philosophy

Why Onigiri

Comfort food, made everyday.

In Japan, Mika says, onigiri and bento are often tied to special occasions: school excursions, sports days. Her vision for Parami is different: she wants onigiri to become something Sydneysiders reach for the way they'd reach for a sandwich. Snack-sized and easy to eat on the move, it's designed for office workers grabbing lunch, people on a morning walk, and kids who can serve themselves.

“Onigiri brings back so many childhood memories.”

Onigiri varieties

200–500

Made per day

Toyama

Koshihikari rice, imported

Why this section: this is the “why” behind the menu. It turns onigiri from a novelty item into a considered everyday-food mission, which is a much stronger story than “rice balls, made fresh.”

Quotes

In Her Own Words

Quotes from published interviews

“I was able to eat freshly harvested rice every fall. Now I think about it, it was such a luxurious life.”

Broadsheet, opening feature, Nov 2022

“Onigiri brings back so many childhood memories.”

SBS Food, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw

Onigiri should become “a light, everyday food that can be eaten as a substitute for sandwiches or as a snack.”

SBS Food, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw

She wants Sydneysiders to experience “the joys of the comfort food she grew up on.”

Broadsheet, “Three To Try in Sydney”

“Many people might confuse it with sushi, but sushi is made with vinegared rice, while onigiri uses regular rice.”

Gourmet Traveller, chef's recipe intro

Parami: “a Japanese wonderland of pretty and delicious.”

The Pared Store, Places We Love

Why this section: real, sourced quotes carry far more weight than paraphrased copy, and giving each one a visible source builds credibility rather than reading like marketing spin.

Press log

As Seen In

Press & recognition

Broadsheet

Opening feature (Nov 2022) + return feature, “Leading Sydney's Onigiri Obsession”

Broadsheet

“Three To Try in Sydney: New Japanese Joints”

SBS Food · The Cook Up with Adam Liaw

“Onigiri stores are booming in Japan, and Australia is catching on”

Gourmet Traveller

Chef's recipe: “How to make onigiri,” by Mika Kazato

The Pared Store

“Places We Love: Parami, Sydney”

Concrete Playground

“How to Spend a Day in Sydney, If You Love Japan”

Research log · sources for this page

Broadsheet, “Now Open: Choose From a Bounty of Onigiri…” (Nov 2022), Oita childhood, rice-harvest quote, opening details.
Broadsheet, “Parami Is the Japanese Cafe Leading Sydney's Onigiri Obsession”, regulars Lennox Hastie (Firedoor) & Keita Abe (Chaco Bar), production volumes.
Broadsheet, “Three To Try in Sydney: New Japanese Joints…”, motivation quote, ~500 onigiri/day, 8 varieties.
SBS Food, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw: “Onigiri stores are booming…”, philosophy on everyday food, target customers.
Gourmet Traveller, author page & “How to make onigiri” recipe, chef credit, technique, onigiri-vs-sushi quote.
The Pared Store, “Places We Love: Parami, Sydney”, brand-feel quote.
Concrete Playground, “How to Spend a Day in Sydney, If You Love Japan”, editorial mention, no direct quote.

Not found / worth asking Mika directly: her personal Instagram (@mmika1112) couldn't be verified automatically (Instagram blocks automated browsing), and no press source names a second co-owner, though several refer to her as "co-owner." Both are worth confirming before this page goes live.