Beyond Sushi: Here's What Happened After Appearing On Shark Tank

After pursuing a degree in computer science and ultimately discovering he didn't want a career sitting in front of a screen, Guy Vaknin turned his mind toward his true passion: food. He enrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) to expand upon the culinary knowledge his mother and grandmothers had bestowed on him in his youth. With his wife Tali's vegetarian diet as his inspiration, he decided to open up his own restaurant called Beyond Sushi — a concept that utilized plant-based ingredients to construct the popular Japanese dish.

The venture into a niche culinary territory paid off. Starting in a humble 280-square-foot building in New York that didn't even have a proper kitchen, Vaknin was pumping out $1 million in grab-and-go vegan sushi orders annually. Before long, he was opening more locations in the city, but he had his sights set on expanding his fledgling food empire across the country.

Already having secured an investment to stretch his East Coast foothold from Sandy Beall, the founder of Ruby Tuesday, Vaknin was ready to take on another high-level partner to make his dreams of entering the L.A. market a reality. His wife had been pushing him for some time to contact ABC's "Shark Tank" to see if that could be the solution he was looking for, and he eventually found himself pitching his business to some of the most notorious heavy-hitters in the venture capital game. He entered the tank asking for a bigger deal than had ever been secured on the show, hoping it wouldn't send the sharks swimming for calmer waters.

Vaknin didn't have to worry much about the difference between East Coast and West Coast sushi with his plans for growth because his version was served sans animal protein. He boosted the flavor of his sushi rolls with fresh fruit and vegetables, steering away from the fake meat often utilized in vegan fare, and the sharks were impressed by the taste of his cuisine. However, Vaknin was swinging for the fences with his ask for $1.5 million in exchange for 25% of the West Coast expansion and 5% of the currently operating East Coast locations.

Once a few questions had been answered about the company's sales and structure, Daymond John was the first to jump ship because he was simply unfamiliar with the quick-serve business model. O'Leary quickly followed, noting his shock over the valuation and that it would take too long to recoup his investment. Eventually, Lori Greiner and guest shark Matt Higgins were the only ones left to dig deeper into Beyond Sushi and how a West Coast evolution would work.

Both were interested in making an investment, and the two sharks teamed up with a counteroffer that would give them 30% of the expansion and 15% of the East Coast enterprise. Vaknin was hesitant to give up that much of his company, asking the sharks if they would consider just 12% of the eastern locations adequate. No dice. The sharks' offer was firm, and after thinking things through for another moment, Vaknin decided the investment would be worth the loss of equity and accepted the deal.

Even businesses that don't secure or follow up on a deal on "Shark Tank," like vitamin-infused beverage KidsLuv, generally experience a significant boost in sales following an appearance on the show, and Beyond Sushi was no different. Soon after landing his investment, Vaknin saw sales at all his restaurant locations skyrocket by 40% – and that was just from the people physically entering the establishment. The company's online orders increased by 100%, and orders delivered by third-party companies like DoorDash rose by 70%.

Simply garnering attention for his business had created a windfall of success, but there was still the West Coast expansion to consider. However, it never came to fruition as Vaknin wasn't ready to step out of the kitchen to make it happen. Merely securing a deal on ABC's hit show doesn't mean it will materialize, as illustrated by Electra Beverages after its appearance on "Shark Tank". While Vaknin was grateful for the offer from Higgins and Greiner, he eventually concluded that their vision for the company didn't align with his. 

With two locations in New York City, Beyond Sushi continues to thrive today. What's more, Vaknin has augmented his food empire with other concepts like Willow, a vegan-friendly bistro in Chelsea; Sentir, a Mexican-themed establishment; and Anixi, a restaurant that exposes folks to Lebanese, Greek, and Turkish cuisine. Although Beyond Sushi hasn't made it to the West Coast yet, Vaknin's businesses continue to attract foodies from all over the country.

Still, it hasn't been all success and celebration for the culinary world in recent years. During the COVID pandemic in 2020, restaurants experienced visitor decline at an unprecedented level, and Beyond Sushi was no exception. The business went from serving roughly 1,500 guests a day to just 200 or so. As with many restaurants, Vaknin was forced to lay off dedicated employees and shutter the doors to some of his locations. Thankfully, he was nimble enough to pivot toward online to-go orders during those trying times, which is likely one reason his still-existing establishments are open today.

Despite experiencing hardships in his business, Vaknin saw an opportunity to give back to the community that had helped him reach the level of success he had achieved. With the help of his culinary team, Vaknin donated roughly 10,000 meals to folks working on the frontlines at hospitals and shelters. His ability to display goodwill in the face of adversity is likely one of the main factors contributing to Beyond Sushi's ongoing success.

With 2020 hitting portions of his culinary empire, Vaknin decided the prospect of expanding to L.A. would have to wait. He still hopes to get Beyond Sushi out west, but he understands it is no small feat and wants it done right. He also doesn't want to give up the reins of his company, declining offers from potential franchisees to focus on what he loves most: cooking.

One of the complications with opening locations on the West Coast is that Vaknin would be forced to take a more active role in the big-picture aspects of both East and West Coast establishments, meaning he would see his role in the kitchen diminish. Crunching numbers is crucial in any business, and while Vaknin spends a couple of days a week looking into sales and logistics to keep his empire afloat, he continues to harbor a devotion to working in the trenches of the kitchen. Despite setbacks and a change in his vision, the passion that started his journey into the culinary scene still burns today.