Staff Reports | Happenings & Events
As Kasai Scottsdale prepares for national expansion under new ownership, the Arizona restaurant brand says it intends to maintain the community partnerships that helped establish its reputation.
Executive Decisions Group Inc., a Scottsdale-based company that recently acquired Kasai as its first boutique hospitality brand, has become the title sponsor of Kasai’s fourth annual Fire & Fairways Charity Golf Tournament with a $5,000 donation benefiting Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers.
The sponsorship is one of EDGI’s first public investments since acquiring Kasai and reflects the company’s plans to preserve the restaurant’s culture and community involvement as it expands beyond Arizona, according to a press release.
Founded in 2001, Kasai is known for its teppanyaki dining experience and family-centered hospitality. EDGI said it is working alongside the founding family to maintain the restaurant’s culture, guest experience and community partnerships as the brand grows.
“Kasai earned its reputation because of the relationships the founding family built with guests and with the community,” Robert Stidham of EDGI said. “When we chose to invest in Kasai, we weren’t looking to change what made it successful. We wanted to protect that legacy while creating opportunities to introduce the Kasai experience to new communities across the country.”
That approach is reflected in the company’s continued partnership with Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers.
Kasai launched Fire & Fairways to support the nonprofit, which provides free music, arts and vocational training programs for Arizona teenagers. Following the acquisition, EDGI elected to expand its support by becoming the tournament’s title sponsor.
“This tournament represents everything Kasai has always stood for,” Emma Russello, Kasai marketing director and daughter of the founding family, said. “It’s about bringing people together around great food, meaningful experiences and giving back. Seeing our new ownership invest in that mission from the very beginning reinforces that we’re building the future together while staying true to the values that made Kasai successful.”
The fourth annual Fire & Fairways Charity Golf Tournament will be held Monday, Sept. 21, at Westin Kierland Golf Club in Scottsdale. Registration includes golf, a Kasai lunch buffet, complimentary beverages, raffles and prizes. Proceeds will benefit Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers.
The event is expected to bring together business leaders, restaurant supporters and community members from across Arizona while raising funds to support opportunities for local youth.
As Kasai begins its next chapter, company leaders said maintaining community connections will remain central to the brand’s identity as it expands.
“Arizona is where Kasai’s story began,” Mr. Stidham said. “As we look toward national growth, we want every new location to reflect the same hospitality, family values and commitment to giving back that guests have experienced here for more than 25 years.”
