Berkeley Bowl: "I like to find different ingredients and produce (at Berkeley Bowl). They have a such a selection there."

Piperade: "The appetizers are amazing. Dungeness crab salad, piquillo peppers with goats cheese and raisins. Phenomenal."

Nopa: "Very authentic and fresh."

Nopalito: "Done well."

For desserts, Michael Mina is "phenomenal. Catherine (Schimenti) is the pastry chef. Mina has a great idea, of doing the three components on the plate."

Nishiyama considers RN74 to be a great spot to "hang out and get a drink."

To get a sweet fix, Nishiyama indulges at Market Hall, in Rockridge, where he likes to pick up a bag of Ricciarelli's almond cookies. "They are phenomenal. I could eat a dozen."

When he worked at Yoshi's, he'd go out to eat post-work at a lot of the Korean spots nearby. Japan town was another haunt during that job.

Rising Star ChefsRising Star Chefs

Secrets from a Chef: Chez TJ's Scott Nishiyama